Tuesday, October 22, 1996
FILM:
Kingsley adds the Shakespearean comedy to his impressive
repertoire By Carrie Rosten
Daily Bruin Contributor
As Ben Kingsley sits down to lunch the British actor gingerly
sips his cup of tea, graciously asking if everyone else has enough
tea too.
Impish and soft-spoken, the Academy Award winning actor begins
to discuss his most recent role in British director Trevor Nunn’s
screen version of Shakespeare’s comedy, "Twelfth Night."
As he explains his role as the adapted play’s all-knowing fool,
Feste, Kingsley simultaneously drifts back to fond memories of
prior roles, specifically drawing parallels between this role and
his portrayal of Itzhak Stern in "Schindler’s List."
"I think that in both films I am, in a sense, slightly outside
the dilemma with a terrific amount of knowledge, a massive
overview, more than anyone else." Although the character he plays
is foolish, Feste is the most profoundly honest character in the
film. In preparing for the role, Kingsley asked director Trevor
Nunn how many layers Feste would put on, both literally and
psychologically. Both men agreed that Feste should wear and have
none. "Feste is immensely quick to character-judge," Kingsley says,
"but he does a very accurate job at it too. He hates pretense. I
think most actors do."
When asked about playing an actor who really doesn’t act at all,
Kingsley thoughtfully focuses his steady gaze to the wall, his
brown eyes thoughtful.
"Feste is an actor on the road, as I am much of the time," says
Kingsley. "He pushes buttons  the characters’ and the
audience’s. What he does is actually say to us, ‘You wanna know
what’s going on in your life? I’ll tell you what’s going on in your
life.’ This is what I do for a job, so to have that opportunity to
play one of my kind in a film by Trevor (Nunn) turned out to be
immensely pleasing and satisfying."
Kingsley, who discusses himself, his work, and his artistic
goals with open and friendly ease focuses on the characters he has
played in the past to shed light on this current character of his.
He finds that in order to play a character, he does not have to
like him. He just has to take interest with him.
Beaming as he explained why he said yes to the role of Feste,
Kingsley explains, "If I feel that I want to know the person, and I
really wanted to know Feste, then I say yes to the role. When I
already deeply recognize the man and say to myself, I’d really like
to share this guy with you because I know him, I’ll say yes.
Whether or not I like him is beside the point."
This last comment perhaps refers to his role as the Doctor in
Roman Polanski’s screen version of "Death and the Maiden," an
experience Kingsley brings up with admiration and a bit of
nostalgic longing. As he discusses his experiences with "Twelfth
Night" it often seems as if he’d rather discuss the past more than
the present.
Considering Kingsley’s past, his attention to it comes as no
surprise. At 19 he decided to become an actor after watching Ian
Holm play Richard III for The Royal Shakespeare Company. Since
then, the remarkable actor has won critical acclaim on stage and on
screen, both in Europe and the United States. A host of award
winning films and stage performances have marked Kingsley’s 30 year
career. His extensive Shakespearean stage work in Britain and
performances in films such as "Bugsy" and "Searching for Bobby
Fischer" have continued to distinguish him as one of the most
versatile of his trade.
When asked if there’s any role he would be desperate to play, he
coolly responds, "I don’t think so  I’m not desperate, no."
He would, however, enjoy playing a commander or a foot soldier
 two of the only characters he could recall never playing. He
also hopes to direct film in the future, so long as he is in front
of the camera while he’s doing it.
"I plan to explore my relationships with writers in England that
I know and trust and that are extremely good," he says. "Hopefully,
I can be in something and direct it too. I would very much so like
 no, I would need  to be in the movie I was directing
because I’m profoundly an actor, I really, really am."
"Twelfth Night" opens on Friday, Oct. 25.
FINE LINE FEATURES
Ben Kingsley plays the pretense-hating, all-knowing fool, Feste,
in Shakespeare’s "Twelfth Night."
The remarkable actor has won critical acclaim on stage and on
screen.