Sir Ben Kingsley – born Krishna Pandit Bhanji on Dec. 31, 1943 – is a celebrated English actor, one who has earned critical acclaim on stage and screen. Born to an English mother and a father of Jamnagar, Gujarati Indian descent, Ben grew up in Pendlebury, Lancashire and soon fell in love with the art of acting. After joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1967, and working exclusively on the stage for fifteen years, Ben honed his chops in productions of ‘As You Like It,’ ‘Much Ado About Nothing,’ ‘The Tempest,’ ‘Hamlet,’ and other celebrated plays by the Bard. He transitioned to television and film in the 1970s, where he would find great success. He’s best known for his role as Mohandas Gandhi in Richard Attenborough’s 1982 film, ‘Gandhi,’ which won Kingsley the BAFTA and Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He’s since appeared in films like ‘Schindler’s List,’ ‘Sexy Beast,’ ‘House of Sand and Fog,’ and ‘Hugo.’ He’s also not afraid to have some fun, as he’s appeared in ‘The Dictator,’ ‘Ender’s Game,’ and ‘Iron Man 3.’ Here, he’s attending the 2016 premiere of ‘The Jungle Book’ in 2016.
