Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Derek Jacobi will be two of the four grand marshals for New York City’s gay pride parade.
Joining the two actors are J. Christopher Neal, a New York City-based artist and Kasha Nabagesera who NYC Pride describes as “the mother of the Ugandan LGBT rights.”
Sirs Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi are NYC Gay Pride 2015’s grand marshals
The news was announced Monday afternoon by NYC Pride with a video featuring all the grand marshalls.
Sir Ian McKellen is best known for his roles in the “X-Men” films as the villain Magento, as well as his recurring role as Gandalf in the “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” franchises.
Sir Derek Jacobi, a little less well-known in the US, is a veteran acclaimed actor of the stage and screen who starred in “The King’s Speech,” and most recently “Cinderella.”
NYC’s gay pride parade is one of the most famous and largest in the world. Organizers expect about 2 million people to attend.
The grand marshals will ride in cars along a two mile long parade route which stretches from 36th Street and Fifth Avenue all the way to Greenwich Street in the West Village.
Pride festivities begin on June 21 and end on June 28th.
Check out the video of the grand marshalls below:
