Over the years, audiences have been treated to some fantastic biographical dramas, especially when it comes to famous musicians who changed the industry and culture as a whole. Soon, we’ll get to see Kingsley Ben-Adir bring the reggae pioneer to the big screen with Bob Marley: One Love, a biopic that could prove to be one of the actor’s biggest roles yet.
As part of our partnership with AMC Theatres, where you can now purchase tickets to see Ben-Adir’s leading role in Bob: Marley: One Love, we’ve gone back and looked at the actor’s career to see what led to the highly anticipated music biopic about one of music’s greatest visionaries. From movies like Barbie to shows like Secret Invasion, and so much more, it’s safe to say this actor has had one stellar career so far.
Ken (Barbie)
There were a lot of Kens in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, with the rivals played by Ryan Gosling and Simu Liu getting much of the attention. However, one Ken who was also front and center throughout a fair chunk of the popular movie was played by Kingsley Ben-Adir. If there was a big “Ken” scene on the beach, at Barbie’s dance party, at Ken’s Mojo Dojo Casa House, then Ben-Adir’s version of the famous male companion was there. Dancing, holding ice cream, playing Matchbox Twenty on the guitar, this Ken could do it all.
Like everyone else in the movie, Ben-Adir looked like he was having the time of his life playing Ken, especially later in the film with the start of the Kendom.
Malcolm X (One Night In Miami…)
Regina King’s 2020 directorial debut, One Night in Miami…, saw Kingsley Ben-Adir take on the role of Malcolm X as the American Civil Rights activist spent an evening hanging out with trailblazers like Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), and Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.). This fictionalized account of an actual meeting between the four iconic figures in February 1964 shows the group spending a night following Clay’s world heavyweight championship victory.
Each of the four actors shines in One Night in Miami…, and this is especially true for Ben-Adir, whose portrayal of Malcolm X is up there with Denzel Washington’s take on the figure nearly 30 years earlier.
Gravik (Secret Invasion)
Though Secret Invasion probably isn’t the best Marvel TV show, it did feature an incredible performance from Kingsley Ben-Adir as Gravik, the militant leader of a group of Skrulls hellbent on destroying Earth through any means necessary. After seeing the actor take on more noble and less antagonistic roles over the years, it was refreshing to see him play a character so cold and vindictive in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
A true testament to his acting ability, Gravik is far different from anything Ben-Adir had done prior, and hopefully this performance is a sign of things to come for the on-the-rise actor.
Barack Obama (The Comey Rule)
The 2020 Showtime original, The Comey Rule, primarily focused on the tumultuous relationship shared between former United States President Donald Trump (Brendan Gleeson) and former FBI Director James Comey (Jeff Daniels), but those two embattled futures weren’t the only newsmakers whose stories were told throughout the two-part miniseries.
One of those actors is Kingsley Ben-Adir, who makes the most of his short portrayal of former President Barack Obama in the months leading up to the 2016 Presidential Election. Ben-Adir did a wonderful job of capturing the trademark cadence and demeanor of the 44th President, which is in stark contrast to that of Gleeson’s take on his successor.
Wet Stick (King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword)
Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword isn’t the best adaptation of the English legend, but this 2017 action-adventure film is fun and features some wonderful performances. This is true from Charlie Hunnam, who portrays the titular young would-be king of Britain at the center of the movie, as well as for Kingsley Ben-Adir, who plays his childhood friend, Wet Stick.
Though more toned down than some other characters who appear alongside Arthur on his quest to fulfill his destiny, Wet Stick stands out because of his quiet resolve and sheer likability. If you haven’t gone back and rewatched King Arthur: Legend of the Sword since Ben-Adir became a big star, now’s the time to do so.
Col. Ben Younger (Peaky Blinders)
For a stretch there, Peaky Blinders was one of the most talked about TV shows around, mainly due to Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of Tommy Shelby, the charismatic leader of the titular Birmingham street gang. But the latter part of the show also featured Kingsley Ben-Adir in a major capacity with his take on Col. Ben Younger, who led the investigation into people with communist and fascist ties.
Though only featured in a handful of episodes, Ben-Adir’s character was a force and focal point of a prominent storyline that carried out throughout the show’s fourth and fifth seasons.
Dr. Marcus Summer (Vera)
Years before landing memorable roles in Barbie and One Night in Miami…, Kingsley Ben-Adir appeared on the long-running British crime series, Vera. Between the show’s fourth and sixth seasons, and again in the eighth year, Ben-Adir took on the role of Dr. Marcus Summer, a pathologist who worked extensively with the show’s main character, DCI Vera Stanhope (Brenda Blethyn).
If you want to go back and see where it all began for Ben-Adir, Vera will be an excellent place to start, as the then-up-and-coming actor appeared in more than a dozen episodes and was at the center of some significant investigations.
Throughout his career, Kingsley Ben-Adir has shown that he is more than capable of handling his own on the big screen (and our TV sets) with his dynamic range and command as an actor. If you are interested in seeing how he fares in Bob Marley: One Love, make sure to purchase your tickets at AMC Theatres, where the biopic will be playing starting February 14, 2024.