From Peaky Blinders to The OA: 7 Facts About High Fidelity Actor Kingsley Ben-Adir Including His Origin

Britsh actor Kingsley Ben-Adir is best known for his performance as a private detective Karim Washington in the Netflix series The OA. Ben-Adir has worked in both film and stage productions.

His notable theatre work includes The Riots and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Besides, Ben-Adir featured in Agatha Christie’s Marple and Midsomer Murders and Vera.

Currently, he has a recurring role in web television series High Fidelity alongside  Zoë Kravitz, Jake Lacy, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and David H. Holmes. Let's look at some interesting facts of the actor.

7. How Old is Kingsley Ben-Adir?

Born on 1986, Kingsley Ben-Adir is 34 years old as of now. He is cited to be 5 feet and 7 inches tall (1.73m). 

The 34 years actor was born and raised in Gospel Oak, London, England. He attended William Ellis School in Gospel Oak and is an incredibly private person with no social media accounts as of now.

6. He Caught Acting Bug From Friends 

Ben-Adir started taking an interest in acting after meeting people who were studying in drama school. While going to the pub, Kingsley's friends would incessantly rave about the training in the school. 

The 34 years old actor felt it best to explore it himself and shortly joined a drama school. Had he not taken up acting courses, Kingsley would have been a instructor in martial arts classes. He wanted to be a 'karate teacher' since he was ten years old because he was 'obsessed with The Karate Kid.'

5. Kingsley is of English Descent 

The 34 years old actor is of English and Morrocan descent. Kingsley was born to an English mother and a Moroccan father. While he did grow up in London, he might have traveled to Morocco several times in order to visit his paternal family. 

English people of Moroccan descent are cited for making up the largest part of the overall Moroccan British population. Along with Kingsley, some well-known celebrities of Morrocan heritage are Amelle Berrabah, Adam Deacon, and Yassine El maachi.

4. He Received Training From Guildhall School

The 34 years old actor was under the tutelage of prestigious conservatoire and drama school, Guildhall School of Music and Drama. After completing high school, he had taken an interest in acting and did not waste any time to perfect his skills. 

Ben-Adir graduated from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in 2011, joining the notable alumni list of the school, including Michelle Dockery. 

3. Kingsley Played as The Colonel in Peaky Blinders

Kingsley Ben-Adir portrayed Colonel Ben Younger in the British period crime drama television series Peaky Blinders. The show introduces Ben-Adir as the head of army intelligence officers who has recently arrived in Birmingham. 

While he had a recurring role in season four, his character gets promoted to series regular in the subsequent season. The fifth episode, The Shock, of the fifth series was the last time Kingsley was seen as Colonel Ben Younger. As a matter of fact, The Witch actress Anya Taylor-Joy also joined the cast of the show in its fifth season.

2. Watched French Noir Before Starring in The OA

The 34 years old actor appeared as Karim Washington in the second season of the mystery drama web television series The OA. 

Karim is shown to be a private investigator in San Francisco who is on a mission to search for a missing teen. To prepare for the role of a private detective, Kingsley watched 1946 film noir The Big Sleep along with some French noirs sent to him by Zal Batmanglij, creator of the show.

1. Recurring Guest Star of High Fidelity 

Ben-Adir nabbed the role of Russell "Mac" McCormack in romantic comedy web television series High Fidelity shortly after the completion of The OA. 

The series, which moved from Disney+ to Hulu, is told from a female point of view with Zoë Kravitz starring as Rob, a record store owner. Russel is quite charming and intelligent, who seems to have an immediate spark with Rob. Kingsley is introduced as the ex of Rob, which forms an apparent love triangle. As of now, High Fidelity has completed the first season.