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Ben Kingsley on screen and stage

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Kingsley at the 2012 Santa Barbara International Film Festival

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]
Key
† Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1972 Fear Is the Key Royale
1982 Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi
1983 Betrayal Robert
1985 Harem Selim
1986 Turtle Diary William Snow
1987 Maurice Lasker-Jones
1988 Pascali's Island Basil Pascali
Without a Clue Dr. John Watson
Testimony — The Story of Shostakovich Dmitri Shostakovich
1989 Slipstream Avatar
1990 The 5th Monkey Cunda
A Violent Life Governor
1991 Bugsy Meyer Lansky
Necessary Love Ernesto
1992 Sneakers Cosmo
Freddie as F.R.O.7 Freddie the Frog Voice
1993 Searching for Bobby Fischer Bruce Pandolfini
Dave Vice-President Gary Nance
Schindler's List Itzhak Stern
1994 Death and the Maiden Dr. Roberto Miranda
1995 Species Xavier Fitch
1996 Twelfth Night Feste
1997 The Assignment Amos
Photographing Fairies Minister Templeton
1999 The Confession Harry Fertig
Parting Shots Renzo Locatelli
CNN Millennium Narrator[2]
2000 Spooky House The Great Zamboni
What Planet Are You From? Graydon
Rules of Engagement Ambassador Mourain
Islam: Empire of Faith Narrator Voice; Documentary
Sexy Beast Don Logan
2001 A.I. Artificial Intelligence Specialist Voice
2002 The Triumph of Love Hermocrates
Tuck Everlasting Man in the Yellow Suit
2003 House of Sand and Fog Massoud Behrani
2004 Thunderbirds "The Hood"
Suspect Zero Benjamin O'Ryan
2005 A Sound of Thunder Charles Hatton
Oliver Twist Fagin
BloodRayne Kagan
2006 Lucky Number Slevin The Rabbi
2007 You Kill Me Frank Falenczyk
The Last Legion Ambrosinus
The Ten Commandments Narrator Voice
2008 Elegy David Kepesh
War, Inc. Walken
The Love Guru Guru Tugginmypudha
The Wackness Dr. Squires
Transsiberian Grinko
China's Stolen Children Narrator Voice; Documentary
Fifty Dead Men Walking Fergus
2009 Noah's Ark: The New Beginning Narrator Voice
Journey to Mecca Voice; Documentary
2010 Shutter Island Dr. John Cawley
Teen Patti Perci Trachtenberg
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Nizam
1001 inventions and the library of secrets The Librarian Short Educational Film
2011 Hugo Georges Méliès
The Desert of Forbidden Art Narrator Voice; Documentary
Beatles Stories Himself Documentary
2012 The Dictator Tamir
A Therapy Therapist Short film
It Is No Dream Narrator Voice; Documentary
2013 Iron Man 3 Trevor Slattery / Mandarin
Ender's Game Mazer Rackham
A Common Man The Man
Walking with the Enemy Regent Horthy
The Physician Ibn Sina
A Birder's Guide to Everything Lawrence Konrad
2014 Marvel One-Shot: All Hail the King Trevor Slattery Short film
War Story Albert
The Boxtrolls Archibald Snatcher Voice
Learning to Drive Darwan
Stonehearst Asylum Silas Lamb
Exodus: Gods and Kings Nun
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb Merenkahre
Robot Overlords Robin Smythe
2015 Knight of Cups The Voice Voice
Life Jack L. Warner
Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse Drago the Dragon Voice[3][4]
Unity[5] Narrator Voice; Documentary
Self/less Damian
The Walk Papa Rudy
2016 The Jungle Book Bagheera Voice[6]
Collide Geran
2017 The Ottoman Lieutenant Garrett Woodruff
Security Charlie
War Machine Hamid Karzai
An Ordinary Man The General Also Producer
2018 Backstabbing for Beginners Pasha
Operation Finale Adolf Eichmann
Night Hunter Michael Cooper
Intrigo: Death of an Author Henderson
2019 The Red Sea Diving Resort Ethan Levin
Spider in the Web Adereth
2021 Locked Down Solomon
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Trevor Slattery [7]
2022 Dalíland Salvador Dalí
2023 Jules Milton Robinson [8]
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar Imdad Khan / The Dealer Short film
Poison Dr. Ganderbai
2024 The Killer's Game Zvi
William Tell †
2025 The King of Kings † High Priest Caiaphas (voice)
TBA The Way of the Wind † TBA Post-production
Desert Warrior † Emperor Kisra
Deep Water †
The Thursday Murder Club † Ibrahim Arif

Television

[edit]
Year 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 film
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 film
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

