Ben Kingsley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ben Kingsley
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Kingsley in 2014
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Krishna Pandit Bhanji
31 December 1943 Snainton, North Riding of Yorkshire, England
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1966–present |
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Works
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Full list |
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| Children | 4, including Ferdinand Kingsley |
| Awards | Full list |
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Sir Ben Kingsley (born Krishna Pandit Bhanji; 31 December 1943) is a famous English actor. He has won many awards during his long career, which has lasted over five decades. These awards include an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Grammy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. He was also nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards and two Laurence Olivier Awards. In 2002, Kingsley was made a Knight Bachelor for his great work in the British film industry. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 and the Britannia Award in 2013.
Ben Kingsley's mother was English, and his father was Indian from the Gujarati community. He started his acting journey in theatre, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1967. For the next 15 years, he mostly performed on stage. He played lead roles in many famous plays like As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing, Richard III, and Hamlet. He also became well-known for his roles on television. He was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards for his performances in TV movies like Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story (1989) and Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001).
In movies, Kingsley is best known for playing Mahatma Gandhi in Richard Attenborough's film Gandhi (1982). For this role, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He was also nominated for an Oscar for his roles in Bugsy (1990), ... Beast (2000), and House of Sand and Fog (2003). Other important films he appeared in include Schindler's List (1993), Shutter Island (2010), and Hugo (2011).
Kingsley played the character of Trevor Slattery in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He appeared in Iron Man 3 (2013) and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021). He also acted in big movies like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) and Ender's Game (2013). He lent his voice to animated films such as The Boxtrolls (2014) and The Jungle Book (2016).
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Early Life and Education
Ben Kingsley was born Krishna Pandit Bhanji on 31 December 1943. His birthplace was Snainton, North Riding of Yorkshire, England. His mother, Anna Lyna Mary, was an English actress and model. His father, Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji, was born in Zanzibar and came from an Indian family in Jamnagar.
Kingsley grew up in Pendlebury, Lancashire. He went to the Manchester Grammar School, where actor Robert Powell was one of his classmates. He later studied at Pendleton College in Salford. This college now has a theatre named after him. While in college, he started acting in amateur plays in Manchester. He made his professional acting debut at age 23 after graduating.
Acting Career Highlights
Starting in Theatre: 1967–1981
After finishing college in 1966, Ben Kingsley was offered a chance to become a pop star. However, he chose to join the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in 1967. He spent the next 15 years mostly performing on stage. His first performance in London's West End was in As You Like It in 1967. He also starred in the famous 1970 RSC production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
In the 1960s, he changed his name from Krishna Bhanji to Ben Kingsley. He felt that a foreign name might make it harder for him to get acting jobs. He once said that after changing his name, he started getting roles right away. In 1971, Kingsley made his Broadway debut in A Midsummer Night's Dream. He also played the main role in the play Edmund Kean on Broadway in 1981.
Kingsley also began taking on small roles in films and TV shows. He appeared in the soap opera Coronation Street from 1966 to 1967. He also had regular appearances in the British legal show Crown Court.
Becoming a Film Star: 1982–1998
A major moment in Kingsley's career was the 1982 film Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough. In this movie, Kingsley played the main role of Mahatma Gandhi, a famous leader who worked for peace and independence. The film was a huge success. Critics praised Kingsley's performance, saying he truly captured Gandhi's spirit. For this role, Kingsley won many awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actor and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
After Gandhi, Kingsley appeared in many different films. In 1983, he starred in the British drama Betrayal, for which he won an award. In 1985, he acted in Turtle Diary and the BBC adaptation of Silas Marner.
In 1987, Kingsley was in the historical drama Maurice. The next year, he played several roles, including the composer Dmitri Shostakovich in Testimony and Dr. John Watson in Without a Clue.
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In 1991, Kingsley was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing the crime figure Meyer Lansky in Bugsy. He then played supporting roles in films like Sneakers (1992) and Dave (1993). He also played chess teacher Bruce Pandolfini in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993).
In 1993, Kingsley played Itzhak Stern in Steven Spielberg's historical drama Schindler's List. This film was very successful, and Kingsley was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. In 1994, he starred with Sigourney Weaver in Death and the Maiden. Two years later, he played Feste in Twelfth Night, a film based on William Shakespeare's play. In 1998, he was the head of the jury at the 48th Berlin International Film Festival. He also starred in the family film Spooky House, choosing a lighter role after some very serious ones.
Continued Success: 1999–Present
In 2000, Kingsley took on the role of Don Logan in ... Beast. He played a very intense character, and his performance earned him another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In 2003, he starred in House of Sand and Fog. For this role, he was nominated for the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award.
In 2006, Kingsley received an Emmy Award nomination for his role in the TV film Mrs. Harris (2005). He also made a guest appearance in an episode of The Sopranos. In 2007, he appeared in the comedy You Kill Me and the film War, Inc.. The next year, he acted in the romantic drama Elegy (2008).
The years 2010 and 2011 brought several big roles for Kingsley. In 2010, he voiced a character in the video game Fable III. He also starred with Leonardo DiCaprio in Shutter Island (2010), directed by Martin Scorsese. The next year, he appeared in Scorsese's film Hugo (2011), playing the French illusionist Georges Méliès. This role earned him a Saturn Award for Best Actor.
In 2013, Kingsley played the villain Trevor Slattery in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Iron Man 3. He also played the hero Mazer Rackham in the science-fiction film Ender's Game. In 2014, he played Nun in Exodus: Gods and Kings and Merenkahre in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb. He also returned as Trevor Slattery in the short film All Hail the King.
In 2015, Kingsley played a Sikh driving instructor in Learning to Drive. In 2016, he voiced Bagheera in the live-action movie The Jungle Book. In 2018, he narrated the documentary All or Nothing: Manchester City and voiced General Woundwort in the TV series Watership Down.
In 2021, Kingsley returned as Trevor Slattery in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. In 2023, he acted in Wes Anderson's The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, which won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. He is also set to appear in an upcoming film based on Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club series.
Personal Life
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Ben Kingsley has four children. His sons Thomas and Jasmin are from his first marriage to actress Angela Morant. His sons Edmund and Ferdinand Kingsley, who are also actors, are from his second marriage to theatrical director Alison Sutcliffe. He married his fourth wife, Brazilian actress Daniela Lavender, on 3 September 2007.
Kingsley has also supported charity work. In 2010, he appeared in a play called The Children's Monologues in London. This performance helped raise money for Dramatic Need, a charity that brings arts professionals to help communities in Africa.
Awards and Recognition
Ben Kingsley won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Gandhi. He has been nominated for three more Oscars: Best Supporting Actor for Bugsy and ... Beast, and Best Actor for House of Sand and Fog (2003). In 1984, he won a Grammy Award for his spoken word recording of The Words of Gandhi. He also received an honorary degree from the University of Salford and the Indian civilian honor Padma Shri.
He was made a Knight Bachelor in 2002 for his contributions to the British film industry. This award was announced on his 58th birthday, 31 December 2001. After being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, Kingsley said that winning an Oscar felt less important than receiving this knighthood. He felt it was a recognition of his work as a storyteller.
In May 2010, Kingsley received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In April 2013, he was honored with the Fellowship Award at The Asian Awards in London.
See also
In Spanish: Ben Kingsley para niños
- List of British actors
- List of Academy Award winners and nominees from Great Britain
- List of actors with Academy Award nominations
- List of actors with two or more Academy Award nominations in acting categories
