1 1 ' s ▁X - Men : ▁First ▁Class . ▁ ▁While ▁film ing ▁the ▁first ▁X - Men ▁film ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁McK ellen ▁was ▁cast ▁as ▁the ▁w izard ▁Gand alf ▁in ▁Peter ▁Jackson ' s ▁three - film ▁adaptation ▁of ▁The ▁Lord ▁of ▁the ▁R ings ▁( cons isting ▁of ▁The ▁Fellow ship ▁of ▁the ▁Ring ▁( 2 0 0 1 ), ▁The ▁Two ▁Tow ers ▁( 2 0 0 2 ), ▁and ▁The ▁Return ▁of ▁the ▁King ▁( 2 0 0 3 ) ▁). ▁He ▁received ▁hon ors ▁from ▁the ▁Screen ▁Act ors ▁Gu ild ▁for ▁Best ▁Support ing ▁A ctor ▁in ▁a ▁Mot ion ▁Picture ▁for ▁his ▁work ▁in ▁The ▁Fellow ship ▁of ▁the ▁Ring ▁and ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁Academy ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁Support ing ▁A ctor ▁for ▁the ▁same ▁role . ▁He ▁provided ▁the ▁voice ▁of ▁Gand alf ▁for ▁several ▁video ▁game ▁adapt ations ▁of ▁the ▁Lord ▁of ▁the ▁R ings ▁films , ▁then ▁repr ised ▁the ▁role ▁on ▁screen ▁in ▁Jackson ' s ▁film ▁adaptation ▁of ▁The ▁Hob bit , ▁which ▁was ▁released ▁in ▁three ▁parts ▁from ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁he ▁hosted ▁Saturday ▁Night ▁Live . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁McK ellen ▁made ▁a ▁guest ▁appearance ▁as ▁himself ▁on ▁the ▁American ▁cart oon ▁show ▁The ▁Sim ps ons ▁in ▁a ▁special ▁British - th emed ▁episode