Kingsley Ben-Adir

YOU may not be aware – for example if you’ve been living under a rock – but there is a new Barbie film out today (Friday).

Stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling have been at the forefront of an astonishing non-stop promotional campaign, but look out too for Kingsley Ben-Adir – once a pupil at William Ellis Secondary School and now regularly cast in some of the world’s biggest films.

He plays one of several Kens in the film directed by Greta Gerwig which presents Barbie on a journey of self-discovery. “Ken” was the male doll manufactured by Mattel to be a perfect boyfriend for Barbie.

Mr Ben-Adir, 37, was once on the front page of the New Journal as a child when his pet tarantula escaped from his family home in Kentish Town.

He told Variety magazine: “From the first page [of the script], I was like, ‘Wow, this is really, really funny!’ I just heard such great things about Ryan and Margot.

“Then me and Greta went out for some whisky. We spoke for two or three hours. There was a really strong sense from early on like she was trying to do something a little bit different.”

He has previously credited school drama lessons at William Ellis for helping him to nurture his talent.