Ben Barnes (actor)

Barnes was born on 20 August 1981 in southwest London to Patricia Becker, a relationship psychotherapist, and Thomas Barnes, a psychiatrist and professor.{{Cite web|last=Rosenberg|first=Olivia|date=2021-11-12|title=Musician, actor Ben Barnes talks debut extended play, musical influences|url=https://dailyillini.com/buzz/buzz-music/2021/11/12/musician-actor-ben-barnes-talks-debut-extended-play-musical-influences/|access-date=2021-12-26|website=The Daily Illini}}[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/ben-barnes-prince-of-hearts-1709371.html Ben Barnes: Prince of hearts] The Independent newspaper online. Created: 19 June 2009. Retrieved 5 November 2011.{{Cite web|title=Ben Barnes|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1602660/|access-date=2021-12-26|website=IMDb|language=en}} He has a younger brother, Jack. Barnes cites his mother's Jewish South African childhood, his father's scientific education, and his attendance at what he felt was a "vaguely Christian" school where he "liked the hymns" as formative influences.{{cite web|title=Ben Barnes: gerne on Tour|publisher=Fan Lexikon|date=30 July 2008|url=http://www.fan-lexikon.de/film-tv/news/ben-barnes-gerne-on-tour.52324.html|access-date=30 May 2012|quote=sagte der 26-Jährige: "Ich würde mir noch gern mehr von Neuseeland anschauen. Oder ins Geburtsland meiner Mutter reisen... nach Südafrika..." ("said the 26-year-old: "I would like to see more of New Zealand. Or travel to the birthplace of my mother... South Africa...")}}{{cite web|last=Hay|first=Carla|title=Ben Barnes opens up about his musician mindset and working with legendary actors|publisher=u2360gradi|date=13 November 2011|url=http://www.u2360gradi.it/2011/11/13/intervista-per-killing-bono/|access-date=30 May 2012|quote="My mum was raised Jewish, my dad is very scientifically minded..." ("Mia madre è stata sollevata ebreo, mio padre è molto mentalità scientifica...")}}

Barnes was educated at two independent schools for boys: Homefield Preparatory School in Sutton and King's College School in Wimbledon.{{Cite web|title=Old Boys|url=https://www.homefield.sutton.sch.uk/about-homefield/old-boys|access-date=2021-12-26|website=Homefield Preparatory School}} In King's, he sang in choirs and played percussions (drums and piano) in jazz orchestras and concert bands. In 1997 he began his career in musical theatre by joining the National Youth Music Theatre where, at age sixteen, he gave his first performance as a drummer in the West End musical adaptation of Bugsy Malone. Prior to university, he spent two years singing, television presenting, and working with entertainment svengali Simon Fuller to open a jazz club and release an album, both of which did not materialise.

Barnes then studied English literature and drama at Kingston University, appearing and directing in productions such as Don Juan (alongside Katrina Drovandi as the lead), The Golden Age, Exposure and The Zoo Story.{{Cite web|title=Graduate crowned Prince of Narnia - Press office - Kingston University London|url=https://www.kingston.ac.uk/news/archive/2007/march/14-graduate-crowned-prince-of-narnia/|access-date=2021-12-26|website=www.kingston.ac.uk|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|date=2010-11-30|title=Actor Ben Barnes on Narnia, Wimbledon and Dorian Gray|url=https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/people/celebrity-interviews/actor-ben-barnes-on-narnia-wimbledon-and-dorian-gray-7091474|access-date=2021-12-26|website=Great British Life|language=en-UK}} He won the English Prize for writing essays on themes from Harry Potter and The Hobbit.{{Cite web|title=5 things we learned about 'Shadow and Bone' star Ben Barnes on TMRWxTODAY|url=https://www.today.com/tmrw/5-things-we-learned-about-shadow-bone-star-ben-barnes-t218625|access-date=2021-12-26|website=TODAY.com|date=17 May 2021 |language=en}} While working at the theatre on intense acts such as The Ragged Child, The Dreaming, Loving Ophelia, Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll, he briefly joined the boyband Hyrise, who performed in Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up, to find the UK's entry for the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest, with 'Leading Me On'.{{Cite web |date=2011-04-27 |title=Biography - Ben Barnes |url=http://www.benbarneswebsite.com/biography.html |access-date=2021-12-26 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427054448/http://www.benbarneswebsite.com/biography.html |archive-date=27 April 2011 |url-status=dead}} Graduating in 2004 with a BA (Hons) in Drama with English Literature, he was the university's first drama student to achieve First Class Honours.{{Cite web|title=Inspector Lewis star Kevin Whately celebrates brother's Honorary Fellowship|url=https://www.kingston.ac.uk/news/article/515/16-jan-2012-inspector-lewis-star-kevin-whately-celebrates-brothers-honorary-fellowship/|access-date=2021-12-26|website=www.kingston.ac.uk|language=en-GB}} In 2008, he was inducted in the university's Wall of Fame, the youngest to be featured among more than twenty accomplished alumni.{{Cite web|title=Hollywood star to take centre stage in Wall of Fame â€" Latest news - Press office - Kingston University London|url=https://www.kingston.ac.uk/news/archive/2008/november/28-Hollywood-star-to-take-centre-stage-in-Wall-of-Fame/|access-date=2021-12-26|website=www.kingston.ac.uk|language=en-GB}}

