Ben Kingsley

Born:December 31, 1943

Place of Birth:Snainton, North Riding of Yorkshire, England, UK

Known For:Acting

Biography

Sir Ben Kingsley, originally named Krishna Pandit Bhanji, is a distinguished English actor with a career that has spanned over five decades. Throughout his illustrious journey in the entertainment industry, Kingsley has amassed a plethora of prestigious awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Grammy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. Notably, he has also been recognized for his contributions to the British film industry by being appointed as a Knight Bachelor in 2002 and receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010.

Born to an English mother and an Indian Gujarati father with ancestral ties to Jamnagar, Kingsley embarked on his acting odyssey in the realm of theater. He graced the stages of the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1967, marking the inception of a remarkable career. Over the next 15 years, he captivated audiences with his performances in a myriad of Shakespearean classics such as "Hamlet," "Richard III," and "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Transitioning seamlessly from stage to screen, Kingsley made an indelible mark with his portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi in the critically acclaimed film "Gandhi" (1982), a role that earned him an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. His versatility as an actor shone through in a diverse range of films, from the historical drama "Schindler's List" (1993) to the crime thriller "Sexy Beast" (2000) and the psychological mystery "Shutter Island" (2010).

In addition to his profound impact on the big screen, Kingsley made a notable foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portraying the enigmatic character Trevor Slattery in "Iron Man 3" (2013) and "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" (2021). His ability to embody a spectrum of characters with depth and authenticity has solidified his reputation as a versatile and formidable actor in both mainstream blockbusters and independent cinema.

Beyond his on-screen endeavors, Kingsley's voice has also left a lasting impression in animated films such as "The Boxtrolls" (2014) and "The Jungle Book" (2016), showcasing his talent in a different realm of storytelling. His contributions to the entertainment industry have been lauded by audiences and critics alike, cementing his status as a cinematic legend whose influence transcends borders and genres.

Images

Filmography

Acting

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Trevor Slattery

2021

Shang-Chi must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization.

Schindler's List

Itzhak Stern

1993

The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.

Iron Man 3

Trevor Slattery

2013

When Tony Stark's world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.

The Killer's Game

Zvi Rabinowitz

2024

When top hitman Joe Flood is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he decides to take matters into his own hands – by taking a hit out on himself. But when the very hitmen he hired also target his ex-girlfriend, he must fend off an army of assassin colleagues and win back the love of his life before it's too late.

Sneakers

Cosmo

1992

When shadowy U.S. intelligence agents blackmail a reformed computer hacker and his eccentric team of security experts into stealing a code-breaking 'black box' from a Soviet-funded genius, they uncover a bigger conspiracy. Now, he and his 'sneakers' must save themselves and the world economy by retrieving the box from their blackmailers.

The Dictator

Tamir

2012

The heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.

The Jungle Book

Bagheera (voice)

2016

A man-cub named Mowgli fostered by wolves. After a threat from the tiger Shere Khan, Mowgli is forced to flee the jungle, by which he embarks on a journey of self discovery with the help of the panther, Bagheera and the free-spirited bear, Baloo.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence

Specialist (voice)

2001

David, a robotic boy—the first of his kind programmed to love—is adopted as a test case by a Cybertronics employee and his wife. Though he gradually becomes their child, a series of unexpected circumstances make this life impossible for David.

Exodus: Gods and Kings

Nun

2014

The defiant leader Moses rises up against the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses, setting 400,000 slaves on a monumental journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues.

Species

Xavier Fitch

1995

In 1993, the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence Project receives a transmission detailing an alien DNA structure, along with instructions on how to splice it with human DNA. The result is Sil, a sensual but deadly creature who can change from a beautiful woman to an armour-plated killing machine in the blink of an eye.

Hugo

Georges Méliès

2011

Orphaned and alone except for an uncle, Hugo Cabret lives in the walls of a train station in 1930s Paris. Hugo's job is to oil and maintain the station's clocks, but to him, his more important task is to protect a broken automaton and notebook left to him by his late father. Accompanied by the goddaughter of an embittered toy merchant, Hugo embarks on a quest to solve the mystery of the automaton and find a place he can call home.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

Imdad Khan / Croupier

2023

A rich man learns about a guru who can see without using his eyes. He sets out to master the skill in order to cheat at gambling.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Nizam

2010

A rogue prince reluctantly joins forces with a mysterious princess and together, they race against dark forces to safeguard an ancient dagger capable of releasing the Sands of Time – gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world.

Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi

1982

In the early years of the 20th century, Mohandas K. Gandhi, a British-trained lawyer, forsakes all worldly possessions to take up the cause of Indian independence. Faced with armed resistance from the British government, Gandhi adopts a policy of 'passive resistance', endeavouring to win freedom for his people without resorting to bloodshed.

Ender's Game

Mazer Rackham

2013

Based on the classic novel by Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game is the story of the Earth's most gifted children training to defend their homeplanet in the space wars of the future.

Jules

Milton Robinson

2023

A flying saucer lands in the backyard of an elderly suburbanite with memory problems, who forms a bond with the scared alien inside.

Security

Charlie

2017

An ex-special services veteran, down on his luck and desperate for work, takes a job as a security guard at a run-down mall in a rough area of town. On his first night on the job, he opens the door to a distraught and desperate young girl who has fled the hijacking of a Police motorcade that was transporting her to testify as a witness in a trial. Hot on her heels is the psychopathic hijacker and his team of henchmen, who will stop at nothing to extract and eliminate the witness.

Lucky Number Slevin

The Rabbi

2006

Slevin is mistakenly put in the middle of a personal war between the city’s biggest criminal bosses. Under constant watch, Slevin must try not to get killed by an infamous assassin and come up with an idea of how to get out of his current dilemma.

The Physician

Ibn Sina (Avicenna)

2013

England, 1021. Rob Cole, a boy born in a miserable mining town, swears to become a physician and vanquish disease and death. His harsh path of many years, a quest for knowledge besieged by countless challenges and sacrifices, leads him to the remote Isfahan, in Persia, where he meets Ibn Sina, the greatest healer of his time.

Self/less

Damian

2015

An extremely wealthy elderly man dying from cancer undergoes a radical medical procedure that transfers his consciousness to the body of a healthy young man but everything may not be as good as it seems when he starts to uncover the mystery of the body's origins and the secret organization that will kill to keep its secrets.

William Tell

King Albrecht

2025

The narrative unfolds in the 14th Century, when the European nations vie for supremacy within the Holy Roman Empire. The ambitious Austrian Empire, desiring more land, invades neighbouring Switzerland, a serene and pastoral nation. Protagonist William Tell, a formerly peaceful hunter, finds himself forced to take action as his family and homeland come under threat from the oppressive Austrian King and his ruthless warlords.

Stonehearst Asylum

Silas Lamb

2014

An Oxford Medical School graduate takes a position at a mental institution and soon becomes obsessed with a female mental patient, but he has no idea of a recent and horrifying staffing change.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More

Imdad Khan / The Dealer / Dr. Ganderbai (archive footage)

2024

Four tales unfold in Wes Anderson's anthology of short films adapted from Roald Dahl's beloved stories, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar", "The Swan", "The Rat Catcher", and "Poison".

Night Hunter

Cooper

2019

A Minnesota police officer crosses paths with a committed and tireless vigilante as he follows the trail of a ruthless predator responsible for several abductions and murders.

Knight of Cups

Storyteller (voice)

2015

Rick is a screenwriter living in Los Angeles. While successful in his career, his life feels empty. Haunted and confused, he finds temporary solace in the decadent Hollywood excess that defines his existence. Women provide a distraction to his daily pain, and every encounter brings him closer to finding his place in the world.

Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse

Drago (Voice)

2015

When aspiring knight Gareth goes in search of a fallen comet rumored to contain gold, he is shocked to instead find the dragon Drago. After Drago saves Gareth's life the two become intricately bonded, and must work together to defeat an evil sorcerer and stop his reign of terror. Along the way, Gareth learns the true meaning of being a knight in this fantasy action-adventure for the ages.

Sexy Beast

Don Logan

2000

Ex-safecracker Gal Dove has served his time behind bars and is blissfully retired to a Spanish villa paradise with a wife he adores. The idyll is shattered by the arrival of his nemesis Don Logan, intent on persuading Gal to return to London for one last big job.

Maurice

Lasker-Jones

1987

After his lover rejects him, Maurice attempts to come to terms with his sexuality within the restrictiveness of Edwardian society.

