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Sir Ben Kingsley, CBE (born Krishna Bhanji on December 31, 1943) is an Academy Award-winning British actor.

Early life

Kingsley was born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, and grew up in Pendlebury, Salford, then in Lancashire where he studied at Pendleton College, which is now home to the Ben Kingsley Theatre. His father, Harji Bhanji, was a Kenyan-born medical doctor of Indian (Gujarati Hindu) descent, and his mother, Anna Lyna Mary, was a fashion model and actress who was half Jewish . He began his acting career on the stage at Manchester Grammar School alongside Robert Powell, but made a transition to film roles early on. Despite this focus on film, he continued to act on the stage, playing (for instance) Mosca in Peter Hall's 1977 production of Ben Jonson's Volpone for the Royal National Theatre. It was at this point that he changed his name, fearing a foreign name would hamper his career.

Film career

Kingsley's first film role was a supporting turn in Fear Is the Key (1972). Kingsley continued starring in bit roles in both film and television, including a bit part on the soap opera Coronation Street and regular appearances as a defence counsel in the long-running British legal show, Crown Court. He found fame only years later, starring as Mahatma Gandhi in the Academy Award-winning film Gandhi in 1982, his best-known role to date. Kingsley was critically acclaimed and won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the role.

Kingsley has avoided typecasting and has been cast in a variety of roles. His credits include the films Turtle Diary, Maurice, Pascali's Island, Without a Clue (as Dr. Watson opposite Michael Caine's Sherlock Holmes), Bugsy (Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor), Sneakers, Dave, Searching for Bobby Fischer, Schindler's List, Silas Marner, Death and the Maiden, Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story, Sexy Beast (for which he received another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor) and House of Sand and Fog (Oscar nomination for Best Actor). He has won a Crystal Globe award for outstanding artistic contribution to world cinema at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2001.

In 1997, he provided voice acting for the video game Ceremony of Innocence.

In July 2006, he received an Emmy nomination for his performance in the TV movie Mrs. Harris (film), in which he played famed cardiologist Herman Tarnower who was murdered by his jilted lover, Jean Harris.

Sometime in 2007, Ben Kingsley will appear as an American mobster in his next film, the Mafia comedy You Kill Me.

Honours

Kingsley was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2000.

He was knighted in the 2001 New Years Honours list. On promotional material for the 2006 film Lucky Number Slevin, Kingsley was referred to as "Sir Ben Kingsley". At first, the actor was singled out for some criticism as such titles are nowadays generally omitted from professional credits. It was claimed that the inclusion of "Sir" was a mistake by a studio executive.

Private life

Kingsley has four children: Thomas and Jasmine Bhanji (with actress Angela Morant) and Edmund and Ferdinand Kingsley, both of whom are actors (with theatrical director Alison Sutcliffe). He recently divorced German-born Alexandra Christmann and lives in Spelsbury, England.

Kingsley is a member of the Quaker faith.

