He appeared in the modestly acclaimed film "Apt Pupil", which was directed by Bryan Singer and based on a story by Stephen King. McKellen portrayed a fugitive Nazi officer living under a false name in the US who is befriended by a curious teenager (Brad Renfro) who threatens to expose him unless he tells his story in detail. He was subsequently nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the 1998 film "Gods and Monsters", wherein he played James Whale, the director of "Frankenstein".