hits.

Many thanks to Regys for the heads up about this new interview with Ben from the London Evening Standard. You can read the full interview at the original site or by following the fake cut at the bottom of this post.

Home is…
Wimbledon, where I grew up. I have been living with my younger brother Jack for a year now. I like that it’s just out of Central London.

What was the last play you saw in London?
I saw James McAvoy in Three Days of Rain, but that was a long time ago. I was away for seven months last year, but when I’m in London I try to support the actors I know.

What advice would you give a tourist?
Look up. There are so many wonderful gargoyles.

Which London shops do you rely on?
I absolutely detest shops. I tried to get my Christmas shopping done in one day, but I just meandered up and down Covent Garden and Oxford Circus. It was horrible. The boutiques and markets in Notting Hill are a little nicer.

What’s the best meal you’ve had in London?
I’ve had the most incredible meals at Locanda Locatelli. I love Italian food. I’ve only been able to afford going there twice but it is just amazing.

What’s your earliest London memory?
I have lots of memories of trotting around Big Ben. A few years ago I made a film, Bigga Than Ben, and we shot some scenes there, so it feels very nostalgic. Also because of the ridiculous namesake thing.

What would you do as Mayor for the day?
I would make the Tube run later. If you live even vaguely on the outskirts of London it’s difficult to get home.

What’s your life philosophy?
I didn’t particularly enjoy school, so my dad used to say, Success is the best revenge.’ Then about two years ago I was in LA and found a T-shirt with the saying on it.

What are you most afraid of?
Boredom. I like to keep moving and exciting myself. It’s very stubborn and childish really.

What are your guilty pleasures?
Not doing the things I’m supposed to do, like not going to the gym for a few months.

What would be on your tombstone?
I heard a brilliant one the other day from the comedian Tim Minchin: What’s the world going to revolve around now?’

What animal would you most like to be?
A lazy lion, so I could lie about all day and be brought food by my lionesses. I do quite like
the idea of being an eagle, too, so make that a flying lion.

What was the last album you downloaded?
I’m doing a film called Killing Bono, in which I play a wannabe rock star in the late 1970s and early 1980s, so I’ve been listening to a lot of David Bowie, The Police and Spandau Ballet. And Paolo Nutini’s latest album Sunny Side Up is really good.

What would you save from a fire?
My prosthetic face from Dorian Gray and my Narnia sword.

What are you up to at the moment?
I’m doing some ADR (voice-over dubbing) for my new film Locked In, a thriller with Eliza Dushku from Dollhouse and The Wire’s Clarke Peters. I have just finished shooting the third Narnia movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and this month I start filming Killing Bono.

Who’s your hero?
I like actors who make me feel something, like Jeff Bridges, Robert Downey Jr and Christopher Guest.

What do you most like wearing?
An Armani leather jacket. It was one of my first freebies and I wear it every day.

What’s the most romantic place in London?
London Bridge and Tower Bridge at night.

Have you ever stolen anything?
No… Well… Hmm. I got some clothes on loan a few months ago because I was doing a lot of press. They were meant to be returned, but a couple of them mysteriously went missing. But I definitely, definitely did not steal them.

Where did you last go on holiday?
My family and I went to Italy for my dad’s 60th. I could only join them for two days because I was flying to Australia. I slept most of the time and didn’t leave the villa once. But I did have some very nice Italian wine.

Dorian Gray is out now on Blu-ray and DVD

Source: This Is London

Ally981 said:

nice interview! flying lion LOLLLLL

January 22nd, 2010

Luna said:

haha great interview! Thanks for uploading!

January 22nd, 2010

latyfa barnes said:

aujourd’hiu ,G MIS BEN BARNES EN FOND D ECRANT AU COLLEGE . tro bel INTERVEW MERCI JE TAIME BEN BARNES

January 22nd, 2010

Kim said:

What a great interview! I love that he’s a Leo and he would be a lazy lion. :D

January 22nd, 2010

Steelsheen said:

the lazy flying lion seems to be the persona most guys want, whether or not they admit it. at least Ben admits if could get away with something, its laziness and bossiness. unfortunately its the top two personality traits women hates in men lol!

so Papa Barnes is 60, means he had Ben around 31/32 yrs. wonder how old Mama Barnes is?…

January 22nd, 2010

Zhang Wenzhuo said:

very great!!!haha…maybe someday a lazy fiying lion will appear in films,i think it’s interesting!!!!thanks for uploading!!!!

January 22nd, 2010

Scarlett said:

I agree, Steelsheen. Ben is gorgeous but if he has a lazy streak in him, that’s definitely not sexy or desirable!

January 22nd, 2010

Vicki said:

Would you like to affiliate with http://robert-sheehan.com ? Your apply for adffiliates isnt working.

I can’t seem to get a reply from anyone…

January 22nd, 2010

Tina said:

Just wondering if Ben would share a bottle of wine with me…Im Italian LOL

Just kidding, thanx for this awesome interview…I really appreciate your work at this website!!!

January 22nd, 2010

Heather said:

@Vicki…did you e-mail Stephanie?

January 23rd, 2010

Affy-Ann said:

Thanks so much for the interview. It was a great one! I’m happy he loves Italian food, and when I go to London, I’ll remember the gargoyles. LOL

I love that photo of him by the way! <3

January 23rd, 2010

Trisha said:

Love the interview!

January 23rd, 2010

mar said:

cada vez me encanta mas.
respecto a que es a veces perezoso o gandul, no me extraña, pues no debe de tener una vida demasiado ordenada por cuestiones de trabajo.
Por otro lado, a mi me encantaría ser una de sus leonas ja ja ja.

January 23rd, 2010

mar said:

oh, me he dado cuenta de que no he escrito bien.
quiero decir, que al no tener una vida demasiado ordenada por cuestiones de su trabajo, el organismo se desgasta más, y llegan los períodos de vagancia, o letargo porque su cuerpo lo necesita.
eah espero que se me haya entendido mejor.
un beso ben.
por cierto, me encanta el lambrusco dulce, frio y rosado

January 23rd, 2010

Serena said:

Great interview!

January 24th, 2010

Linslet said:

Wow the lion thing is funny xD
hmm.. now i realy want to eat at that italy restaurant … *.*

anway thx for posting here~ ^^

January 24th, 2010

Anika said:

Success is the best revenge!

Hahahaha love that!

January 24th, 2010

clara said:

nice philosophy … success is the best revenge…

January 24th, 2010

Tahanka said:

LION, he already is :) , born in August. it is funny

love the philosophy and the tombstone sign

January 25th, 2010

MustelaLutreola said:

‘And Paolo Nutini’s latest album Sunny Side Up is really good.’

Ougaad, I love Paolo Nutini (L) And now i love Benj even more!

January 25th, 2010

trishcorpuz said:

BEN IS MUY ADORABLE. :D

January 28th, 2010

Ricky said:

It dosen’t matter to me if he’s lazy, if he stay lazy with me on bed.

March 18th, 2010

invisible said:

It is great interview ….. BUT IT IS PiTY THAT I HAVE NO CHANCE TO SEE BEN BARNES IN REALITY

June 15th, 2010

Mahima said:

Great Interview!!!!
Ben, You Rock!!!
I wish I could meet you in reality……….
Love You, Ben!!!!!!!

June 9th, 2012