Selected filmography
Year Title Role Other notes
1982 Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi
1983 Betrayal Robert film version of Harold Pinter play
1985 Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe Silas Marner
1985 Harem Selim
1986 Turtle Diary William Snow Harold Pinter's screenplay
1987 The Secret of the Sahara (TV) Sholomon
1987 Maurice Lasker-Jones
1988 Pascali's Island Basil Pascali
1988 Without a Clue Dr. John Watson
1988 Testimony - The Story of Shostakovich Dmitri Shostakovich
1990 The 5th Monkey Cunda
1989 Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story Simon Wiesenthal
1991 Bugsy Meyer Lansky Barry Levinson film
1992 Sneakers Cosmo
1993 Searching for Bobby Fischer Bruce Pandolfini
1993 Dave Vice President Nance
1993 Schindler's List Itzhak Stern
1994 Death and the Maiden Dr. Roberto Miranda
1995 Species Xavier Fitch
1995 Joseph Potiphar
1996 Twelfth Night Feste Shakespeare's play
1997 The Assignment (TV) Amos
1999 Alice in Wonderland (TV) Major Caterpillar
2000 What Planet Are You From? Graydon
2000 Rules of Engagement Ambassador Mourain
2000 Islam: Empire of Faith Narrator voice only
2001 Anne Frank: The Whole Story Otto Frank
2001 Sexy Beast Don Logan
2001 AI: Artificial Intelligence Specialist voice
2002 The Triumph of Love Hermocrates Marivaux's play
2002 Tuck Everlasting Man in the Yellow Suit
2003 House of Sand and Fog Behrani
2004 Thunderbirds The Hood
2004 Suspect Zero Benjamin O'Ryan
2005 A Sound of Thunder Charles Hatton
2005 Oliver Twist Fagin
2005 Mrs. Harris Herman Tarnower
2005 BloodRayne Kagan
2006 The Sopranos As himself Episode 72 - "Luxury Lounge"
2006 Lucky Number Slevin The Rabbi
2007 You Kill Me Frank Falenczyk
2007 Brand Hauser: Stuff Happens Oil Minister Currently Filming

Latest news about Ben Kingsley

Sacha Baron Cohen, Ben Kingsley, Chloe Moretz Join Martin Scorsese ... In two separate reports yesterday it was revealed that Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Chloe Moretz and Asa Butterfield are all in talks. Butterfield, who will next be seen in "Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang," is up for the title role ... Continue reading Ben Kingsley & Sacha Baron Cohen Join Scorsese's Hugo Cabret ... Martin Scorsese summons Ben Kingsley and Sacha Baron Cohen to star in his next film, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Continue reading Sacha Baron Cohen & Ben Kingsley Nab Roles in 'Hugo Cabret ... The latest movie news, movie trailers, interviews, rumors, hype, and everything related to the theatrical experience straight from Hollywood and beyond. Continue reading Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Kingsley Join Scorsese's The Invention ... Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Kingsley Join Scorsese's The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Posted by Sean on March 17th, 2010. Chloe Moretz (Kick-Ass) and Asa Butterfield (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas) have also signed on, with Butterfield ... Continue reading Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen May Go for 'Hugo Cabret' | CinemaSpy Ben Kingsley (L) and Sacha Baron Cohen. After a few detours, director Martin Scorsese is getting around to directing The Invention of Hugo Cabret; indeed, it looks like he could have a couple of actors lined up for parts. ... Continue reading Review St. Louis | Sacha Baron Cohen and Sir Ben Kingsley Cast in ... Sacha Baron Cohen has been signed on to play the station inspector, and Sir Ben Kingsley will be playing legendary silent filmmaker, George Melies. The movie is based on the award winning book by Henry Selznick. ... Continue reading Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Kingsley sign on for Martin Scorsese's ... Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Kingsley sign on for Martin Scorsese's new film. Posted by: Brad Sturdivant. A while ago, we learned that Marin Scorsese was going to venture into uncharted territory with an adaptation of Brian Selznick's THE ... Continue reading Martin Scorsese, Sir Ben Kingsley and Leonardo DiCaprio on Shutter ... Michael finds out more about Shutter Island, from the mouths of Messrs Scorsese, DiCaprio and Kingsley... Continue reading Sacha Baron Cohen Joining Marty Scorsese – Deadline.com EXCLUSIVE: Director Martin Scorsese is in talks with Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Kingsley to star in The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the director's next film. Graham King's GK Films is financing and still working out distribution. ... Continue reading Scorsese Recruits Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Kingsley For 'Cabret ... Deadline is reporting that master director Martin Scorsese will cast Sacha Baron Cohen and Shutter Island's Ben Kingsley in his upcoming children's film The Invention of Hugo Cabret, based on the Brian Selznick book. Continue reading Hollywood Actors Jessica alba Ben Kingsley pictures and Ben Kingsley biography

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