hits.

Ben is among the 50 Best Dressed Men featured in the February 2010 issue of GQ magazine. To read what they had to say about him, click the thumbnail below to visit the gallery. Thanks to Lorna for the scan from GQ magazine!

A while back I also uploaded 2 HQ scans from the December 2009 issue of L’Officiel (Russia). Many thanks to Elmira for sending those in! A translation can be found below.

Thanks to Liza for the following translation of the L’Officiel (Russia) article:

“Prince Undressed”

Till this winter the whole world associated the British actor Ben Barnes with “Chronicles of Narnia” – his Prince Caspian was beautiful, romantic and was bravely saving the world. In January Barnes will appear in a new role – as vicious Dorian Gray.

Ben Barnes, having grown up in a serious family (his father is a psychiatrist), couldn’t be satisfied playing romantic beauties: after cinematales “Chronicles of Narnia” and “Stardust” the leading part in vampire saga “Twilight” was offered to him. But, having thought it over, Barnes refused teenage lyrics in favor of more contradictory works: he played a peppy Russian emigrant together with Andrey Chadov in “Bigga than Ben” and agreed to a role in Oliver Parker’s movie, when the director decided to shoot “Dorian Gray”. The scenes of naked Dorian have already lurked to the Internet and excited female audience.

Ben Barnes: Really? Oh God. Dunno…I’m not Matthew McConaughey: I don’t undress with any excuse. And sunlight doesn’t underline my “muscle” body: everything is not that ideal under my shirt. BTW, in that episode my character is like taking off his skin – layer after layer he’s undressing his soul in the 1st place. But I’m glad to have taken part in such a sincere episode. Any acting experience is interesting and useful for me.

L’Officiel: You mean you’re not against being naked in front of camera?
BB: I find it really hilarious to see these pics on-line and read comments like “Oh, you should eat more, at least…” People are fixed on Hollywood ideal, which I’m not. I’m simply a thin, unnaturally pale guy. But of cause it’s pleasant that not everyone see me like that.

L’O: Do you go in for sports?
BB: If only it’s necessary for a role. Now the next part of “Ch of N” is being shot, and I learn fencing and swim a lot. I try to be ready for acting in the physical point, too. But in daily life I don’t think about sport at all. Honestly, I never intended to become Arnold Schwarzenegger.

L’O: You were to play the leading role in vampire saga “Twilight”, that became a blockbuster. Are you glad, that Rob Pattinson got the part? He’s surrounded by fans all the time now.
BB: I suppose I was the 1st to see the script of “Twilight”. Then I have been tortured by screen tests with different girls for several months – while they were looking for an actress for the leading part I had to accompany everyone. When I found out that they want to make movies of all Meyer’s vampire books I thought: “I’ll be 30 soon, it’s strange to play 17-y.o. I don’t think it’ll look good”. Well, the nowadays noise aroud “Twilight”, the crazy success of the movie – it would have been unbearable for me.

L’O: Dorian Gray is a person who dreams of remaining young and handsome for his whole life. Would you like the same for yourself?
BB: May be I would have liked it…before I took part in the movie. After having watching what happened to my character I understood that it’s not so pleasant. We all live it a society that’s crazy about youth – all these Botox and cosmetic surgery, “yes-I-always-look-like-I’m-25” – but it leads to no good. At the end Dorian wants to kill himself to get rid of fake youth. “Pleasure has nothing in common with happiness”. Wilde’s novel is quite able to explain what one shouldn’t do to be happy – one should quit paying much attention to appearance. Though, I may have more in common with Dorian than it seems to me. I’m 28 but often they ask for my passport before selling alcohol to me.

L’O: Good appearance is a necessary quality for your profession…
BB: Yep, if you don’t look appropriate you won’t get a role. But it can be the other way. The can be looking for “a simple lad, like everyone else”. So “discrimination” in cinema may touch everyone, including handsome guys.

L’O: In DG you’re starring alongside with Colin Firth, aka Lord Henry, who’s seducing your character. Firth once mentioned that after he started getting grey hair and riffles more interesting role-offerings began…
BB: You see, the view of world must be changing through the years. I noticed it on Colin’s example. Playing young lord Henry – witty and with sparkling view – Colin was making laugh of me all days long and made me run for his tea. But as soon as he shifted into old lord, he changed himself. Colin became more vulnerable, was sitting quietly in a corner and it was me who made fun of him and sent him for tea! Anyway, he’s a great person. I often call him for advice, for complaining about rumors about me, for telling what role I was offered. He says that a good role one can get after 15-20 years of acting, and before you are obliged to play sweet boys. I’m very lucky to play Dorian Gray. It was a difficult part, I was even afraid of taking it, but decided that we live only once and I can’t miss the chance.

Hannah said:

Great article! Thx steph! Happy new year!

January 7th, 2010

Ally981 said:

cool lol

January 7th, 2010

Kim said:

He’s definitely best dressed! I’m glad they noticed :D Thanks, Stephanie!

January 7th, 2010

Natalie said:

Thanks for the scans, and for the translation of the Russian interview.

January 7th, 2010

Andragel said:

Does he really refused to play Edward in Twilight?

January 7th, 2010

Helaine said:

@Andragel
Thank’s God he refused.

January 7th, 2010

Luna said:

Good interview! Thanks for the scans and translation!
Even though I am(not so much any more) a Twilight fan, I’m glad he turned down the role of Edward. Ben is a fantastic actor and mouth-wateringly handsome, but somehow I can’t imagine him as super-dreamy, always serious and control-obsessed Edward. I think Rob fits the role better.

January 7th, 2010

kell said:

Yes he did because he was too old to play the part of Edward. He said that when he found out that they were going to film all the books. I am glad he made that decision. Wise choice.

January 7th, 2010

Zhang Wenzhuo said:

Thanks for the scans!!Perfect man!By the way,I agree with Kell ,that Ben has made a wise choice,I don’t think Ben fits the role!!Ben ,just go ahead!!!

January 7th, 2010

Stef's said:

Great interview Thank God he refused Twilight. Ben deserves much more than that.

January 9th, 2010

Steelsheen said:

thanks for translating the Russian interview. that was really good.

January 9th, 2010

Andragel said:

Maybe he was not good,but this could made him more popular than ever.And I was surprised to read that he declined the role because in one interview the director Catherine Hardwicke said that Ben auditioned but they have chosen Pattinson.

January 9th, 2010

Fire and Rain said:

Uhm, if they chose Pattinson, then he should had been the one having screentests with different girls, eh? As I’ve read in one of Pattinson’s interview, he had a screentest (kissing scene ) with Kirsten and that’s it.:)

Thanks for the artcile and translation.

January 11th, 2010