Ben Kingsley's trajectory

Who knew there was a straight line between a sociopathic gangster recruiting thugs for a final score and one of the world's most famous symbols of pacifism?

Sir Ben Kingsley did, and he was kind enough to connect the dots for Gold Rush today. In the process, he gave us a peek into the real value and weight of an Oscar win. None of that "it's all about the work" stuff. Make no mistake, the prizes are pretty great too.

"I never would've played 'Sexy Beast' if I hadn't been Gandhi," Kingsley said. "It's a paradox, really. Doors opened that would otherwise never have opened for me."

What followed that 1982 win for best actor, aside from "Sexy Beast," which also snagged him an Oscar nomination, has been two more Oscar nods and a long line of distinguished roles in the likes of "Schindler's List," "Death and the Maiden," "House of Sand and Fog" and "Bugsy." Oh yeah, and a lot of on-screen action with gorgeous young co-stars like Tea Leoni and Penelope Cruz.

Kingsley, a seasoned stage actor before he hopped to movies and TV, is on an Oscar campaign for this year's Lakeshore Entertainment/Samuel Goldwyn Films drama "Elegy," based on a Philip Roth novel and co-starring Cruz, Patricia Clarkson and Gold Rush Q&A victim Dennis Hopper.

Kingsley plays a tomcatting college professor and writer with a serious case of Peter Pan syndrome. But don't expect him to be sympatico with those Judd Apatow-style man-boy heroes.

"I think the man-boy is pretty irritating. That terror of intimacy cannot be sustained," he said. "Sooner or later, you have to surrender to it. Vulnerability can be a beautiful thing."

That was one of the main selling points for "Elegy," he said, because his character figures that out in the course of falling for and losing a stunning young lover, played by past Oscar nominee Cruz.

Kingsley -- who's done eight movies in a row and has no plans to slow down -- talks to us about flawed characters, his penchant for playing the wacked-out bad guy, and how "Prince of Persia" will be more than just another video game-based action-adventure.

Gold Rush: What drew you to "Elegy?"

Ben Kingsley: I was very touched by the thread of male vulnerability that runs through the piece. And when I learned that Penelope Cruz would be the weapon the gods would send to drive out that terror of intimacy from this guy, well, it seemed perfect.

GR: But he's not a Bad Guy in the traditional sense. You love those, right?

BK: If you understand the motives. I've never played Richard III, and when I see how he behaves, I'm not interested. When I get a glimpse of why he's so monstrous and driven, then I'm intrigued. I'm the baddie in "Prince of Persia," and his motivation is so deep-rooted and so poisonous. I love to find the wound.

GR: Speaking of "Prince of Persia" -- not exactly a character drama.

BK: It's a blockbuster, certainly, from Jerry Bruckheimer. It's an action-adventure drama, but it's so character driven. It's a flawlessly written, plot-driven script and (director) Mike Newell added great depth of character. And I also just finished "Shutter Island" with Martin Scorsese, and that's the best of both worlds, as well.

GR: Seen anything you like lately?

BK: "I Loved You So Long," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." Have you seen "Slumdog Millionaire"? I'm very much looking forward to seeing that. I think independent film, despite the very difficult economic situation, is very healthy and brave.

The indefatigable Kingsley is busy producing his own films -- a mix of comedies, histories, literary and war flicks -- in which he'll likely star. For a quicker fix, catch "Elegy" on DVD sometime next month.