How ‘Iron Man 3’ Inspired Ben Kingsley’s Performance as Salvador Dalí in ‘Dalíland’ (Video)
thewrap.comThe Mandarin” — in “Iron Man 3” that made the director and writer realize he could pull it off. Speaking with TheWrap at the Toronto International Film Festival on behalf of “Dalíland,” the festival’s closing night film, director Mary Harron (“American Psycho”) and writer John Walsh said that the real Dalí was something of a “tremendous coward.” And though Kingsley had always played strong, fearless roles, they were worried about whether or not Kingsley could flash a more eccentric, fearful side.“And then we watched…’Iron Man 3,'” Harron and Walsh said. “He was brilliant.
But we hadn’t seen that aspect of his range. And we said, ‘Wow, it’s so loose and funny and goofy,’ and that was Dalí, a very kind of loose character.” For those who don’t remember 2013’s “Iron Man 3,” Kingsley portrays the villain “The Mandarin,” except we soon discover that “The Mandarin” is a fictional character, a made up terrorist created and portrayed by Kingsley’s real persona, a goofy, cowardly, washed up actor.
In that moment, Harron saw the same cowardice needed to portray Dalí late in his life. “He was terrified of everything, really,” Harron said, referring to the surrealist artist. “Incredible courage creatively, but, like, terrified of germs, huge hypochondriac, scared of many things.
Couldn’t pay a taxi on his own. He could barely press the button in an elevator and would get other people to do everything.
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