Sir Ben Kingsley is a British actor known for his extensive career on stage and screen. He has received numerous accolades throughout his career which spans over five decades, including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Grammy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for four Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Laurence Olivier Awards.
Kingsley started his career on stage when he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1967, where he starred in numerous productions of William Shakespeare including King Lear (1968), Bartholomew Fair (1969), Measure for Measure (1970), The Tempest (1970), Hamlet (1975), The Merry Wives of Windsor (1979), and Othello (1985). He made his Broadway debut playing Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1971). He portrayed the title role in Edmund Kean (1983) on both the West End at the Aldwych Theatre and on Broadway at the Billy Rose Theater.
He is best known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi (1982), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. He expanded his career in film earning acclaim for his performances in Maurice (1987), Bugsy (1990), Schindler's List (1993), Sexy Beast (2000), House of Sand and Fog (2003), Elegy (2008), Shutter Island (2010), and Hugo (2011). Other notable films include Sneakers (1992), Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993), Dave (1993), Death and the Maiden (1994), Twelfth Night (1996), Tuck Everlasting (2002), and Learning to Drive (2014). He portrayed Trevor Slattery in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, acting in Iron Man 3 (2013), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), and the upcoming Disney+ series Wonder Man.[1] He also acted in the blockbusters Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010), Ender's Game (2013). He voiced roles in The Boxtrolls (2014), and The Jungle Book (2016).
On television, Kingsley has portrayed numerous real life figures including Simon Wiesenthal in the HBO film Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story (1989), Potiphar in the TNT miniseries Joseph (1995), Otto Frank in the ABC miniseries Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001), and Herman Tarnower in the HBO film Mrs. Harris (2005). He also played Sweeney Todd in the TV film The Tale of Sweeney Todd (1997), and Ay, the Grand Vizier in the miniseries Tut (2015).
Acting credits
edit† | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
Film
editTelevision
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1966 | Pardon the Expression | Roy | Episode: "The Switched-On Scene" |
Orlando | Peter Batterby | 6 episodes | |
1966–1967 | Coronation Street | Ron Jenkins | 5 episodes |
1973 | The Adventurer | Pierre | Episode: "The Good Book" |
Play for Today | Naseem | Episode: "Hard Labour" | |
Full House | "A Misfortune" Cast Member | Episode: "13 January 1973" | |
Wessex Tales | Lord Uplandtowers | Episode: "Barbara of the House of Grebe" | |
1974 | Antony and Cleopatra | Thidias | Television film |
1975 | The Love School | Rosetti | 5 episodes |
1976 | Dickens of London | Dr. John Elliotson | 2 episodes |
1977 | Velvet Glove | Chakravarti | Episode: "The Warrior's Return" |
1976–1979 | Crown Court | Jeremy Leigh | 5 episodes |
1978–1979 | BBC2 Playhouse | Ivanov Robert Cibrario |
2 episodes |
1982 | The Merry Wives of Windsor | Frank Ford | Television film |
1983 | Kean | Edmund Kean | |
1984 | Camille | Duval | |
Oxbridge Blues | Geoff Craven | Episode: "Sleeps Six" | |
1985 | Silas Marner | Silas Marner | Television movie |
1986 | Stanley's Vision | Stanley Spencer | Television film |
1988 | The Secret of the Sahara | Sholomon | 4 episodes |
Lenin: The Train | Lenin | Television film | |
1989 | Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story | Simon Wiesenthal | |
1991 | The War That Never Ends | Pericles | |
1995 | Joseph | Potiphar | |
Moses | Moses | ||
1997 | Weapons of Mass Distraction | Julian Messenger | |
1998 | The Tale of Sweeney Todd | Sweeney Todd | |
Crime and Punishment | Porfiry | ||
1999 | Alice in Wonderland | Major Caterpillar | |
2001 | Anne Frank: The Whole Story | Otto Frank | 2 episodes |
2005 | Mrs. Harris | Herman Tarnower | Television movie |
2006 | The Sopranos | Himself | Episode: "Luxury Lounge" |
2014 | Garfunkel & Oates | Episode: "The Fadeaway" | |
2015 | Tut | Ay | 3 episodes |
2018 | All or Nothing: Manchester City | Narrator | Docuseries |
Watership Down | General Woundwort | Voice 4 episodes | |
2019 | Perpetual Grace, LTD | Pastor Byron Brown | 10 episodes |
Schindler: The Real Story[9] | Narrator | In the 1983 release the narrator was Dirk Bogarde. | |
2025 | Wonder Man | Trevor Slattery | Upcoming Disney+ series |
Theatre
editVideo games
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | Kiyeko and the Lost Night | Storyteller | Voice role |
1997 | Ceremony of Innocence | Victor Frolatti | |
2010 | Fable III | Sabine | Voice role Credited as Sir Ben Kingsley |
References
edit- ^ Johnston, Sheila (4 April 2009). "Ben Kingsley interview: dark soul of the knight". The Daily Telegraph (Review). pp. 10–11.
- ^ Shales, Tom (9 October 1999). "A Journey Of aThousand Years". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
- ^ "Sir Ben Kingsley explores his animated side in 'The Boxtrolls'". winnipegsun.com. 21 September 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
- ^ "'The Boxtrolls': Ben Kingsley Talks Voicing a Villain; Will Trevor Slattery Return?". screenrant.com. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
- ^ Dave McNary (22 April 2015). "Documentary 'Unity' Set for Aug. 12 Release with 100 Star Narrators". Variety. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
- ^ "Ben Kingsley To Voice Bagheera In Disney's 'The Jungle Book'". Deadline. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
- ^ Barnhardt, Adam (16 August 2021). "Shang-Chi Fans Are Hyped to See Ben Kingsley Back". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- ^ "Ben Kingsley, Jane Curtin & More Board Marc Turtletaub's Feature 'Jules'".
- ^ "Hernán, la serie sobre Cortés, encabeza los recomendados de series y películas para la semana". Clarín (in Spanish). 17 November 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "TAM196704 - The Taming of the Shrew". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
- ^ "REV196705 - The Revenger's Tragedy". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "AYL196706 - As You Like It". Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "REL196708 - The Relapse". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "AYL196801 - As You Like It". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "King Lear (1968)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "TRO196808 - Troilus and Cressida". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "MUC196810 - Much Ado About Nothing". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "TRO196907 - Troilus and Cressida". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Bartholomew Fair (1969)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "BAR196910 - Bartholomew Fair". Royal Shakespare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "SIL196909 - The Silver Tassie". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "RI3197004 - Richard III". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Measure for Measure (1970)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "The Tempest (1970)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "A Midsummers Night's Dream (Broadway, 1971)". Playbill. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "ENE197107 - Enemies". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "OCC197109 - Occupations". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "SUB197110 - Subject To Fits". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "OZT197111 - The Oz Trial". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "LER197311 - A Lesson in Blood and Roses". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "HEL197310 - Hello and Goodbye". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Statements Made After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "MAO197509 - Man Is Man". Royal Shakepeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "MEW197508 - The Merry Wives of Windsor". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Hamlet (1975)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "CYM197904 - Cymbeline". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "UL197911 - Julius Caesar". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "BAA197908 - Baal". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "The Merry Wives of Windsor (1979)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "NIC198006 - The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "RSC Performances | BAA198002". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "BAA198008 - Baal". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Edmund Kean (Broadway, 1983)". Playbill. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "MAO197509 - Man Is Man". Royal Shakepeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Othello (1985)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
External links
edit- Ben Kingsley at IMDb