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I've got to say though even though he's played villains, they are some of his best performances especially Billy Russo & The Darkling. What I love about him is he studies the villain and their backstory and he's able to grasp what little humanity the villains have. He just does it brilliantly.
The fact that he acknowledges that everybody is made of good and bad, and everyone is capable of good and bad is what makes him a great actor, and surely, I dare say, a good person. It's humbling to know and recognize that people make mistakes, that villains are not just villains, they have layers of life and experience that make them who they are at a particular moment. That's people in life in general. And what's greater is that we certainly feel empathy for these villains but not necessarily sympathy. We understand why they came to be the way they are, we know that they are capable of good as well; some are redeemable, and some are not. That's what's interesting about human beings, and that's really nice that actors still think about that depth in the characters they chose to portray !
And I have to add, he cares about his responsibility and "the bread crumbs" he could be leaving but, personally, I've never really thought of him as like his characters. He embodies the character on screen by just showing a way of understanding people, characters are metaphors for real life. For example, the Darkling is selfish and controlling and toxic in many ways, it does not mean that he is not capable of love, it just means that he is not doing it right, and love and care and friendship etc should come differently. To me, the actor embodies the whole thing and through that he carries a positive message eventually. Maybe other people don't see it that way and I get it if he prefers switching to different types of characters. But that depth is still very important. (that's what I love in a lot of classic novels that we don't necessarily find in contemporary literature, and so many movies are currently having one dimensional characters and it's boring). In the end he should strive to portray characters who gives a message, to hell with doing what people want haha ;). do what you find great and what has purpose, and if that means playing someone people root for, great, if it's not still great, as long as he does what feels right ! I really like the man we see in interviews, he seems very grounded, caring and always on the look out for doing something good.
He is great at playing nuanced, actualized characters. The psychological make up of General Kirigan is a person who has lived many lifetimes, and has been hunted and persecuted for most of them. In the Dune books Leto Ii lives 3500 years as the Divided God, Part man, part Sandworm, utter lonliness for 3500 years. I think Leto II is among the saddest characters ever written. Hey Ben, if ya get a call from Dennis Villenuve for Dune 3 or 4.....please pick up!
Oh… oh! The timing of this! It is past midnight for me and I am driving across the country for a family weekend, where I will be writing the entire time. I'm currently working on a book that covers that emotional gray area that Ben was talking about. The funny thing is that I clicked on this video purely because I needed to listen to Ben speak so I could get his voice in my head because my male character has his voice and accent. The character is a "devil with honor" in a medieval fantasyish world where his race is severely discriminated against. He got lucky when he was young and had a very privileged upbringing. He starts out in the story with this bright and hopeful personality but over the course of the story, grief puts him in a position where he battles with that honor, eventually portraying the "devil" everyone initially believe him to be just because of his race. This is so much what I needed to listen to! THANK YOU! And thank you Ben Barnes for the inspiration!
He isn't quite what I pictured for Rhysand but now when you said it, I think he would be brilliant Rhysand based on how he performed as Darling in shadow and bone. He would catch so perfectly that seems like a bad guy but isn't. I really would have wanted to see "what if" version from shadow and bone where Darkling and Alina would have ended up together because he captured so well the not completely evil part and I think seeing him as Rhys in acotar would answer to that need a bit lol. Like normally when some character is evil I am like hell no for them to ending up with heroine but I don't know how but his performance made me feel differently in that case lol.
It is true about acting performances seeping into people’s unconsciousness on how they view the actors themselves, just like in Promising Young Woman, when all the actors are associated with “nice guys” as a subversion.
BB said in an interview once that when casting directors see him, they immediately perceive distrust. I believe that he’s been typecast, due to his dark eyes. Casting directors and others in the film industry need to quit treating dark-eyed actors like this.
It's completely opposite for me. He looks very trustworthy to me honestly. Maybe because of his eyes, but they bring a sense of comfort to me. I think the directors feel intimidated by him because he's god damn handsome.
Who was the prick who offered our lovely Ben a child-tongue cutting role lol how ridiculous 🙄😕 I’m actually going to be very frank. I think it’s because he has dark hair. I also have dark hair. American movies often like to villainize people with any dark features to perpetuate the agenda of who is bad and who is good. Felt like I really needed to say this at this point because I have also had enough. I also have dark hair myself so it’s also a disappointing feeling in how media likes to often shape things to their likening.
