D Monday, January 18, 2010 metrolife 19 :60second interview Ben Barnes Ben Barnes, 28, got his big break as the title character in 2008s The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian. He reprises the role in forthcoming film Voyage Of The Dawn Treader. He also features in Easy Virtue, Stardust and as the hedonistic lead in Dorian Gray, out now on DVD Interview by Andrew Williams It bothers I was called Britains drippiest leading actor. The art of critical film appreciation has gone down the toilet There are several sex scenes in Dorian Gray. Was it easy to ravish everyone all day long? We condensed it into three separate mornings so it didnt take up much time. I asked the director, Oliver Parker, why every sex scene involved a mask, whip, knife, handcuffs or a feather boa, why there was no non- kink sex in the world of Dorian Gray. He just looked at his shoes. I assume it was plucked from his own bedroom but youd have to ask him. What was snogging Ben Chaplin like? Stubbly. Hed snogged a man in a play before. He said: You might be nervous now but when you see it on film youll be proud of it, its something to overcome. It didnt register any differently to seeing myself kissing anyone else on screen. Youre in virtually every scene in Dorian Gray was it hard work? Yes. The main challenge was the ageing halfway through, where he goes from 21 to 46 in ten seconds. It was like playing two different characters. Ive played the young naive innocent before, so playing the darker side was more enjoyable. Theres a lot in the film about your appearance. How vain are you? Not very, I still see myself as the skinny, pale, youngest boy in the class but Im working on it. Im working on the skinny, pasty body. Id never see the inside of a gym if I didnt need to go for a role but Im enjoying it now. Have you finished the new Narnia film? Yes, a few weeks ago. It was great. The characters more grown-up and, because Ive had more film-making experience myself, I was able to bark orders at the sailors in the film with conviction. Theres more joy and fun in this one. Its a better story than Prince Caspian, which took itself a bit too seriously. Prince Caspian won you a fan base of teenage girls. Whats that like? Im not consciously trying to do small film to be noticed or smash other films to pieces in the most cruel way you can think of. But if you dont believe the really good things people say and dont believe the really bad things, it all balances out. You make the film for the people who want to go to see it, not for people who are going to write about you. Whats been your most extravagant purchase? I collect original 1980s film posters, which is a bit of an extravagance. It took me ages to find one for Back To The Future, there are loads of Back To The Future II. If you were a kangaroo what would you keep in your pouch? We shot Voyage Of The Dawn Treader in Australia, where we met loads of kangaroos. The joeys dont look very comfortable. Their legs and arms stick out of the pouch and you cant see their heads. Id keep my iPod in there. Im listening to loads of 1970s and 1980s punk stuff at the moment. anything to change it. I just go for the best stories I can find and do the things Id watch myself. Its great to have people supporting me. It gives me the opportunity to do other stuff. It might draw an audience who are fans of the bigger films to things they might not otherwise watch. So youre not looking for a vampire project to keep in with the fans? No, although Ive been offered a few. I never have any clue whats going to be next. I dont know what I want to do until I read a script, which is one of my favourite parts of the job. Im doing a comedy called Killing Bono now, in which I make a complete t** of myself. Its time I made an ass of myself on screen. One reviewer called you drippy. Does that bother you or do you take it in your stride? No, it bothers me. The art of critical film appreciation has really gone down the toilet. You either have to champion a Picture:GettyImages features@metroherald.ie Body Matters Switched-on tech toys that hit the spot Naughty noughties: Sex-related products generate huge profits, so its no wonder the industry is keen to keep moving with the times. Here we look at some of the best inventions of the past decade BY VICKI-MARIE COSSAR The G-Shot Procedure When adult website LoveHoney.co.uk surveyed 1,500 people about their sexual pleasure, 67 per cent admitted they were yet to have a G spot orgasm. Help is at hand with the G-Shot Procedure, a method of amplifying or augmenting the G spot with collagen. Dr Lamia Eltohamy, of The Knightsbridge Laser Clinic, says the FDA- approved collagen is a natural, biological substance injected in a simple, painless and non- surgical procedure. She claims 87 per cent of women report enhanced sexual arousal after the treatment. www.knightsbridge laserclinic.ellipseipl.co.uk Porn for the blind or deaf The Internet may be littered with porn sites but for the visually impaired they are useless. Not any more: pornfortheblind.org offers links to mp3 sound clips where good Samaritans watch clips and record what they see. For the deaf, film company Deaf Bunny Productions uses sign language, subtitles and thought bubbles to communicate. Its the creative work of Dino Capone, who says: The dialogue represents all the emotions, facial expressions and sexual gratification that the playmates are experiencing. www.pornfortheblind.org www.deafbunny.com Earth Angel vibrator It was only natural theyd get around to inventing the worlds first green sex toy. The 8in Earth Angel vibrator is charged by turning a small flip handle in the base (it can also be charged using a 5v USB connection). Developer Christopher OConnor of Caden Enterprises says there has been an amazing response to the toy, with about 1,200 sold worldwide. We are not sure of the main impetus is putting something extra into our love lives or saving the planet, but it certainly puts a whole new spin on the term going green. www.theearthangel.ie Wow Willy They say bigger is better, so men must be praising the Wow Willy (pictured left). Originally designed in Spain, this penis enlarger was brought to Britain last year by Michael Udo, of the Harley Fit Clinic. It is based on the plastic surgery principle of traction. Udo says: Put traction on something so it stretches and the body adapts to the stretch. He claims six months of treatment can lengthen the penis by anything from 4cm to 6cm and widen it by up to 1.5cm. www.wowwilly.com The Tenga Flip Hole When women discovered the Rabbit, men must have felt envious there wasnt a male sex aid as effective for them. Now they are discovering a whole host of masturbation toys. The Tenga (pictured left), a Japanese invention, is a reusable, waterproof, sexy toy for men. Sex toy buyer Neal Slateford says: Demand is higher than ever for male masturbators and advances in design, materials and technology mean the Tenga has wave-like sensations and three button pressure controllers. Just fill with lubricant and away you go. www.tenga.co.uk Robot sex doll Roxxxy is the worlds first sex robot. Creator Douglas Hines wanted to create a robot with artificial intelligence and personality. However, the concept changed to capitalise on the adult entertainment industry and the outcome was an interacting, life-like sex robot. Roxxxy comes with customised features, flesh-like synthetic skin and five personalities. She can talk, listen, carry on a conversation and feel your touch. She can even have an orgasm when you touch her, says Hines. At nearly 5,000, shed want to. www. 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