I am very firm about the reasons of my flipping heart. But I also must be sure that my crazy overdose phenomena on Ben Barnes was not only because he was irresistible. Is he just only one other pretty faces showcasing guy or is there a real talent came along with the package?

First, try to imagine this. You see a picture of a male, blessed with an aristocrat face, remarkable cleft chin, sharp cheekbones – you could cut a loaf of bread with – a straight nose, a pair of big & piercing dark brown eyes, thin lips to hide a set of dazzlingly white, perfectly straight teeth, which he flashes frequently in a smile that could lift your heart and charm women around the globe. As additional to those, he had flocks of flowing chestnut hair that can make him a model of Herbal Essences adverts. According to my personal opinion, Ben Barnes, born in leafy South – West London on 20 August 1981 could be crowned as one of the most strikingly handsome looking male in the universe. Even the gossip-hound, Perez Hilton, was itchy to put his face on his site =p

So, what is he doing in Hollywood? This is what I think about his journey to become an actor.

Ben decided to go into acting at age 17, but his psychotherapist mother and psychiatric professor father, asked him to go to University first, which he did. He graduated from Kingston University where he studied English & drama specializing in Children’s literature in 2004. Well-prepared, self assure and ready to do his dream job, acting.

Ben found his fame hard to believe, but never call him an overnight success. He will get irritated. “I’ve been working quite hard at this now for 10 years” He was a choir boy, who has to quit the choir after his voice broke at age of 15. Joined the National Youth Music Theater for 6 years. Appeared for the first time at age 16 in the West End, Bugsy Malone, directed several productions while he’s in the University, did Sinatra tribute concerts and funky Stevie Wonder stuff. Though he found it was embarrassing, but he experienced being a member of a group called Hyrise, performed one song for the Eurovision song competition in 2004.

I can understand if he got irritated when people said his fame now is like winning a lottery. He’s truly working hard before he finally made his first film debut in Matthew Vaughn’s Stardust in 2007 as young Dunstan.

Well, I watched Stardust, realized later that it was Ben Barnes who played young Dunstan. He was cute there but Robert de Niro (and Charlie Cox and Claire Danes of course) caught my attention more than him ^_^

In the same year, he won the audition for the cocky-straight student role, Dakin in Allan Bennet’s play, the History Boys at West End, London.

During his break, he took a chance to played Russian thugs in indie movies, Bigga than Ben, which I found very amusing. His Russian accent was almost perfect and his expression as Cobakka was unbelievably very fun to watch.

I think his acting as Dakin was great, because the casting agent of Prince Caspian spotted him, and finally invited him to go for an audition of Prince Caspian. After sending his audio taped line, read only one line in different way, Andrew Adamson finally found his “Prince” Without delay, he was moved from the History Boys stage to the boot camp where he took six hours a day to learn horse riding, wield a sword and language coaching.

I watched Prince Caspian 5 times (I can’t believe myself watching it more than twice, it must be crazy overdose phenomena). He’s unbelievably handsome (who could tell he’s already 26 that time) and almost perfect as a knight. His horse riding ability and sword fighting were convincing and his Spanish accent was almost flawless. While the movie itself was really worth-watching, a perfect reason to watch the movie more than twice ^_* Prince Caspian brought Mr. Barnes into stardom. Not only made him famous all over the world, but the fame brought him more offers to play in various movies.

Stephan Elliot gave him the role of a charming drip mama’s boy John Whittaker in Noel Coward’s movie adaptation, Easy Virtue. I have watched it, it was funny though a bit irritating to see him weak in personality. The thing that made me like him more is his soulful pop baritone voice. Listening to his voice singing A room with a view really melts my heart.

His matinee idol looks and his utterly charming attitude, brought interest to Barnaby Thompson, the producer of Dorian Gray, a movie adaptation from Oscar Wild’s novel. He saw Ben’s expression – during Easy Virtue filming breaks – switched in a moment. His brown eyed charm imperceptibly turning to something blacker, something deadly. “It was the Dorian Gray journey in a single look”, said Thompson. He sent Ben to Oliver Parker, the director, who was at the beginning, worry about the the acting ability of the good looking actor, but later approved Ben to lead his movie as the timeless narcissist Dorian Gray.

To his relief, he also got a chance to swaps his novel stereotype roles to an ordinary role in US thriller, Locked In. He could use his gray jumper and jeans, which made a nice change for him to play Josh Sawyer, a father who’s has kid too young and put inadvertently his young daughter into coma. He speaks American accents. It was thrilling, to see him tortured by his daughter’s condition.

And of course the continued role as Caspian. For the third installment of the Chronicles of Narnia, he is in production of the Voyage of Dawn Treader. He would playing the older and self-assured King Caspian, with ong hairmustache & beard, whe looks more irresistible *_^

Though it’s only 8 movies from 2007 – 2009. But the various roles gave him the opportunity to expand his acting ability. From naive young boy to Russian scum. From a young prince to the self-assured king. From mama’s boy to narcissist corrupt and a tortured father.

Not to forget his newest enrollment to Killing Bono, a movie based on Neil McCormick’s novel, “I am Bono’s doppelganger. He would play Neil McCormick (hope to see him singing there ^_^).

To this stage, Ben’ choices indicate that quality stories are a top priority for him as an actor, rather than taking the easier route of doing work that cashes in “flavor of the month” trends. He’s almost perfect, with a very good looks, versatile acting, with accent as his forte and great vocal, quoted from Collin Firth, Ben Barnes is shaping up to be a rather formidable actor.

I write so I can share what I see through my heart, my personal point of view and my own analysis. To see pictures in bigger size, you can click the thumbnail of Ben’ Gallery under Valuable Friends.

Disclaimer: All photographs used in this blog are belongs to their rightful owners, benbarnesonline, benbarnessource and benbarnesfan