Personal life McKellen and his first partner, Brian Taylor, a history teacher from Bolton, began their relationship in 1964. Their relationship lasted for eight years, ending in 1972. They lived in Earls Terrace, Kensington, London, where McKellen continued to pursue his career as an actor. In 1978, he met his second partner, Sean Mathias, at the Edinburgh Festival. This relationship lasted until 1988, and according to Mathias, it was tempestuous, with conflicts over McKellen's success in acting versus Mathias's somewhat less-successful career. The two remained friends, with Mathias later directing McKellen in Waiting for Godot at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2009. The pair entered into a business partnership with Evgeny Lebedev, purchasing the lease of The Grapes public house in Narrow Street."The Grapes History ", thegrapes.co.uk. As of 2005, McKellen had been living in Narrow Street, Limehouse, for more than 25 years, more than a decade of which had been spent in a five-storey Victorian conversion.
perSOnal LiFe mcKellEn AnD his FIRst partNEr, brIAn tAyLor, a hiStory TeachEr FrOm BoLToN, begAn their reLatIoNsHip iN 1964. tHeiR relaTiOnsHip lAstEd fOR EigHt yearS, enDIng in 1972. THey lIveD IN EARLS TerracE, kensingTon, LonDoN, WhEre mCkElleN ContinUed to purSuE hIs cArEEr as An aCtoR. iN 1978, hE met His sEcond PARtnER, sean mAthiAS, at tHe edinbUrgH fEstIvaL. THiS RElAtionSHip LasTed unTil 1988, and AccOrding tO mAthiaS, it Was tempestuouS, WiTH coNfliCts over mckelLeN's succeSs In actING vErsUs matHias's SOMEwHaT less-succesSful careeR. The two remaIned fRiEndS, with maThIas LatER DIreCtIng mCkelLEn In wAiting fOR godOt at the thEaTre royAl haymarKet In 2009. the PaiR enTeREd intO A busiNess pArtneRshIp WiTh evgEny leBedev, PURchaSing thE lEAse OF tHe Grapes publIc hoUse iN NArrow StrEeT."the grapeS HiStory ", theGraPes.co.uk. as oF 2005, mckellen hAD been lIVINg in narRow street, lImEhouse, for mOrE tHAn 25 Years, more Than A DeCade OF whICh had beEN speNt in a FivE-SToREY vicTorian cOnverSiON.