 He appeared in the modestly acclaimed film Apt Pupil , which was directed by Bryan Singer and based on a story by Stephen King . McKellen portrayed a fugitive Nazi officer , living under a false name in the US , who is befriended by a curious teenager ( Brad Renfro ) who threatens to expose him unless he tells his story in detail . He was subsequently nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the 1998 film Gods and Monsters , wherein he played James Whale , the director of Show Boat ( 1936 ) and Frankenstein . 
