"It feels great to play him again. There's a lot to tell about him," Kingsley tells TT.
The character Slattery made his debut in 2013 in "Iron Man 3." He was a retired actor who was hired to play the on-screen role of the fictional terrorist Mandarin. Slattery returned in the film "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," among other appearances.
Arrested by police
It's that time again. Trevor Slattery comes to Los Angeles to kickstart his career. He is arrested by the police and forced to spy on Simon Williams, a young actor seeking the role of Wonder Man in a new film - who has hidden superpowers of his own. Against all odds, the two become friends.
"This is Marvel and Hollywood, and you have to place the story on that kind of elevated platform for the portrayal of friendship to work," says Ben Kingsley.
Working with actors
The series is largely set in a film studio and contains a lot of satire on the film industry. Among other things, famous actors like Joe Pantoliano and Josh Gad appear and poke fun at themselves.
"Sometimes it's satire, sometimes it depicts the absolute conviction that actors use to enter a role. So, yes, you can take the satire and the little jabs at Hollywood, but it's balanced by a good script," says Ben Kingsley.
Took help from Kingsley
With his extensive experience in the world of film and theater, showrunner Andrew Guest was able to enlist Kingsley's help when writing the script. Kingsley's track record includes roles in "Gandhi," "Schindler's List," and most recently, the mystery thriller "The Thursday Murder Club." After "Wonder Man," he has nearly ten new projects lined up.
Will there be a sequel? Kingsley says he doesn't know what will happen in the future. But Andrew Guest fills in:
"I hope so. It depends on Marvel. I think there's a lot more to tell about Trevor Slattery and Simon Williams."
Gunnar Rehlin/TT
Facts: Ben Kingsley
TT
Age: 82.
Family: Spouse Daniela Lavender, four children.
Lives: In Hertfordshire, England.
Occupation: Actor.
Previous roles in selection: "Fear Is My Weapon", "Gandhi", "Diary of a Turtle", "Maurice", "Bugsy", "Schindler's List", "Death and the Girl", "Sexy Beast", "House of Sand and Fog", "Oliver Twist", "Shutter Island", "Hugo Cabret", "Iron Man 3", "Exodus: Gods and Kings", "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings", "William Tell", "The Thursday Murder Club".
Current: In "Wonder Man" which premieres on Disney+ on January 27th.
