Summary
Kingsley Ben-Adir appears inBarbieas one of the Kens, and he was in character as Bob Marley forBob Marley:One Lovewhile on set as well.The cast ofBarbieincludes a handful of male actors only going by the name “Ken”, stand-ins for the Mattel male figurine who is only happy when Barbie says hello to him. Though there is one main Ken (Ryan Gosling),there are plenty of other notable Kens, including Tourist Ken (Simu Liu), Artist Ken (Ncuti Gatwa), Mermaid Ken (“Kenmaid”, John Cena), and of course, Basketball Ken (Ben-Adir).
Basketball Ken is as happy-go-lucky asthe rest of the Kens inBarbieand when Beach Ken (Gosling) returns to Barbieland, he’s happy to wreak havoc with his friends. British actor Ben-Adir’s career was off to a good start when he appeared inBarbie, and it has only gotten better since. Before being a part of the global pink phenomenon, Kingsley was best known for his recurring roles in dramas likeVera, Peaky Blinders, andThe OA. While on set forBarbie,Greta Gerwig made sure the actor was prepared for his upcoming Bob Marley part.
10 Barbie Characters Who Can Carry Their Own Spinoffs (Other Than Ken)
The Barbie movie is packed with an incredible cast, and many of the other characters could be perfect for starring in a spin-off movie of their own.
Greta Gerwig Gave Kingsley Ben-Adir His Private Space On The Barbie Set To Work On His “Marley-isms”
Ben-Adir Initially Did Not Want To Play Bob Marley
When Kingsley Ben-Adir was first asked to audition for the role of Bob Marley inBob Marley: One Loveby director Reinaldo Marcus Green, Ben-Adir’s first reaction was to say, “No”, viaEsquire,
“I just was like, ‘I’m not the right person for Bob.’ I just felt that strongly.”
Ben-Adir said he had no experience singing or playing the guitar and could not begin to understand how he could possibly play the character. After more cajoling by the filmmakers, Ben-Adir sent in an audition tape, andwhen the Marley family asked to meet him, he couldn’t say no,
“I just couldn’t walk away from it, because it felt pretty dangerous. I had absolutely no idea where to start. It’s weird excitement in that.”
After landing the part, Ben-Adir was now faced with the formidable challenge of getting inside the head of the legendary reggae musician. Fortunately, he had Greta Gerwig in his corner looking out for him. Filming withBarbieand pre-production forOne Lovecoincided, meaning Ben-Adir had to prepare for his role while filmingBarbie.
InBarbie, he’s hilariously air-headed and perky, whether he’s double-fisting ice cream cones or explainingThe Godfatherto President Barbie (Issa Rae).
Gerwig made a private space behind Ken’s Mojo Dojo House set for the actor to work on the character. He even taught himself some guitar (viaET). It’s too bad Marley didn’t play drums often, as Ben-Adir’s experience playing “Push” on the beach would have come in handy. Audiences, Gerwig, and Green got the best of both versions of Ben-Adir. InBarbie, he’s hilariously air-headed and perky, whether he’s double-fisting ice cream cones or explainingThe Godfatherto President Barbie (Issa Rae).
His role inOne Loveis very different.As Marley,Ben-Adir nails his unique diction and the sound of his voicewithout coming off as a parody. It’s a part that requires a substantial amount of charisma and Ben-Adir brings that to the film along with an undercurrent of loneliness crucial to playing the icon.
Where Else You’ve Seen Kingsley Ben-Adir (& What’s Next For The Barbie Actor)
Ben-Adir Has Crossed Many Genres
In 2023, the same year, Ben-Adir appeared inBarbie, he was part ofthe main cast ofSecret Invasionas the Skrull Gravik. Ben-Adir gave a knowing comment about the critically panned show, tellingEsquire,
“Marvel, in their stories, are constantly changing and evolving as you shoot, which sometimes is good and sometimes really difficult as an actor to keep up.”
However, his overall impressions of his time on the show are pleasant,
“I’m so glad that I was part of it.”
Barbie(2023)
Basketball Ken
Ben-Adir also plays Barack Obama in two episodes ofThe Comey Ruleand Russell McCormack inHigh Fidelity. In film, Ben-Adir has taken on the roles Wet Stick inKing Arthur: Legend of the Swordand Malcolm X inOne Night in Miami…Between superhero shows,Barbie, biopics, dramatic period pieces, and medieval movies, Kingsley Ben-Adir has proven he has incredible range. He’s adding horror to his resume as well with the upcoming11817from Louis Leterrier about a family mysteriously trapped in their home by an unknown force.
Barbie
Cast
Barbie is a film adaptation of the generational iconic toy directed by Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote the script with Noah Baumbach. The film centers on Margot Robbie’s Barbie who is expelled from Barbieland and travels with Ken (Ryan Gosling) to the real world in search of happiness. The film also stars Simu Liu, Will Ferrell, and several other famous celebrities in cameo roles.
