My purpose within my tribe is to tell stories, which is where I find my sense of belonging. I am grateful for the opportunity to hold this role in society, which is a never-ending blessing. There is a sense of urgency and excitement that comes with sharing a story. When the content is suitable and the audience is engaged, there is nothing that can compare to it.
I don’t mean to sound self-absorbed, but perhaps my most significant purpose is still to come. The desire is deep within my mind. I wasn’t aware of how much I wanted to portray Don Logan in Sexy Beast until I saw the character on paper.
The new age group has easy access to a wealth of information. Every opportunity that brings them to me is amazing. They may come across my character as Mandarin in Iron Man 3, and then realize that I have been involved in various other projects as well.
I recently celebrated my birthday with a fantastic party planned by my dear wife, Daniela (who is my fourth spouse). All of my kids and grandkids were in attendance and it was a truly lovely event. I was overjoyed to see how effortlessly I am able to connect with my grandkids. I am grateful for the bond that exists between us.
Being a sir has no advantages. It requires a strong sense of duty to represent and uphold a role with dignity, generosity, empathy, and charity. I enjoy being in the company of my fellow knights, who are remarkable men and high achievers, blessed with fortunate lives.
When I was four or five we went to see Never Take No for an Answer at the cinema. The central character was a little Italian boy who had been orphaned during World War Two. It left me in floods of tears. Afterwards, we were in the foyer and the cinema manager lifted me up out of the crowd and said: “Look, here’s little Peppino.” I looked identical to the boy on the screen. For a few seconds, the audience thought that I was the star of the film. Something happened to my DNA in that moment.
If I were to encounter Shakespeare, I would feel incredibly overwhelmed. Without a doubt, he was the most brilliant mind of his time. That era was marked by a spirit of discovery, advancement, wonder, movement, and remarkable intellect. When we examine his plays four centuries later, it is apparent that his vast intelligence is evident on the written page. It is a gift that he has bestowed upon us.
I have had the pleasure of working with Robert Downey Jr, who is an incredibly generous actor. When we worked together on Iron Man, he elevated my performance. In the world of acting, there is a notion that you must “win” the scene. A director recently told me this on set, but I chose not to respond. My personal belief is that the goal is not to win, but to make the other actors feel good.
My wife taught me a valuable lesson with her saying “Everything happens for a reason.” Although simple, it holds a lot of weight when deeply considered. I wish I had heard those words earlier, but it wasn’t until later in life that I was introduced to them.
If given the chance to travel back in time, would I alter any choices? Truthfully, I would not. Making even the smallest change could alter my current circumstances. This is predestined. It is the natural unfolding of the universe.
Ben Kingsley’s latest movie, Jules, is currently available on digital platforms.
Source: theguardian.com
