Ben Kingsley in “Daliland”, Ben Whishaw in “Surge” – Goodbye 2021 – Happy New Year!
(Mary Harron directed the Daliland)
Ben Kingsley as Salvador Dali – Daliland
Oscar winner Ben Kinglsey is no stranger to inhabiting larger-than-life characters. From Gandhi to Schindler’s List and Sexy Beast, the actor’s career has spanned a wide variety of roles with presence and gravitas. Despite his comfort with such parts, Kingsley says that approaching the enigmatic and iconic Salvador Dalí in Mary Harron’s Daliland – the story of the artist’s strange and fascinating marriage to his tyrannical wife Gala (played by Barbara Sukowa) – was still a “daunting task”.
“He was exhausting and exhilarating to portray,” comments Kingsley in his first interview since wrapping the movie. “Dali’s cup overflows. I had to give myself the opportunity to take risks. Dali encouraged me to take risks. That could have been catastrophic, but it could also pay off. If I’m in Dali’s silhouette, then I must allow myself to take certain risks. His artwork, writing and public appearances were one risk after another. He was not a character that one could portray carefully.”
Ben Kingsley can play just about any ethnicity (see photos here)
(Happy birthday Sir Ben Kingsley)
Ben Whishaw was terrific in ‘Surge”, a film he made with his friend. (Kanopy was streaming).