File:BenBarnesPrinceCaspianPremier-cropped.jpg in 2008]]

Barnes began working on television in 2006, including a guest appearance on the UK series Doctors. That same year, he joined the ensemble cast of a West End production of The History Boys, in which he starred and received acclaim as the sexually provocative Dakin.{{cite web|title=Rise to stardom – Ben Barnes – Features|url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/feature.php/21020/rise-to-stardom-ben-barnes|access-date=6 November 2012|work=The Stage}}{{cite web |url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8831276820134/Ben+Barnes+Back+on+Stage+in+Birdsong+Premiere.html |title=Ben Barnes Back on Stage in Birdsong Premiere – Birdsong at The Harold Pinter Theatre (formerly The Comedy Theatre) – London – News |publisher=Whatsonstage.com |access-date=6 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110106133104/http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8831276820134/Ben+Barnes+Back+on+Stage+in+Birdsong+Premiere.html |archive-date=6 January 2011 |url-status=dead }}

Barnes made his feature film debut as young Dunstan Thorn in Stardust (2007), directed by Matthew Vaughn and based on Neil Gaiman's novel of the same name. He starred as a Russian hoodlum named Cobakka in Suzie Halewood's Bigga Than Ben (2008).{{cite news| url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/396310/Bigga-Than-Ben-A-Russian-s-Guide-to-Ripping-Off-London/overview | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712123919/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/396310/Bigga-Than-Ben-A-Russian-s-Guide-to-Ripping-Off-London/overview | url-status=dead | archive-date=12 July 2012 | department=Movies & TV Dept. | work=The New York Times | author=Jason Buchanan |title=Bigga Than Ben: A Russian's Guide to Ripping Off London (2007)}}

In June 2008, Barnes gained recognition for his role as Prince Caspian in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, directed by Andrew Adamson.{{cite news |title=In brief: Barnes skips History for Caspian |date=6 February 2007 |url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2006925,00.html|work=The Guardian |access-date=1 August 2007 |location=London}} Adamson described the film as "a coming of age and, to some degree, a loss of innocence story, with Caspian starting out quite naïve, then craving revenge and finally letting go of the vengeance."{{cite news|author=Tom Johnson |title=The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Character Guide |publisher=Moviefone |date=11 April 2008 |url=http://movies.aol.com/movie/the-chronicles-of-narnia-prince-caspian/24862/character-guide |access-date=11 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413090133/http://movies.aol.com/movie/the-chronicles-of-narnia-prince-caspian/24862/character-guide |archive-date=13 April 2008 |url-status=dead }} While many readers interpret Caspian as a child, a passage in the novel mentions his age to be near that of Peter's, so an older actor was sought to match William Moseley. Barnes was cast two and a half weeks after meeting with the filmmakers, and fitted well into the surrogate family of Adamson and the four actors playing the Pevensies.{{cite web|title=Orchestrating Magic in Narnia All Over Again|url=http://disney.go.com/inside/mainattraction/080401/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405182047/http://disney.go.com/inside/mainattraction/080401/index.html|archive-date=5 April 2008|access-date=3 April 2008|publisher=Disney Insider}} He spent two months in New Zealand riding and stunt training in preparation.{{cite news |author=Edward Douglas |title=Ben Barnes is Prince Caspian |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/news/interviewsnews.php?id=38419 |publisher=Comingsoon.net |date=19 October 2007 |access-date=24 November 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071114035838/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/interviewsnews.php?id=38419| archive-date= 14 November 2007 | url-status= live}} His Mediterranean accent in the film was inspired in part by Mandy Patinkin's performance as Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride.{{cite news |author = Dan Jolin |title=Ben Barnes is Prince Caspian |work=Empire |date=April 2008 |page=96}} Barnes also voiced his character in the video game The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. His portrayal earned him nominations from the 2008 National Movie Awards for Best Male Performance, the 2008 Teen Choice Awards for Choice Movie Breakout Male, and the 2009 MTV Movie Awards for Best Breakthrough Male.{{cite web|last=Vena|first=Jocelyn|date=29 May 2009|title=Can Anyone Beat Robert Pattinson For Breakthrough Male Performance? | MTV Movie Awards|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1612355/robert-pattinson-leads-breakthrough-male-performance-pack.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426154306/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1612355/robert-pattinson-leads-breakthrough-male-performance-pack.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 April 2012|access-date=6 November 2012|publisher=MTV}}

