▁McK ellen ▁had ▁taken ▁film ▁roles ▁throughout ▁his ▁career — begin ning ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁with ▁his ▁role ▁of ▁George ▁Matt he ws ▁in ▁A ▁Touch ▁of ▁Love , ▁and ▁his ▁first ▁leading ▁role ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁as ▁D . ▁H . ▁Lawrence ▁in ▁Pri est ▁of ▁Love , ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁that ▁he ▁became ▁more ▁widely ▁recogn ised ▁in ▁this ▁medium ▁after ▁several ▁roles ▁in ▁block b uster ▁Hollywood ▁films . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁supporting ▁role ▁as ▁a ▁South ▁African ▁ty co on ▁in ▁the ▁crit ically ▁acc laimed ▁Six ▁D eg rees ▁of ▁Se par ation , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁star red ▁with ▁Stock ard ▁Ch anning , ▁Donald ▁S uther land , ▁and ▁Will ▁Smith . ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁he ▁appeared ▁in ▁minor ▁roles ▁in ▁the ▁television ▁min is eries ▁T ales ▁of ▁the ▁City , ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁novel ▁by ▁his ▁friend ▁Arm iste ad ▁Mau pin , ▁and ▁the ▁film ▁Last ▁Action ▁Hero , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁briefly ▁played ▁Death ▁opposite ▁Arnold ▁Schwar zen eg ger ▁and ▁Charles ▁Dance . ▁ ▁Later ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁McK ellen ▁appeared ▁in ▁the ▁television ▁film ▁And ▁the ▁Band ▁Play ed ▁On ▁about ▁the ▁discovery ▁of ▁the ▁A ID S ▁virus ▁for ▁which ▁McK ellen ▁won ▁a ▁C able ACE ▁Award ▁for ▁Support ing ▁A ctor ▁in ▁a ▁Movie ▁or ▁Min is eries