The Last Legion

Ambrosinus

2007

As the Roman empire crumbles, young Romulus Augustus flees the city and embarks on a perilous voyage to Britain to track down a legion of supporters.

Operation Finale

Adolf Eichmann

2018

In 1960, a team of Israeli secret agents is deployed to find Adolf Eichmann, the infamous Nazi architect of the Holocaust, supposedly hidden in Argentina, and get him to Israel to be judged.

Dave

Vice-President Nance

1993

A sweet-natured Temp Agency operator and amateur Presidential look-alike is recruited by the Secret Service to become a temporary stand-in for the President of the United States.

Tuck Everlasting

Man in the Yellow Suit

2002

Teenager Winnie Foster is growing up in a small rural town in 1914 with her loving but overprotective parents, but Winnie longs for a life of greater freedom and adventure.

War Machine

President Karzai

2017

A rock star general bent on winning the “impossible” war in Afghanistan takes us inside the complex machinery of modern war. Inspired by the true story of General Stanley McChrystal.

Searching for Bobby Fischer

Bruce Pandolfini

1993

A seven-year-old chess prodigy refuses to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.

Oliver Twist

Fagin

2005

An adaptation of the classic Dickens tale, where an orphan meets a pickpocket on the streets of London. From there, he joins a household of boys who are trained to steal for their master.

A Sound of Thunder

Charles Hatton

2005

When a hunter sent back to the prehistoric era runs off the path he must not leave, he causes a chain reaction that alters history in disastrous ways.

Rules of Engagement

Ambassador Mourain

2000

A Marine Colonel is brought to court-martial after ordering his men to fire on demonstrators surrounding the American embassy in Yemen.

The Red Sea Diving Resort

Ethan Levin

2019

Sudan, East Africa, 1980. A team of Israeli Mossad agents plans to rescue and transfer thousands of Ethiopian Jews to Israel. To do so, and to avoid raising suspicions from the inquisitive and ruthless authorities, they establish as a cover a fake diving resort by the Red Sea.

BloodRayne

Kagan

2005

In 18th-century Romania, after spending much of her life in a traveling circus, human-vampire hybrid Rayne escapes and plots to take down her father, Kagan, the evil vampire king. When she's discovered by three vampire hunters, she manages to convince them to spare her life and join her cause. But slaying a vampire as powerful as Kagan will be no easy task.

Bugsy

Meyer Lansky

1991

New York gangster Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel takes a brief business trip to Los Angeles. A sharp-dressing womanizer with a foul temper, Siegel doesn't hesitate to kill or maim anyone crossing him. In L.A. the life, the movies, and most of all strong-willed Virginia Hill detain him while his family wait back home. Then a trip to a run-down gambling joint at a spot in the desert known as Las Vegas gives him his big idea.

Collide

Geran

2016

An American backpacker gets involved with a ring of drug smugglers as their driver, and winds up on the run from his employers across Cologne’s autobahns.

Locked Down

Malcolm

2021

During a COVID-19 lockdown, sparring couple Linda and Paxton call a truce to attempt a high-risk jewellery heist at one of the world's most exclusive department stores, Harrods.

Backstabbing for Beginners

Pasha

2018

An idealistic young employee at the U.N. investigates the grizzly murder of his predecessor – and uncovers a vast global conspiracy that may involve his own boss.

Death and the Maiden

Dr. Roberto Miranda

1994

A political activist is convinced that her guest is a man who once tortured her for the government.

Spielberg

Self

2017

A documentary on the life and career of one of the most influential film directors of all time, Steven Spielberg.

Marvel One-Shot: All Hail the King

Trevor Slattery / The Mandarin

2014

A documentary filmmaker interviews the now-famous Trevor Slattery from behind bars.

Walking with the Enemy

Regent Miklos Horthy

2014

Regent Horthy is the leader of Hungary and a German ally, but his favorable standing with Hitler changes as the war comes to an end. Forced to cede Hungary’s power or else witness the execution of his son, Regent Horthy gives up control of his country to the Nazis, who quickly move Hungarians to ghettos and death camps, with no hope in sight. But the despair changes when a young man named Elek emerges. Separated from his family during the relocations and aided by the woman he loves , Elek defies the enemy by becoming one of them. In a race against time, disguised as a Nazi Officer he embarks on a mission to save his family and thousands of his countrymen.