In November 2008, Barnes starred in the role of John Whittaker opposite Jessica Biel and Colin Firth in Stephan Elliott's romantic comedy Easy Virtue, based on Noël Coward's play of the same name. The score contained Coward and jazz-age songs, three of which were sung by Barnes. He then starred as the title character in Dorian Gray, a film adaptation of Oscar Wilde's novel, directed by Oliver Parker and released in September 2009.{{cite news |author=Stuart Kemp |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i7c5c16b2d6b9258e31f4f8eada83452e |title=Ben Barnes to shine as Dorian Gray |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=18 May 2008 |access-date=19 February 2020 |archive-date=27 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527224751/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i7c5c16b2d6b9258e31f4f8eada83452e |url-status=dead }} In the psychological thriller Locked In, directed by Suri Krishnamma and released in September 2010, he played Josh, an American father whose daughter seems to be in a coma due to a car accident.

Barnes reprised his role as King Caspian in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third instalment in the film series. Directed by Michael Apted and filmed in Australia, it premiered in November 2010 at a Royal Film Performance in London and had a theatrical release in December.{{Cite news|date=16 August 2010|title=Voyage of the Dawn Treader film chosen for royal gala|language=en-GB|newspaper=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-10987423|access-date=16 January 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/google/20090727006000/en |title="The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" Begins Filming in Australia's Gold Coast |publisher=Businesswire.com |date=27 July 2009 |access-date=6 November 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.narniaweb.com/2009/06/dawn-treader-casting-call-for-australians/ |title=Dawn Treader Casting Call for Australians |date=19 June 2009 |publisher=NarniaWeb |access-date=6 November 2012}} He received a nomination at the 2011 National Movie Awards for Performance of the Year.

Barnes returned to the West End stage in London with a starring role as World War I soldier Stephen Wraysford in Birdsong, a drama based on Sebastian Faulks's novel of the same title. The play, directed by Trevor Nunn and adapted by Rachel Wagstaff, opened on 28 September 2010 and ran through 15 January 2011.{{cite web|title=London Theatre News, Reviews, Interviews and more – WhatsOnStage|url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8831276820134/Ben+Barnes+Back+on+Stage+in+Birdsong+Premiere.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110106133104/http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8831276820134/Ben+Barnes+Back+on+Stage+in+Birdsong+Premiere.html|archive-date=6 January 2011|access-date=31 May 2012|work=whatsonstage}}{{Cite web |title=1st Night Photos: Faulks Tunes up Birdsong Opening - Photos - 29 Sep … |url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/photos/theatre/london/E8831285734429/1st+Night+Photos:+Birdsong+Bows+at+Comedy.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615220941/http://www.whatsonstage.com/photos/theatre/london/E8831285734429/1st+Night+Photos:+Birdsong+Bows+at+Comedy.html |archive-date=15 June 2013 |url-status=dead}}

In April 2011, he played Neil McCormick in Killing Bono, a comedy based on McCormick's memoir I Was Bono's Doppelgänger, in which McCormick recounts his youth in Ireland as an aspiring rock star who is overshadowed by his friend Bono, the lead singer of U2.{{Cite web|date=2011-11-01|title=Ben Barnes Talks Killing Bono [Exclusive]|url=https://movieweb.com/exclusive-ben-barnes-talks-killing-bono/|access-date=2021-12-27|website=MovieWeb|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2011-10-31|title=Interview: Ben Barnes is Killing Bono|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/features/83661-interview-ben-barnes-is-killing-bono|access-date=2021-12-27|website=ComingSoon.net}} The Hollywood Reporter says Barnes and his co-star Robert Sheehan "convincingly portray young talents who were in the right place at the right time but made the wrong moves".{{Cite web|last=Mintzer|first=Jordan|date=2011-07-01|title=Killing Bono: Film Review|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/killing-bono-film-review-207744/|access-date=2021-12-27|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US}}

