Kingsley Ben-Adir On Portraying Bob Marley and Getting Mistaken for Ben Kingsley (Exclusive)

At the 2024 Academy Awards, Kingsley Ben-Adir, the star of Bob Marley: One Love, shared insights into his transformative journey embodying the iconic musician on screen.

Speaking with ET's Nischelle Turner and Kevin Frazier, Ben-Adir delved into the challenges and joys of bringing Bob Marley's essence to life.

The actor, known for his roles in acclaimed productions like The OA and Peaky Blinders, revealed that he immersed himself in Marley's music and persona to authentically capture the essence of the reggae legend. "That was my aim," Ben-Adir affirmed when Turner praised his portrayal of Marley in the film.

Reflecting on the depth of understanding he sought to convey through his performance, Ben-Adir expressed, "The amount that I understood Bob when I first started listening to him was the amount that I thought people should understand when they first hear me, you know, and so it was finding the balance though you know."

Juggling his commitment to One Love with filming for the movie Barbie, where he stars alongside Ryan Gosling, Ben-Adir admitted to blending his roles at times.

When pressed about the possibility of joining Gosling on stage for a performance of 'I'm Just Ken,' a song from the Barbie movie, Ben-Adir coyly evaded giving a direct answer. "I don't know anything about it, I just came," he quipped, keeping the mystery alive.

Ben-Adir also shared a humorous anecdote about frequently being mistaken for Sir Ben Kingsley, revealing, "When I go to hotels, yeah, there's always like a note and a card and a bottle of champagne and when it says sir I was like I'm gonna keep this. It's a lot of drivers." Despite the confusion, Ben-Adir seems to take it all in stride, finding amusement in the mix-up and enjoying the perks that come with it.

The 2024 Academy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, airs live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 10, at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET on ABC. Follow along at ETonline.com for full Oscars coverage, including red carpet arrivals, the complete winners list and more.