Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1986-11-20
- Born Place: London, England, UK
Kingsley Ben-Adir
Kingsley Ben-Adir is a highly acclaimed British actor, born on November 20, 1986, in Kentish Town, London, England. With a diverse background that includes maternal grandparents from Trinidad and Tobago and paternal grandparents from England, he has brought a unique depth to his performances. After attending William Ellis School, he honed his craft at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 2011. Ben-Adir's career initially saw him making a significant mark in theater, including performances at the Tricycle Theatre and the Old Vic.He gained wider recognition on television for roles such as pathologist Marcus Summer in ITV's "Vera" (2014–2018), private detective Karim Washington in Netflix's "The OA" (2019), and Colonel Ben Younger in the BBC drama "Peaky Blinders" (2017–2019). However, it was his compelling portrayals of iconic real-life figures that truly propelled him to international prominence. In 2020, he received critical acclaim and a Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performer for his nuanced depiction of Malcolm X in Regina King's directorial debut, "One Night in Miami..." He further demonstrated his ability to embody historical personalities by playing Barack Obama in the miniseries "The Comey Rule" (2020).More recently, Ben-Adir has starred as the lead villain Gravik in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series "Secret Invasion" (2023) and made a memorable appearance as Basketball Ken in Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" (2023). His most significant role to date is his portrayal of the legendary reggae musician Bob Marley in the 2024 biographical drama "Bob Marley: One Love," a role for which he underwent extensive preparation, including mastering Jamaican Patois and the physicality of the music icon. He continues to perform on stage, including a 2024 production of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" in London, and is set to star in future films like "Frank & Louis."