In September 2012, Barnes appeared in The Words as a young American soldier and literary genius stationed in France during the end of World War II, who fell in love with a French waitress and whose manuscript gets lost in post-war era.{{Cite web|url=http://atatheaternearyou.net/pages/2107/|title=The Words (2012) ***1/2 Movie Review by Chris Pandolfi|website=Atatheaternearyou.net|access-date=15 January 2017|archive-date=21 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921003944/http://atatheaternearyou.net/pages/2107/|url-status=dead}} Though his performance was physical with little to no dialogue, Screen Rant described his character's story as "easily the most fascinating element of the film" and called his performance "solid" which "beautifully captures the many profound emotions — love, loss, and regret — that his character experienced."{{Cite web|date=2012-09-07|title='The Words' Review|url=https://screenrant.com/the-words-movie-reviews/|access-date=2021-12-27|website=ScreenRant|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2021-12-02|title=10 Best Ben Barnes Movies, According To IMDb|url=https://screenrant.com/best-ben-barnes-movies-according-imdb/|access-date=2021-12-27|website=ScreenRant|language=en-US}}

He then played Alejandro in The Big Wedding, a remake of the original 2006 French film Mon frère se marie ({{Transliteration|fr|My brother is getting married}}) released in April 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/lionsgate-distribute-robert-deniro-diane-keaton-comedy-big-wedding-29693/|title=Lionsgate Says 'I Do' to 'The Big Wedding' With Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton|work=TheWrap|date=2 August 2011}}

In December 2014, Barnes starred as Nick Tortano, an associate of a local mafia boss, in the modern day crime drama By the Gun. In the same month was the release of the fantasy film Seventh Son in which he played Tom Ward.{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2011/film/news/narnia-star-ben-barnes-is-wb-s-son-1118039092/|title='Narnia' star Ben Barnes is WB's 'Son'|last=Sneider|first=Jeff|date=24 June 2011|newspaper=Variety|language=en-US|access-date=15 January 2017}}{{cite news | url = http://www.movieweb.com/news/the-seventh-son-gets-ben-barnes | title = The Seventh Son Gets Ben Barnes | first = Brian | last = Gallagher | date = 24 June 2011 | work = MovieWeb | access-date = 12 November 2011 | archive-date = 26 June 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110626140135/http://www.movieweb.com/news/the-seventh-son-gets-ben-barnes | url-status = dead }} Directed by Sergei Bodrov, it is based on the novel The Spook's Apprentice by Joseph Delaney.{{Cite news|url=https://collider.com/jeff-bridges-the-seventh-son/|title=Jeff Bridges to Play Exorcist in THE SEVENTH SON|date=4 February 2011|newspaper=Collider|language=en-US|access-date=15 January 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2013/film/news/universal-warcraft-seventh-son-1200892615/|title=Universal, Legendary Push Back 'Warcraft,' 'Seventh Son' Dates|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=27 November 2013|newspaper=Variety|language=en-US|access-date=15 January 2017}}

File:Ben Barnes 2015.png

In January 2015, Barnes portrayed Sam Adams, a tax collector for the British government, in History Channel's three-part miniseries Sons of Liberty.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/25/arts/television/ben-barnes-talks-about-sons-of-liberty.html?ref=television|title=From Valiant Prince to Smoldering Rebel|date=23 January 2015|work=The New York Times|last1=Shattuck|first1=Kathryn|access-date=3 February 2015}} He also starred as guitarist and singer Ryan Brenner, reuniting with Katherine Heigl in the romantic drama Jackie & Ryan, released in US cinemas in July 2015. Variety wrote that with "his male-model features shamelessly lapped up by the camera from the opening frame onwards, [Barnes] is as limber and likeable as he's yet appeared on screen, his native accent convincingly hidden behind a middle-American husk."{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/venice-film-review-jackie-ryan-1201294824/|title=Venice Film Review: 'Jackie & Ryan'|last=Lodge|first=Guy|date=31 August 2014|newspaper=Variety|language=en-US|access-date=15 January 2017}} Barnes would later regard this character as his most favourite to portray, "I enjoyed all the music from that film and found Ryan a soulful character to embody, which made me try to re-evaluate how complicated life can get."

