Ben Kingsley: Patriarchs interest me

Sir Ben Kingsley has always been drawn to portraying patriarchs.

The 71-year-old actor has embodied a variety of big characters over the years, from Gandhi in Sir Richard Attenborough's 1982 classic to Dr. Cawley in Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island.

His latest role on the big screen is Robin Smythe in Robot Overlords, which sees him protecting youngsters, much like his Ender's Game alter ego Mazer Rackham. But this is no coincidence.

"I think I've always been drawn towards playing patriarchs that are either dysfunctional, or supremely powerful and beautiful. Because as a child I lacked any kind of father figure - he was there in the house - but I don't know what 'Dad' means," he explained to Total Film magazine. "I'm a dad now, thank God, and I do, but I didn't. There's a vacuum, and I found I'm at my most empowered, funnily enough, when I'm playing patriarchs."

Ben has worked with Martin on several occasions, including on 2011’s Hugo. Ben describes his character Georges Méliès, godfather to Chloë Grace Moretz's Isabelle, as a "wounded patriarch".

It wasn't just the role which attracted the actor though.

"Well, it's Martin Scorsese, who's the great lover of cinema. He's restored so many beautiful films," Ben gushed. "Marty went, 'You've got it [the role].' It was, 'Please don't remind me how beautiful life was. It hurts too much.'"

Another aspect Hugo and Ender's Game have in common is Ben’s co-star Asa Butterfield, with the young actor taking on the title role in the former.