Sir Ben to you: knight stirs film realm

[edonline]

http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1714584,00.html

Sir Ben to you: knight stirs film realm
Staff and agencies
Tuesday February 21, 2006

Guardian Unlimited

Veteran film producer Lord Puttnam has labelled Ben Kingsley "barmy" for insisting on being billed as "Sir Ben Kingsley" on the poster of his new film.

For the first time in his career, the Oscar-winning actor is to be billed as "Sir Ben Kingsley" for the thriller Lucky Number Slevin, which is released in the UK this week. In the film, Sir Ben plays a New York crime boss opposite Josh Hartnett and Morgan Freeman.

"I think Ben's barmy and I wish I could just get hold of him and say 'wake up'. It's a silly thing to do." said the Chariots of Fire producer to BBC Radio Five Live. "Within the film industry I'm just David Puttnam and I will always be David Puttnam."

Asked what Sir Ben was thinking, Puttnam replied: "I wish I knew. I don't know. It's a very, very, very silly thing to do and I suspect when he sits back and thinks about it he will realise."

Knighted actors such as Anthony Hopkins, Sean Connery or Michael Caine are never billed with their titles. Michael Gambon reportedly threatened to hit anyone who called him "Sir Michael" during the filming of the US TV series Angels in America.

But Sir Ben is known for being touchy about his honorific. At a 2003 press conference, the Oliver Twist actor criticised a German reporter who called him Mr Kingsley, saying: "It's Sir Ben. I've not been a Mr for two years."

After he became a knight in 2001, the Gandhi actor said, "There is no Mr Ben Kingsley any more. Being a Sir brings with it responsibility".

Puttnam was not the only one annoyed by Sir Ben. Another knight of the realm, Roger Moore, said: "It's a load of pretentious bollocks."

"I don't see the point," said Moore. "Would it really add anything to have one's title included? I think it's the actor people want to see, not the knight."

[JackD.Ripper]

Why the fuck are they knighting ACTORS anyway?? Seems to me this brings the whole knighthood thing down a bit to say the least. Kingsley, shut the fuck up, especially if you're going to be whoring yourself out for money to be in a Uwe Boll movie.

[robk]

Originally posted by JackD.Ripper
Why the fuck are they knighting ACTORS anyway?? Seems to me this brings the whole knighthood thing down a bit to say the least. Kingsley, shut the fuck up, especially if you're going to be whoring yourself out for money to be in a Uwe Boll movie.

I'm all for actors becoming knights if they've earned it.
It is a shame, though, that one such as Kingsley is pressing the matter unnecessarily.

[James Logan]

Well, some actors, like Sean Connery, or Michael Caine, have had a great deal of influence in how the UK is seen in the world, good or bad, if only because of their sheer popularity. And they're important to Brits, because of their place in the culture, arguably.

So I'm all for them being knighted. Ben Kingsley insisting on being billed that way, I think, is ridiculous -- but Kingsley's always been an asshole tightass about his knighthood. He acts like an asshole-ish, snobbish 17th century blue-blood about it.

One thing, though...was he billed as "Sir Ben Kingsley" on the BLOODRAYNE posters? Not anywhere that I remember of. So why is he making such a shit about it over LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN, which is pretty much sure to be a much better movie anyway? (what with not being directed by Uwe Boll and all) Is he worried that people are actually going to SEE this one?

[jeo4]

What a douche. Fuck his knighthood. If he makes good films and he enjoys what he's doing, then why give a flying fuck about a meaningless title??

[Nachokoolaid]

They should have put it on the BLOODRAYNE poster.