Sir Ian McKellen has just turned 82 years old, so it's as good a time as any for fans to celebrate the actor and his body of work on social media. A veteran of the screen whose career has spanned for more than six decades and still going strong, some of McKellen's most popular roles include playing Magneto in the X-Men movies and Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings. And those are just two of the many, many roles Ian McKellen has portrayed to impress fans and critics alike.

Wherever people know him from Best, McKellen is getting a lot of love for his 82nd birthday. Posting a couple of images of McKellen at a Pride parade, one fan wrote, "happy 82nd birthday to sir ian mckellen!"

"Happy birthday #IanMcKellan, 82 today," posted the All the Right Movies podcast. "He was a hugely respected star of the stage for over 20 years before his prominence grew in movies. Considered a British cultural icon, McKellan is most famous as Magneto in the X-Men series & Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings trilogy."

Including a quote from McKellen, another fan said: "May 25th, 1939, is the birthday of British acting icon Sir Ian McKellan, who once said: 'Personally, coming out was one of the most important things I've ever done, lifting from my shoulders the millstone of lies that I hadn't even realized I was carrying.'"

"Happy birthday to the extraordinary Sir Ian Mckellen," says someone else. "I was first at awe of his greatness when I saw Richard III. Both fascinating and repelling, he just nailed every segment of his character's dramatic arch."

Another tweet reads: "Happy birthday to English actor Ian McKellen, born May 25, 1939. He has performed in genres ranging from Shakespearean & modern theatre to popular fantasy & science fiction, including Richard III, Gods & Monsters, Magneto in X-Men & Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit."

The Next 2 Nerds podcast tweeted: "Big day here @next_nerds , a very Happy Birthday to our own Wizard , Mutant, Shakespearean genius & activist, Sir Ian McKellen. It is an absolute gift to have your work and may this day and the coming year bring you every joy."

And another fan writes, "Today is the birthday of someone amazing. Someone who I care about very much, who means the world for me and who is always there for me. I love them so much and want nothing but good things for them. Happy birthday Ian McKellen."

These days, McKellen can be seen starring in his own one man show Ian McKellen On Stage. On his birthday, the actor posted that the show will premiere via Amazon Prime Video and National Theatre on June 11 for the UK and Ireland, with other countries following later this year. The show sees McKellen performing extracts from some of his most iconic performances, which is truly a sight to see for any big fan of the acclaimed actor.

However McKellen is celebrating his special day, let's just hope his 82nd birthday is one of the best he's had yet. Happy birthday, Sir Ian McKellen! You can see many more tribute posts for the actor on Twitter.