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Love Quote by Ben Kingsley

"But comedy I'd love to do as much as humanly possible"

About this Quote

There is something quietly radical in Ben Kingsley, a man synonymous with gravity and prestige, admitting he wants comedy "as much as humanly possible". The phrase reads like an exhale from inside the costume closet of Serious Actorhood: after decades of being cast as the vessel for history, trauma, or authority, he’s naming comedy as relief, appetite, even necessity.

The intent is practical and a little strategic. Kingsley isn’t just saying he enjoys jokes; he’s signaling range to an industry that loves to freeze performers into brands. Comedy becomes both liberation and leverage: it keeps him from being embalmed as the dignified elder statesman, the go-to for solemnity. "As much as humanly possible" is tellingly physical. Not "artistically" possible, not "professionally" possible, but humanly. He’s framing comedy as the work that restores the person underneath the craft, the kind of acting that requires presence rather than reverence.

The subtext hints at the burden of his own filmography. When you’ve carried roles weighted with moral consequence, comedy offers a different kind of difficulty: timing, vulnerability, the willingness to look foolish. It’s also a way to chase unpredictability late in a career, when prestige can become a trap.

Contextually, Kingsley has periodically leaned into comedic or off-kilter projects, and this line aligns with a larger cultural reappraisal: comedy isn’t the lesser sibling of drama. It’s often the sharper instrument, exposing status games and ego with a grin. Kingsley sounds like someone who knows that, and wants to play where the air is thinner and the landing is never guaranteed.

Quote Details

TopicFunny
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More Quotes by Ben Add to List
Ben Kingsley on Embracing Comedy
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About the Author

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Ben Kingsley (born December 31, 1943) is a Actor from England.

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