Sir Ian McKellen Celebrates 35 Years Of Making History With Stonewall Award
Sir Ian McKellen received a lifetime achievement award at the Stonewall Equality Dinner in London. The event took place at the Grand Connaught Rooms on 30 October 2024, marking 35 years since he helped start the organisation.
Stonewall awards Sir Ian McKellen, its co-founder, with Lifetime Achievement Award for decades of campaigning towards advancing LGBTQ+ equality. #EqualityDinner #LGBTQhttps://t.co/xtqdVl1m61 pic.twitter.com/2nqgEFPscn
— Scene Magazine (@SceneLGBTQ) November 1, 2024
The 85-year-old actor shared stories from his life at the ceremony. He spoke about how different things were in 1987 when 75 per cent of British people thought being gay was wrong.
A Personal Journey to Freedom
McKellen talked about his early days at equality shows. “I felt alive when I came out,” he said. “I joined Simon Callow, and we became part of something bigger.” He remembered how people used different words back then. “We called ourselves ‘camp’ – we didn’t say queer, and gay wasn’t even a word we used.”
The room was full of famous faces. Boy George from Culture Club, Sir Derek Jacobi, and hosts Suzi Ruffell and Gok Wan all came to support McKellen.
Ian McKellen and Tim Curry as Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Broadway production of "Amadeus", 1980. [773×924] pic.twitter.com/lc0WRp1DGG
— Benjamin Young Savage (ᐱᓐᒋᐱᓐ) (@benjancewicz) October 30, 2024
When asked about where he’ll keep his award, McKellen shared a funny story. “Susan Sarandon keeps hers in the loo,” he said. “I usually put mine outside on the stairs until they disappear. But this one’s special – it’s going in my kitchen.”
He ended with hope for the future: “Stonewall needs to keep doing its important work. There’s still more to do.”
The award celebrates McKellen’s decades of work making Britain a better place for everyone. His honest, warm speech showed why he’s not just a great actor, but also a trusted voice for positive change.
