hits.

Emertainment Monthly spoke with Ben on the red carpet at the ‘By The Gun’ premiere in Boston on December 1st. Check out the interview below:

Ben, you’re best know for playing Prince Caspian in the Chronicles of Narnia film series, as well as playing Dorian Gray in the film Dorian Gray. Both characters are fantastical and hold a level of prestige within their respective worlds. What was it like to play a realistic character, set in the real modern world, coming from nothing in By the Gun?

Ben Barnes: I was definitely, definitely looking for a role more like this, with more sort of grounded, gritty characters. I love the urban type of stories, and this script sort of popped up one day and it was just one of those ones that I read cover to cover. Once I finished, I instantly thought “well, I have to play this guy”.

I’ve been walking around saying “why always with the flowery shirts and swords? Why can’t I get a car and a gun? I want a car, a gun, and a goatee!” It was all there; it was all presented to me in one easy package. I couldn’t have asked for a better crew than this in terms of working with Slaine and Jay and Kenny, all of these guys that are from Boston. They’re essentially the real deal, they’re guys who know all the characters in the film for real and they introduced me to half of them. We had a great couple of weeks in the North End just roaming around the streets, meeting all kinds of wonderful characters. Once they slap the tattoo on your neck, and you get the walk and accent down, these boys will give you a quick slap if the accent sounds wrong to them, because they’re so concerned with it being authentic and macho. And as they should be, because they’re very proud to be from Boston and proud of its history.

So you had to play this character very straightforward as a tough and macho guy. How do you transition as an actor from previous “flowery shirt” roles to one such as this?

Barnes: I think you have to find a way to make that violence and anger your own. If I was to scream and shout and throw a chair, it wouldn’t be that scary, and would feel a bit out of place. So I have to come at it from a different angle, maybe a sort of quieter, non-reactionary angle. And you find all of these different moments and try to make each moment feel as real as you can. This is a movie full of those kinds of moments, where it’s scarier for someone not to react to you than it is for you to blow up at somebody. Sometimes shouting isn’t always the scariest thing. So it was a nice challenge for me to find my inner gangster. You also have to look at the other side of any character you play. He is kind of a badass, but he has a kind of vulnerability to him. He’s a man that finds it difficult to take lives, like any normal person would. So I think that’s why you empathize when you’re on the side of my character when watching this film. You’re seeing his inner conflicts in the difficult situations that he is being put through.

What was it like to work with Harvey Keitel?

Barnes: Oh yeah, he was magnificent! He just came in for quite a short time during the last week of shooting, and he just came in as the character. The first time I ever met him, he was in an old Italian suit with his hair slicked back, sitting in a chair. He looked up at me, and it was terrifying. He brought this mob boss that you’d always wanted to see Harvey Keitel play, and he was there from the first minute.

We also heard that you’re going to be starring in a movie, Zendog, coming out in 2015 directed once again by Mottern. What can you tell us about this project?

Barnes: Unfortunately, not really anything at this point. It’s just sort of something that I’ve read and liked and been attached to for a while. But we’ll just have to see what comes of it. I’d love to work with James again if it comes to fruition.

James Mottern also spoke about working with Ben and the upcoming project ‘Zen Dog’. Read below:

Ben Barnes has previously been associated with fantasy films, so this is a bit of a different turn for him. What was it like working with Ben on this film?

James Mottern: Well, when Ben first came on set, he had done Narnia, and he had been in a couple of films where he plays more of an English character or a doctored kind of character. When he got to my set, he was really ready to something different. And the fact is, inside of Ben, he is really different. He’s kind of a gritty, tough character. Ben also knows, as a lot of actors know, when you first start playing one character you end up only playing that kind of character forever. And so, when he got to my set, he was really open to something that is a little bit closer to what’s going on inside of him. When we first talked to him about the film, it was the kind of thing where he really understood the nature of the character. Never once did I think “oh, here’s Prince Caspian”, because Ben did such a great job with the character of Nick Tortano.

We also know that you have a really big film coming out in 2015, Zendog, starring Ben Barnes once again, alongside other huge stars like William H. Macy and Peter Dinklage. What can you tell us about this project?

Mottern: It’s really a great script. It’s kind of a heist film, and I’m just going to say that as shorthand, because it isn’t entirely just that. There are some really great characters, and it’s a really great role for Ben, a great role for Macy, and Dinklage. It’s a little bit like a film like No Country for Old Men or Dog Day Afternoon. It’s a bit of a mixture between those two films. I think Aubrey Plaza is going to play the lead female role. We’re really excited to work on it.

Source

Dianna said:

Oh look at this. Great interview. Thanks again Stephanie, for posting it.
I cannot wait till I’ll be able to see the movie myself.
Plus I really hope Zendog will happen !!!!

December 4th, 2014

Stephanie said:

I didn’t even know that James was attached to direct Zen Dog now. When did that happen? lol

December 4th, 2014

Dianna said:

Ya indeed, where did that come from? But I’m not complaining whoohoo another Ben movie in the making !!!! Happy times !!!

December 4th, 2014

Stephanie said:

Hopefully we’ll get more news on Zen Dog in the near future! :)

December 4th, 2014

Dianna said:

Well according to James Mottern it’s already a done deal !

December 4th, 2014

LaRose said:

So, what are these new photos? Is Ben going to be in another magazine perhaps?

December 4th, 2014

Kelisha Waters said:

By the gun is available now, to rent or buy on Itunes

December 5th, 2014

Kelisha Waters said:

itunes

December 5th, 2014

LaRose said:

Yeah, I’m buying it!!!!!!

December 5th, 2014

Stephanie said:

LaRose: Seems to be a new photoshoot for El Pais ICON magazine (Spain). :)

December 5th, 2014

stefhoule said:

I can,t see the movie in Canada……..i change my ITunes on ITunes USA..but……They do not accept my ID account, because i have ID Can.

December 7th, 2014