Tag Archives: Ben Barnes

Ben Barnes, the aristocratic handsome with strong personality

He’s not an actor who’s been catapulted into stardom in one single night. Don’t call him an overnight success, he will get irritated. He’s been working quite hard for the past 10 years. Been on stage since he was 16 years old, he slowly paved his path to become an actor through the small but pivotal role of young Dunstan in Stardust before finally entered the hall of fame as Prince Caspian in 2007.

Ben Barnes might be one of the most gorgeous men you’ll ever see on screen or off,

the Prince

but don’t let that pretty face fool you. He become one of the hottest young British actor without posing for paparazzi outside dodgy night clubs. He rarely finding himself in gossip magazine, much to his relief. “maybe it’s just because I’ve been private about private life or perhaps I am just not that popular”. Ben prefers a night at the cinema or a gig, over what he calls “the gossip mag-lifestyle” and not envy anybody who has that lifestyle.

Along with his dashing handsome face, comes his strong personality.

Ben was the first actor in his Brit family, because (according to him) he’s the crazy one. His professor of psychiatry father and psychotherapist mother were the most important influences. He’s very much attaching to his family. His parents taught him to think about his reactions. The way they treated him as the first child in the family, made him warm, obliging and usually open about his feelings. In most of his interviews, Ben showed that he is articulate, versatile and charismatic. The way he replied questions were smart but mundane and sincere. He has the sense of genuineness and frankness.

Ben is mature and very well prepared person. He’s no fragile soul. He hides it well. It’s in private. “You should doubt in private”. Though he was facing the craziest moment of having 90 interviews on Prince Caspian in one day, woke up the next morning with no voice, dosed up on a cocktail of vitamin C, honey and lemon and Chinese potion, and realized that he had to face another 60, he’s not complaining. He realized that he has no choice, the film called Prince Caspian, so he has no where to hide.

The 10-storeys poster of Prince Caspian smoldering down the blade of his sword might cause even asexual protozoa to spontaneously divide,

the Prince

but for Ben it was surreal and also terrifying. Prince Caspian, brought him to his new heartthrob status, but it didn’t jeopardize his life. It was embarrassing, but it brought smile to his face. He is not letting success go to his crown. His parents and brother would slap him if it were ever required.

Though his face was on the bus all over London, it seems like Ben after his role as the timeless gorgeous Dorian, has a better sense on how to operate below radar. Even if Dorian Gray marketed as well as the box office movie, Twilight, it wouldn’t be necessary for him in hiding like Robert Pattinson or surrounded by bodyguards.

No denying that his remarkable aristocratic handsome face and a heart-melting smile could charm any woman around the globe,

endearing

But in the world of Botox – injected society that is obsessed with youth and celebrity and cheating clocks also his role as the timeless narcissist Dorian Gray, he has his own heart-thrilling answer, “Never, not even Botox. As an actor you want your face to have it’s full flexibility potential. You want to be able to raise and eyebrow”.

Ben Barnes is intelligent, educated and savvy. In taking roles, he chooses roles that fascinates him, not the ones that make him charming. “Almost every script that I’ve gotten has been for sort of the generic Hollywood type. I haven’t chosen them. All the ones I have chosen are because I’ve been fascinated with the source material or because of the script. And the variety is interesting”. His 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 just passionate and fascinated with what he does. He wanted to have as many opportunities to play as many different parts as possible. He wanted every experience to be of value.

He is also seeing his working opportunity in clever way. “Even all the big stars, you read their autobiographies and there always seems to be a point where they were penniless and starving. To be working actor at this point in my life is just a tremendous privilege”. With “Carpe diem” as his life motto, he tried to look at things in perspective, trying hard to never forget how lucky he was. He doesn’t want to sound maudlin, but he thinks “it’s very important to be aware of what we have”.

Ben Barnes is a rising and undeniably talented star. He’s working very serious as an actor but if you ask him to choose between a family full of children or an Oscar, he would give a clear statement, “Why not? But if I have to choose between the Oscar or a family full of children, I prefer the second one”. He chose a family full of children more than an Oscar, endearing isn’t it? But it’s also very obvious, the strong combination of classic medieval looks, multi-talents and strong personality could make him the world class award-winning actor. Not just a showcasing star.

Physically he’s the object of embarrassing drool, but in person he’s an affable chap with strikingly strong personality and wisdom. He’s positively fabulous.

I write to share what I see through my heart, my personal point of view and my own analysis.

Disclaimer: All photographs used in this blog are belongs to their rightful owners, benbarnesonline, benbarnessource and benbarnesfan No copyright infringement intended.

Ben Barnes: from leafy Wimbledon to the hall of fame

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

Strikingly handsome (M)

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

The witty and articulate Ben Barnes

Though this one is very old video, more than one year ago but I found his interview with Jay Leno on 13 May 2008 very amusing. Since I am new fan of Ben Barnes, I need to keep anything about him with me. Just can’t stop laughing. He’s funny, cute, expressive but very confident with himself. Really love to see him here..

source: benbarnessource

The other funny interview was with Jimmy Kimmel. Jimmy was fantastic, he could bring more of Ben during the interview, I fond the part of “pickle” and fall in love when he said “really” when Jimmy said he has Ben’s video singing for Hyrise. Hilarious.

As for Ben, I think he’s so much ready to enter his fame after Prince Caspian. Love him much. *_*