[edit]
Year Title Role(s) Playwright Venue(s) Ref.
1967 The Taming of the Shrew Huntsman William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Theatre [10]
The Revenger's Tragedy Lord 3 Cyril Tourneur Royal Shakespeare Theatre [11]
As You Like It Lord 2 William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Theatre [12]
The Relapse Wigmaker, unnamed parts John Vanbrugh Aldwych Theatre, London [13]
1968 As You Like It Amiens William Shakespeare Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles [14]
King Lear Oswald Stratford-Upon-Avon, London [15]
Troilus and Cressida Aeneas Royal Shakespeare Theatre [16]
Much Ado About Nothing Conrade Royal Shakespeare Theatre [17]
1969 Troilus and Cressida Aeneas UK tour [18]
Bartholomew Fair Ned Winwife Ben Jonson Aldwych Theatre, West End [19][20]
The Silver Tassie The Croucher Sean O'Casey Aldwych Theatre, London [21]
1970 Richard III Richard Ratcliffe William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Theatre [22]
Measure for Measure Claudio Stratford-Upon-Avon, London [23]
The Tempest Ariel [24]
1971 A Midsummer Night's Dream Demetrius Billy Rose Theatre, Broadway [25]
Enemies Sintsov Maxim Gorky Aldwych Theatre, London [26]
Occupations Gramsci Trevor Griffiths UK tour [27]
Subject To Fits Ippolit Robert Montgomery The Place, London [28]
The Oz Trial Richard Neville devised by David Illingworth and Geoffrey Roberton The Place, London [29]
1973 A Lesson in Blood and Roses Fritz John Wiles The Place, London [30]
1973 Hello and Goodbye Johnnie Smit Athol Fugard The Place, London [31]
1974 Statements Made After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act Errol Philander Athol Fugard Royal Court Theatre, London [32]
1975 Man Is Man Bonze Wang Bertolt Brecht The Other Place, Stratford-Upon-Avon [33]
The Merry Wives of Windsor Master Slender William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Theatre [34]
1975–1976 Hamlet Hamlet Stratford-Upon-Avon, London [35]
1979 Cymbeline Iachimo Royal Shakespeare Theatre [36]
Julius Caesar Marcus Brutus Royal Shakespeare Theatre [37]
Baal Baal, music composer Bertolt Brecht The Other Place, Stratford-Upon-Avon [38]
1979–1980 The Merry Wives of Windsor Master Frank Ford William Shakespeare Aldwych Theatre, London [39]
1980 The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Furious Gentleman, Mr Squeers, Mr Wagstaff Charles Dickens, adapted by David Edgar Aldwych Theatre, London [40]
Baal Baal, music composer Bertolt Brecht Gulbenkian Studio, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Warehouse, London [41][42]
1983 Edmund Kean Edumnd Kean Raymund Fitzsimons Haymarket Theatre, West End
Brooks Atkinson Theatre, Broadway [43]
1984 Melons Caracol Bernard Pomerance The Other Place, Stratford-Upon-Avon [44]
1985–1986 Othello Othello William Shakespeare Barbican Theatre, London [45]

Video games

[edit]
Year 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]
  1. ^ Johnston, Sheila (4 April 2009). "Ben Kingsley interview: dark soul of the knight". The Daily Telegraph (Review). pp. 10–11.
  2. ^ Shales, Tom (9 October 1999). "A Journey Of aThousand Years". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  3. ^ "Sir Ben Kingsley explores his animated side in 'The Boxtrolls'". winnipegsun.com. 21 September 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  4. ^ "'The Boxtrolls': Ben Kingsley Talks Voicing a Villain; Will Trevor Slattery Return?". screenrant.com. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  5. ^ Dave McNary (22 April 2015). "Documentary 'Unity' Set for Aug. 12 Release with 100 Star Narrators". Variety. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  6. ^ "Ben Kingsley To Voice Bagheera In Disney's 'The Jungle Book'". Deadline. 25 June 2014. Archived from the original on 28 June 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "Ben Kingsley, Jane Curtin & More Board Marc Turtletaub's Feature 'Jules'".
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "TAM196704 - The Taming of the Shrew". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
  11. ^ "REV196705 - The Revenger's Tragedy". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  12. ^ "AYL196706 - As You Like It". Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  13. ^ "REL196708 - The Relapse". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  14. ^ "AYL196801 - As You Like It". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  15. ^ "King Lear (1968)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  16. ^ "TRO196808 - Troilus and Cressida". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  17. ^ "MUC196810 - Much Ado About Nothing". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  18. ^ "TRO196907 - Troilus and Cressida". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  19. ^ "Bartholomew Fair (1969)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  20. ^ "BAR196910 - Bartholomew Fair". Royal Shakespare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  21. ^ "SIL196909 - The Silver Tassie". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  22. ^ "RI3197004 - Richard III". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  23. ^ "Measure for Measure (1970)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  24. ^ "The Tempest (1970)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  25. ^ "A Midsummers Night's Dream (Broadway, 1971)". Playbill. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  26. ^ "ENE197107 - Enemies". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  27. ^ "OCC197109 - Occupations". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  28. ^ "SUB197110 - Subject To Fits". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  29. ^ "OZT197111 - The Oz Trial". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  30. ^ "LER197311 - A Lesson in Blood and Roses". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  31. ^ "HEL197310 - Hello and Goodbye". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  32. ^ "Statements Made After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  33. ^ "MAO197509 - Man Is Man". Royal Shakepeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  34. ^ "MEW197508 - The Merry Wives of Windsor". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  35. ^ "Hamlet (1975)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  36. ^ "CYM197904 - Cymbeline". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  37. ^ "UL197911 - Julius Caesar". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  38. ^ "BAA197908 - Baal". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  39. ^ "The Merry Wives of Windsor (1979)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  40. ^ "NIC198006 - The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  41. ^ "RSC Performances | BAA198002". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  42. ^ "BAA198008 - Baal". Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  43. ^ "Edmund Kean (Broadway, 1983)". Playbill. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  44. ^ "MAO197509 - Man Is Man". Royal Shakepeare Company. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  45. ^ "Othello (1985)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
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