to be honest, the villain's he played aren't entirely unredeemable and even their "bad" actions is very easy to empathize with when taking into account the character's exposition. Like for example the The Darkling has a special place in our hearts especially in the show, cz a lot of the character's aspect is just hightened reality that a lot of us resonate with
But his performance is incredible, he is perfect in those roles, although I understand that he wants variety. Don't pigeonhole But he has to know that we love each of his characters
Ben, please no, you're breaking my heart... Never would we ever attach even a morsel of villainy or evil to you in real life. You are such a ray of sunshine, such a fundamentally GOOD guy. We want you to never worry about that because we love you to bits for the sweetie you are in reality. You make us love your onscreen villains because you give them humanity. And where would that come from if not from the goodness inside you... Big, big hug 😘
I am not surprised about Ben's analogy about playing dark roles for a long amount of time, he's the son of a psychologist after all. And as a person who is interested in psychology and human minds, I agree that people do subconsciously generalise an actor's real persona based on their reel persona. For example, in my observation most actors who played villains/dark roles are actually really good people in real life. And I often get surprised at how much good-hearted they actually are. Oh, and I love Ben Barnes obviously!
Eric Heisserer and the wrtiers of Shadow and Bone hoodwinked and threw him under the bus. Ben Barnes and Jessie Mei Li were so eager to explore where their characters relationships, the cosmic connection, and their character developments would go..... only for BOTH of them to be shafted, thrown aside, ridiculed by the writers PUBLICLY (yes even JML) in interviews and social media, and sidelined for the crows (Eric's one true love and passion project)
watching this video i know why ben is my favourite actor. he brings so much passion into every of his roles. like its not just a job for him he really wants the people to connect with his characters or in terms of the psychotic villains he played to try to understand their story and why they are behaving in a certain way. i think that's very special and i'm very looking forward to his upcoming projects☺️
Ben, no one thinks you aren't trustworthy because of the characters that you play. Those dark characters make women mad! You keep getting offered those murdery roles because you are SO good at them!
He mastered these king of characters, why would he stop doing it? He's really good at it. I always thought that the good guy is the best choise to play badguys.
![[EN] Interview #25: Mental Health Talk with Ben Barnes](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8xOw1K9wpMI/mqdefault.jpg)
If you enjoyed this clip I would be really grateful if you could hit the subscribe button, it truly helps us out a lot and helps us continue to bring you these types of conversations... appreciate you all.
I've got to say though even though he's played villains, they are some of his best performances especially Billy Russo & The Darkling. What I love about him is he studies the villain and their backstory and he's able to grasp what little humanity the villains have. He just does it brilliantly.
His character in Westworld S1 was just perfect. Especially in the end when from his POV we see who's the real badguy.
Disney should cast Ben as Flynn Rider he has what it takes
YESSSSS
he's like 20 years too old for that character lol
The fact that he acknowledges that everybody is made of good and bad, and everyone is capable of good and bad is what makes him a great actor, and surely, I dare say, a good person. It's humbling to know and recognize that people make mistakes, that villains are not just villains, they have layers of life and experience that make them who they are at a particular moment. That's people in life in general. And what's greater is that we certainly feel empathy for these villains but not necessarily sympathy. We understand why they came to be the way they are, we know that they are capable of good as well; some are redeemable, and some are not. That's what's interesting about human beings, and that's really nice that actors still think about that depth in the characters they chose to portray !
And I have to add, he cares about his responsibility and "the bread crumbs" he could be leaving but, personally, I've never really thought of him as like his characters. He embodies the character on screen by just showing a way of understanding people, characters are metaphors for real life. For example, the Darkling is selfish and controlling and toxic in many ways, it does not mean that he is not capable of love, it just means that he is not doing it right, and love and care and friendship etc should come differently. To me, the actor embodies the whole thing and through that he carries a positive message eventually. Maybe other people don't see it that way and I get it if he prefers switching to different types of characters. But that depth is still very important. (that's what I love in a lot of classic novels that we don't necessarily find in contemporary literature, and so many movies are currently having one dimensional characters and it's boring). In the end he should strive to portray characters who gives a message, to hell with doing what people want haha ;). do what you find great and what has purpose, and if that means playing someone people root for, great, if it's not still great, as long as he does what feels right ! I really like the man we see in interviews, he seems very grounded, caring and always on the look out for doing something good.
He is great at playing nuanced, actualized characters. The psychological make up of General Kirigan is a person who has lived many lifetimes, and has been hunted and persecuted for most of them.
In the Dune books Leto Ii lives 3500 years as the Divided God, Part man, part Sandworm, utter lonliness for 3500 years. I think Leto II is among the saddest characters ever written.
Hey Ben, if ya get a call from Dennis Villenuve for Dune 3 or 4.....please pick up!