In HBO's dystopian science fiction series Westworld, based on the 1973 film of the same name and the first season of which aired in October 2016, Barnes played the young businessman Logan Delos, the uninhibited heir apparent of Delos Corporation who led their company's investment into Westworld, a technologically built Wild West-themed amusement park populated by android "hosts".{{cite magazine|last1=Hibberd|first1=James|title=Westworld casting switch: Narnia star replacing Once Upon actor|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|url=https://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/20/westworld-ben-barnes|access-date=20 July 2015}} The cast received a nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 2017 Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Barnes portrayed Billy Russo, a former sniper who started his own private military company Anvil, in The Punisher, a Netflix adaptation set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the first season of which aired in November 2017.{{cite web|last=Ausiello|first=Michael|date=12 September 2016|title=The Punisher: Ben Barnes Joins Netflix's Latest Marvel Spinoff as Series Regular|url=http://tvline.com/2016/09/12/the-punisher-ben-barnes-cast-marvel-netflix/|publisher=TV Line|access-date=12 September 2016|archive-date=13 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913111557/http://tvline.com/2016/09/12/the-punisher-ben-barnes-cast-marvel-netflix/|url-status=dead}} Barnes described his character as "someone who's very narcissistic, vain and greedy, and sees himself in an extremely powerful alpha way" and who is also "fueled by a broken and abused past." He consulted his psychotherapist parents to ensure the authenticity of his depiction of the veteran's mental health issues.{{Cite web|title=Ben Barnes|url=https://flaunt.com/content/ben-barnes|access-date=2021-12-27|website=Flaunt Magazine|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Real Man – Gio Journal|url=https://giojournal.com/real-man/|access-date=2021-12-27|language=en-US}}

He returned in a recurring role as Logan Delos in the second season of Westworld which premiered in April 2018. In January 2019, he reprised his role as a scar-faced Billy Russo in the second season of The Punisher. In this season Barnes said he "had freedom to explore the trauma of brain damage and memory loss and the frustration, anger and pain that accompanies that." He then played the 36-year-old charming copywriter Benjamin Greene who pursued a 60-year-old wealthy divorcée in BBC One's miniseries Gold Digger. Originally broadcast weekly on BBC One from November 2019, it was aired on Acorn TV in May 2020 for US audience.{{Cite news|last=Rabinowitz|first=Dorothy|date=2020-04-30|title='Gold Digger' Review: A Love Story of the Ages|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/gold-digger-review-a-love-story-of-the-ages-11588282072|access-date=2021-12-27|issn=0099-9660}}

In October 2019, Barnes was cast as General Kirigan in the 2021 Netflix fantasy series Shadow and Bone. The series overall received mixed reviews from critics, but Barnes' performance garnered more praise, with Empire describing him as "dashing",{{Cite web |title=Shadow And Bone |url=https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/shadow-bone/ |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=Empire|date=27 April 2021 }} and Rolling Stone and Radio Times praising his performance as General Kirigan.{{Cite web |title=Shadow and Bone review: No mourners, no funerals |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/fantasy/shadow-and-bone-netflix-review/ |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=Radio Times |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |last=Scherer |first=Jenna |date=2021-05-21 |title='Shadow and Bone': Fantasy Tropes Done Right |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/shadow-bone-review-netflix-1169179/ |access-date=2022-10-27 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}

In 2023-2025, Barnes appeared in a number of advertisements for cell phone provider T-Mobile US, outfitted in a purple suit.{{cite news |last1=Notte |first1=Jason |title=How Baseball's All-Star Game Drove In More Brands |url=https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-baseballs-all-star-game-drove-in-more-brands/ |access-date=11 September 2023 |work=Ad Week |date=7 July 2023}}

{{BLP unreferenced section|date=July 2021}}

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{{commons category|Ben Barnes (actor)|Ben Barnes}}

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Category:1981 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century English male actors

Category:21st-century English singers

Category:Alumni of Kingston University

Category:English people of South African-Jewish descent

Category:English male film actors

Category:English male singers

Category:English male stage actors

Category:English male television actors

Category:Jewish English male actors

Category:Jewish English musicians

Category:People educated at Homefield Preparatory School

Category:People educated at King's College School, London

Category:Male actors from London

Category:Singers from London