Kingsley Ben-Adir Makes Playing Legendary Figures Look Easy

When Kingsley Ben-Adir signed on to play Bob Marley in the biopic One Love, he quickly discovered how much he had yet to learn about the legendary musician. “I grew up with Bob. I thought I knew Bob,” he says. “But understanding the genius of him was completely new for me.” Nevertheless, he was up for the challenge. At 38, the British actor, who currently stars opposite Daisy Edgar-Jones in the London production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, has moved seamlessly from the stage to prestige television with roles on Peaky Blinders and The OA, on which he played detective Karim Washington in season 2. In 2020, Regina King tapped him to play Malcolm X in her directorial debut, One Night in Miami… And last year, he stood out among a sea of Kens in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. Here, the multifaceted star discusses embodying some of the world’s most famous men.

How did One Love come into your life?

I got a message that the director Reinaldo Marcus Green was taking meetings and asked to see me. I hadn't seen King Richard because it hadn't come out yet, but I'd seen one of his earlier films and thought he was a really beautiful filmmaker. I said, “I’ll meet him, but I don’t know why he wants me to play Bob Marley, because it is a stupid idea.” But I met him anyway, and I did some screen tests and met the Marley family. After spending time with Ziggy Marley, I began to understand who his father was to the family and to the world.

When did you realize you wanted to be an actor?

I was probably around 16 or 17. I volunteered in the drama department at my school, and the teacher took us to see A Raisin in the Sun, with Lenny James. And then we studied it for a while. I think it was that experience that opened my eyes. I saw a lot of energy onstage, and it looked like a lot of fun. When I was 21, I applied to drama school. I can now say I’m an actor. But for years, I just couldn’t believe it.

You have played several real figures—Malcolm X, Bob Marley, and let’s not forget Ken in Barbie.

Let’s not forget Barbie. It was the joy of my life. I guess Ken is a real person.

Did you have to audition to play Ken?

Yeah. I think I taped for Simu’s [Liu’s] Ken, and then I met Greta and she said, "There's this other one." I was like, "Well, what is he?" And she said, "I don't really know." I was like, "Oh, we'll make something up." I think he was on the sweeter side—he didn’t want to go to war with the other Kens. It was life and death.

Do you ever keep your costumes once you're done filming?

No, I don't. I have some newspaper articles from the first plays that I did. When I left drama school at about 25, I went straight into theater. I remember being reviewed in the paper. It was such a big deal. I did another play, Much Ado About Nothing, with James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave, and I kept all of the programs and some props. I've got a little file at home with everything from that play, which Mark Rylance directed.

What’s a movie or TV show that makes you cry?

There's an episode of The Sopranos that makes me cry every time. It's called “Whitecaps.” It's Edie Falco, and she's had enough of Tony's shit. There's this moment where she's like, "I'm going crazy.” You can rewind that moment and feel it every time. And there's a movie called Fresh Kills. It didn't get much attention, but I got the T-shirt. I was stunned at the lead actress's performance. It was mind-blowing. She had me on the edge of my seat.

What are some of your pet peeves or something that really annoys you?

I like my shit together at home, so messy people—friends who just put crumbs everywhere and spill shit and then don't wipe it up—that stuff annoys me. It shouldn't, but it does.

Do you think you’re more like a cat or a dog?

Dog. I don’t trust cats. I’ve got one named Poppy. She's really selfish. She comes when she wants her head scratched and then just leaves. You can be fooled and think it's you that she wants, but she doesn't. It's anyone who comes in. I think dogs are sweeter.

Style Director: Allia Alliata di Montereale. Hair for portfolio by Paul Hanlon at Dawes & Co.; makeup for portfolio by Sam Visser at Art Partner; manicures for portfolio by Michelle Saunders James. Set design by Gerard Santos at Lalaland.

Creative producer to Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott: Leonard Cuinet-Petit at January Productions; producer to Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott: Kevin Isabelle; produced by AP Studio, Inc.; executive producer: Alexis Piqueras; producer: Anneliese Kristedja; associate producer: Kimmy D’Ancona; production manager: Hayley Stephon; production coordinators: Miranda Dos Santos, Susan Lucas; photography assistants: John Neate, Jed Barnes, Chris Whitaker, Kendall Peck; digital technician: Niccolo Pacilli; digital assistant: Cassian Gray; postproduction by Dreamer Post Production; fashion assistants: Tyler VanVranken, Molly Cody, Celeste Roh, Raea Palmieri, Tatiana Isshac, Haleigh Nickerson, Lauren Marron, Savannah Steilner, Sage McKee, Frankie Benkovic, Kaley Azambuja, Tatum Sanchez; production assistants: Gigi Rosenfield, Lily Cordingley, Eli Cash, Lex Vaughn, Anderson Renno, Kat Saravia, Kyle Dekker, Wyatt Noble, Brandon Martin, Moose Krupski, Josh Muwwakkil, Bradley Gonsalves, Drew Carter, Thomas Lynch, Alex Kofman, Jackson Schrader, Anatalia Zavaleta, Joseph Wride, Matt Flynn; first AD: Steve Kemp; location manager: Kyle Hollinger; hair assistants: Kim Garduno, Ben Gregory, Marco Iafrate, Hyacinthia Faustino, Chris Foster; makeup assistants: Shimu Takanori, Laura Dudley, Brian Dean, Beatrice Sandoval; manicure assistant: Cheyenne Vander Schuur; set design assistants: Seth Powsner, Denver Stoddard, Ryan Johnson; tailors: Irina Tshartaryan, Ripsime Vartanyan, Jackie Martirosyan at Susie’s Custom Designs, Inc.