Oh… oh! The timing of this! It is past midnight for me and I am driving across the country for a family weekend, where I will be writing the entire time. I'm currently working on a book that covers that emotional gray area that Ben was talking about. The funny thing is that I clicked on this video purely because I needed to listen to Ben speak so I could get his voice in my head because my male character has his voice and accent. The character is a "devil with honor" in a medieval fantasyish world where his race is severely discriminated against. He got lucky when he was young and had a very privileged upbringing. He starts out in the story with this bright and hopeful personality but over the course of the story, grief puts him in a position where he battles with that honor, eventually portraying the "devil" everyone initially believe him to be just because of his race. This is so much what I needed to listen to! THANK YOU! And thank you Ben Barnes for the inspiration!
I liked him as Jigsaw. I miss "The Punisher", what a great show.
Agreed.
I understand his need to get away from those roles, but I really would love to see him in just one movie or show where he plays a total sociopath
He would make a perfect Rhysand from ACOTAR book series
He isn't quite what I pictured for Rhysand but now when you said it, I think he would be brilliant Rhysand based on how he performed as Darling in shadow and bone. He would catch so perfectly that seems like a bad guy but isn't. I really would have wanted to see "what if" version from shadow and bone where Darkling and Alina would have ended up together because he captured so well the not completely evil part and I think seeing him as Rhys in acotar would answer to that need a bit lol. Like normally when some character is evil I am like hell no for them to ending up with heroine but I don't know how but his performance made me feel differently in that case lol.
It is true about acting performances seeping into people’s unconsciousness on how they view the actors themselves, just like in Promising Young Woman, when all the actors are associated with “nice guys” as a subversion.
BB said in an interview once that when casting directors see him, they immediately perceive distrust. I believe that he’s been typecast, due to his dark eyes. Casting directors and others in the film industry need to quit treating dark-eyed actors like this.
It's completely opposite for me. He looks very trustworthy to me honestly. Maybe because of his eyes, but they bring a sense of comfort to me. I think the directors feel intimidated by him because he's god damn handsome.
That's surprising because his eyes look soft to me. Do you remember which interview he said that in by the way?
Who was the prick who offered our lovely Ben a child-tongue cutting role lol how ridiculous 🙄😕 I’m actually going to be very frank. I think it’s because he has dark hair. I also have dark hair. American movies often like to villainize people with any dark features to perpetuate the agenda of who is bad and who is good. Felt like I really needed to say this at this point because I have also had enough. I also have dark hair myself so it’s also a disappointing feeling in how media likes to often shape things to their likening.
I feel it's the dark features as well
to be honest, the villain's he played aren't entirely unredeemable and even their "bad" actions is very easy to empathize with when taking into account the character's exposition. Like for example the The Darkling has a special place in our hearts especially in the show, cz a lot of the character's aspect is just hightened reality that a lot of us resonate with
But his performance is incredible, he is perfect in those roles, although I understand that he wants variety. Don't pigeonhole But he has to know that we love each of his characters
Even when he plays villains, I’m still watching and going “kiss her, kiss her kiss her!” 😂
This was literally me
Ben, please no, you're breaking my heart... Never would we ever attach even a morsel of villainy or evil to you in real life. You are such a ray of sunshine, such a fundamentally GOOD guy. We want you to never worry about that because we love you to bits for the sweetie you are in reality. You make us love your onscreen villains because you give them humanity. And where would that come from if not from the goodness inside you... Big, big hug 😘
I am not surprised about Ben's analogy about playing dark roles for a long amount of time, he's the son of a psychologist after all. And as a person who is interested in psychology and human minds, I agree that people do subconsciously generalise an actor's real persona based on their reel persona. For example, in my observation most actors who played villains/dark roles are actually really good people in real life. And I often get surprised at how much good-hearted they actually are.
Oh, and I love Ben Barnes obviously!
Bad characters suits him well, but we all know how nice Ben Barnes really is ❤
Eric Heisserer and the wrtiers of Shadow and Bone hoodwinked and threw him under the bus. Ben Barnes and Jessie Mei Li were so eager to explore where their characters relationships, the cosmic connection, and their character developments would go..... only for BOTH of them to be shafted, thrown aside, ridiculed by the writers PUBLICLY (yes even JML) in interviews and social media, and sidelined for the crows (Eric's one true love and passion project)
Wishing I had a brilliant romantic comedy ready to go for him!
watching this video i know why ben is my favourite actor. he brings so much passion into every of his roles. like its not just a job for him he really wants the people to connect with his characters or in terms of the psychotic villains he played to try to understand their story and why they are behaving in a certain way. i think that's very special and i'm very looking forward to his upcoming projects☺️
Great interview also btw and Ben is articulate and sweet as always
Glad you enjoyed it!
Ben, no one thinks you aren't trustworthy because of the characters that you play. Those dark characters make women mad! You keep getting offered those murdery roles because you are SO good at them!
His performance in "By the gun" was really good. One of my fav actors.
He mastered these king of characters, why would he stop doing it? He's really good at it. I always thought that the good guy is the best choise to play badguys.
love you, Ben!