6 2
Age 87

HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON

Age 89

#41

Current Rank

#70

#3

Peak Rank

#1

43

Years Ranked

42

6

Years in Top 10

10

28.2

Average Rank

40.2

42

Theatrical Releases

37

Beauty and the Beast $504.0 Million

Biggest Hit

On Golden Pond $119.3 Million

$3.9 Billion

Career Domestic
Box Office

$1.0 Billion

COMMUNITY VOTE

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Career Comparison Summary AI-generated historical comparison. Click to expand.

Note: Films released during the selected year influence the following year's rankings.

By the 2026 season, the comparison is less about a single breakout moment and more about the shape of each actor's accumulated Hollywood results. The biggest-hit category sharpens the box office contrast, especially because Ian McKellen's leading film creates the stronger single-release benchmark.

The category score gives Ian McKellen the broader edge, though the result remains a comparison of career outcomes rather than personal popularity. Taken together, the comparison suggests leans toward Ian McKellen while still showing distinct strengths on each side.

CAREER RANKING HISTORY

Ian McKellen Jane Fonda

FILMOGRAPHY COMPARISON

Ian McKellen

42 theatrical releases • $3.9 Billion Domestic

Year Movie Domestic Box Office Domestic BO
2026 The Christophers $1.8 Million
2024 The Critic $449,020
2019 Cats $27.2 Million
2019 The Good Liar $17.2 Million
2019 All Is True $1.2 Million

Jane Fonda

37 theatrical releases • $1.0 Billion Domestic

Year Movie Domestic Box Office Domestic BO
2023 Ruby Gillman Teenage Kraken $15.8 Million
2023 Book Club: The Next Chapter $17.6 Million
2023 80 for Brady $39.4 Million
2023 Moving On $2.1 Million
2018 Book Club $68.6 Million