Sean Mathias

Sean Gerard Mathias (born 14 March 1956) is a British theatre director, film director, writer and actor, known for directing the film Bent and for directing highly acclaimed theatre productions in London, New York City, Cape Town, Los Angeles and Sydney. He has also had a notable professional partnership with actor and former partner Sir Ian McKellen since the late 1970s.

He was included in the 2006 list of the 101 most influential gay and lesbian people in Britain in the Independent on Sunday's Pink List. Mathias is co-owner of The Grapes pub along with business partners Ian McKellen and Evgeny Lebedev, since September 2011.

Career

Actor

Mathias began his acting career by appearing on the television screen in a small role on an episode of the cult BBC TV series Survivors, in 1977. In the same year, he played an Irish Guards lieutenant in the film A Bridge Too Far.

In 1978, Mathias appeared in a production at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, during which time he met actor Ian McKellen who subsequently became his lover of about nine years.