Educated at Manchester Grammar School.
Son of a GP.
Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in the New Year's Eve Honors List 2001.
Derived his stage name from his grandfather's nickname "Clove King". His grandfather was a spice trader in Zanzibar.
Is of half Indian and half English descent. His father, Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji, was a Kenyan-born physician of Indian descent while his mother, Anna Lyna Mary Bhanji, was an English-born fashion model of Jewish-European extraction.
Ben Kingsley's paternal family was from the Indian state of Gujarat, the same state Mahatma Gandhi was from.
He has 4 children: Thomas and Jasmine (with Angela Morant) and Edmund Kingsley and Ferdinand Kingsley (with Alison Sutcliffe).
Made his London stage debut in 1966 as the narrator of "A Smashing Day" produced by Beatles manager, Brian Epstein. He wrote the music for the production as well as sang and played guitar for same. After one performance, John Lennon and Ringo Starr came backstage and told him that he should go into music and that if he didn't, "he would regret it for the rest of his life." He was subsequently offered a deal by the same publishers who handled The Beatles, but he chose to remain an actor. The next year, he was invited to join the Royal Shakespeare Company and his choice was made.
Was listed as a potential nominee on both the 2005 and 2006 Razzie Award nominating ballots. He was suggested in the Worst Supporting Actor category on the 2004 ballot for his role in the film Thunderbirds (2004). And he was suggested again the next year in the Worst Supporting Actor category of the 2006 Razzie nominating ballot for his performance in the film A Sound of Thunder (2005). He failed to receive either nomination.
Head of jury at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1998
Was originally cast as Ephraim in Munich (2005), but later had to withdraw from the project due to scheduling conflicts.
His performance as Don Logan in "Sexy Beast" (2001) is ranked #97 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).
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