Editing Ian McKellen (section)

===Charity work===
In April 2010, along with actors [[Brian Cox (actor)|Brian Cox]] and [[Eleanor Bron]], McKellen appeared in a series of TV advertisements to support [[Age UK]], the charity recently formed from the merger of [[Age Concern]] and [[Help the Aged]]. All three actors gave their time free of charge.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/apr/19/age-uk|title=Hollywood actors star in Age UK ad|last=Sweney|first=Mark|date=19 April 2010|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=21 April 2010|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100422230629/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/apr/19/age-uk|archive-date=22 April 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>

A cricket fan since childhood, McKellen umpired in March 2011 for a charity cricket match in New Zealand to support earthquake victims of the [[February 2011 Christchurch earthquake]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10710623 |title=Cricket: 'Fill the Basin' teams named |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=7 March 2011 |access-date=5 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107031831/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10710623 |archive-date=7 January 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=cricket-basin>{{cite web|title=Hollywood vs Wellywood fills The Basin|url=http://www.newzealand.com/travel/media/press-releases/2011/march-2011/tourism-news_hollywood-vs-wellywood-fills-basin_press-release.cfm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203115058/http://www.newzealand.com/travel/media/press-releases/2011/march-2011/tourism-news_hollywood-vs-wellywood-fills-basin_press-release.cfm|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 February 2014|work=New Zealand.com|publisher=Tourism New Zealand|access-date=22 January 2014|date=14 March 2011}}</ref>

McKellen is an honorary board member for the New York City- and Washington, D.C.–based organisation Only Make Believe.<ref>{{cite web |author=Panoptic Artifex – Christopher Baima & Greg Sweet |url=http://www.onlymakebelieve.org/who/honorary-board/ |title=Honorary Board |publisher=Only Make Believe |date=15 September 2013 |access-date=5 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231035245/http://onlymakebelieve.org/who/honorary-board/ |archive-date=31 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Only Make Believe creates and performs interactive plays in children's hospitals and care facilities. He was honoured by the organisation in 2012<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ew.com/article/2012/11/02/ian-mckellen-makes-magic-through-charity/ |title=Ian McKellen Makes Magic... Through Charity |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=2 November 2012 |access-date=5 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105051200/https://ew.com/article/2012/11/02/ian-mckellen-makes-magic-through-charity/ |archive-date=5 November 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> and hosted their annual Make Believe on Broadway Gala in November 2013.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ian-mckellen-undies-broadway_n_4225319 |title=Ian McKellen Strips To His Undies at the Only Make Believe Gala |website=HuffPost |date=6 November 2013 |access-date=5 January 2014 |first=Liat |last=Kornowski |archive-date=1 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801174110/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ian-mckellen-undies-broadway_n_4225319 |url-status=live }}</ref> He garnered publicity for the organisation by stripping down to his Lord of the Rings underwear on stage.

McKellen also has a history of supporting individual theatres. While in New Zealand filming ''[[The Hobbit (film series)|The Hobbit]]'' in 2012, he announced a special New Zealand tour "Shakespeare, Tolkien and You!", with proceeds going to help save the [[Isaac Theatre Royal]], which suffered extensive damage during the [[2011 Christchurch earthquake]]. McKellen said he opted to help save the building as it was the last theatre he played in New Zealand (''[[Waiting for Godot]]'' in 2010) and the locals' love for it made it a place worth supporting.<ref>{{cite web|author=RadioLIVE|url=http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Sir-Ian-McKellen-on-fundraising-for-the-Isaac-Theatre-Royal/tabid/506/articleID/27273/Default.aspx|title=Sir Ian McKellen on fundraising for the Isaac Theatre Royal|publisher=MediaWorks|access-date=13 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316112849/http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Sir-Ian-McKellen-on-fundraising-for-the-Isaac-Theatre-Royal/tabid/506/articleID/27273/Default.aspx|archive-date=16 March 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2017, he performed a new one-man show for a week at [[Park Theatre (London)]], donating the proceeds to the theatre.<ref>{{Cite news| issn = 0307-1235| last = Cavendish| first = Dominic| title = Ian McKellen at Park Theatre review: the secret of his success is not lofty knightliness but spry mateyness| work = The Telegraph| access-date = 24 July 2017| date = 3 July 2017| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/ian-mckellen-park-theatre-review-secret-success-not-lofty-knightliness/| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170718124656/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/ian-mckellen-park-theatre-review-secret-success-not-lofty-knightliness/| archive-date = 18 July 2017| url-status = live}}</ref>

Together with a number of his ''Lord of the Rings'' co-stars (plus writer Philippa Boyens and director Peter Jackson), on 1 June 2020 McKellen joined [[Josh Gad]]'s YouTube series ''Reunited Apart'' which reunites the cast of popular movies through video-conferencing, and promotes donations to non-profit charities.<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-josh-gad-reunites-stars-of-lord-of-the-rings-while-raising-money-for-kids-in-need/ "Actor Josh Gad reunites stars of "Lord of the Rings" while raising money for kids in need"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602191945/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/actor-josh-gad-reunites-stars-of-lord-of-the-rings-while-raising-money-for-kids-in-need/ |date=2 June 2020 }}. CBS. Retrieved 5 June 2020</ref>