Mahatma gandhi

Q 18:25 Ben Kingsley on portraying historical figures, from Salvador Dali to Mahatma Gandhi As an actor, Ben Kingsley likens his work to that of a portrait artist. He stars as Salvador Dali in director Mary Harron's biopic, Dalíland, which focuses on the renowned surrealist artist's life in the 1970s. "To create a portrait of Dali, who himself was a great portrait artist, was tremendously exciting," Kingsley told Q's Tom Power in an interview that took place at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. "It was as if I had him in my atelier, and I was glancing at him and then to my blank canvas, and then back to him and my blank canvas. I never felt that I became Dali, but I was exhilarated and exhausted by portraying him — and I use that word as precisely as I possibly can." In many ways, Kingsley's portrayals of historical figures have defined his screen career. He's perhaps best known for his starring role as Mahatma Gandhi in Richard Attenborough's 1982 film Gandhi, which earned him the Oscar for best actor the following year. But Kingsley isn't necessarily selective about the people he portrays. "It's pretty random," he told Power. "I had no idea that I was going to be asked to play Gandhi. It was a shock…. I had no idea that Mary [Harron] would say, 'I would like you to portray Salvador Dali.' And yet, as soon as I heard those words, there was a glimmer of recognition in me…. I believe there are times when somebody nudges something and a message gets through to me...