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Out Brit Actor Ben Daniels to Co-Star with Laura Linney in Dangerous Liaisons

by
Michael Jensen

 

Ben Daniels probably isn't a name that rings familiar to most American audiences, but the Olivier Award winning actor is a pretty big deal in his native U.K. He's also a big deal (or should be) to us 'mos as he's been a successful out actor for ages. Playbill just announced that us Yanks will soon have the chance to see Daniel's in person when he takes on the role of Valmont opposite Laura Linney in The Roundabout Theater's revival of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Glenn Close and John Malkovich fans might be most familiar with the play thanks to the fantastic Stephen Frear's 1988 film adaptation.

 

I first remember seeing Daniel's in one of my favorite gay movies Beautiful Thing where he played Tony, the love interest to gay boy Jamie's mom. It's silly of me, but Daniel's was so convincing in the role of a totally cool and accepting slacker that when I first heard he was gay, I kept having a hard time believing it.

American audiences most recently had the chance to see Daniel's in BBC America's thriller The State Within where he played gay. The production opens May 1st and I'm definitely looking forward to catching Mr. Daniels! (Oh, and catching Laura Linney will be fantastic, too.)

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    • Submitted by
    Michael Jensen
    on Wed, 2007-11-28 15:27.
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    Janet's picture

    Ben Daniels...

    Submitted by
    Janet (2369 points) (461 posts)
    on Wed, 2007-11-28 19:52.

    ...is an amazing actor. When you see him interviewed, you realize what a great actor he is because he is *nothing* like the characters he has portrayed. Plus, his was one of the hottest gay kisses on network tv. This could be worth a trip to jolly olde London.

     

     

    If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.

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    afhickman's picture

    Put it there, pard!

    Submitted by
    afhickman (3208 points) (656 posts)
    on Thu, 2007-11-29 08:01.

    afhickman

    "It takes a village (to make Village People)"

    I didn't pay much attention to Mr. Daniels when I first saw "Beautiful Thing," but I stood at attention when I saw him play a French soldier in love with a leopard in "Passion in the Desert," set in late-18th c. Egypt.  No, it's not a Mel Gibson film.  And before you get the wrong idea, the leopard was a female.  The film is based on a Balzac story (say THAT one aloud), and it co-stars film legend Michel Piccoli.

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    WW's picture

    The Roundabout revival

    Submitted by
    WW (580 points) (128 posts)
    on Thu, 2007-11-29 10:21.
    For the record, the Roundabout Theater is in New York City; this revival of ''Les Liaisons Dangerouses'' will be on Broadway on 42nd St. No trip to ''jollyolde London''  needed.  
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    Janet's picture

    New York indeed!

    Submitted by
    Janet (2369 points) (461 posts)
    on Thu, 2007-11-29 13:41.

    I looked up that theatre after I had posted and realized it was in New York. It costs me as much to get a plane ticket to New York as it does to London since I'm in BC, Canada. Ah well, New York it is. I've been waiting for an excuse to go there!

     

     

    If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.

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