Los Angeles: Veteran actor Ben Kingsley has revealed he based his controversial character of Mandarin from "Iron Man 3" on people he met during his time at Royal Shakespeare Company, London. Kingsley made his foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the 2013 film, led by Robert Downey Jr.

He played a British actor called Trevor Slattery whom antagonist Killian (Guy Pearce) hires to portray the Mandarin, leader of an international terrorist organisation the Ten Rings. "I did base him on some of the actors I rubbed shoulders with in the Royal Shakespeare Company... "It is his finest hour. It is his greatest performance. I think, in all humility, I must say that Trevor is quite a splendid actor," the Oscar-winning actor told GQ magazine.