Ben Whishaw | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Whishaw in 2025 | |
| Born | Benjamin John Whishaw (1980-10-14)14 October 1980 (age 45)[1] Clifton, Bedfordshire, England |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Partner | Mark Bradshaw (2012–2022) |
| Awards | Full list |
Benjamin John Whishaw (born 14 October 1980) is an English actor. He has receivedvarious accolades, including threeBritish Academy Television Awards, twoEmmy Awards and aGolden Globe.
Beginning his career in the 2000s, he playedthe title role in a 2004 production of the playHamlet. This was followed by television roles inNathan Barley (2005),Criminal Justice (2008) andThe Hour (2011–12); and film roles inPerfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006),I'm Not There (2007),Brideshead Revisited (2008) andBright Star (2009).
In 2012, Whishaw playedthe title role in aBBC Two adaptation ofRichard II, for which he won theBritish Academy Television Award for Best Actor. The same year, he appeared asQ in theJames Bond filmSkyfall (2012), going on to reprise the role inSpectre (2015) andNo Time to Die (2021). He has voicedPaddington Bear in several projects sincePaddington (2014). His other film roles in the 2010s includeCloud Atlas (2012),The Lobster (2015),Suffragette (2015),The Danish Girl (2015) andMary Poppins Returns (2018).
Whishaw had a leading role inLondon Spy (2015), and for his portrayal ofNorman Scott in the miniseriesA Very English Scandal (2018) he won aBAFTA, aGolden Globe Award and aPrimetime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 2020, he had a leading role in thefourth season of the black comedy dramaFargo. He has since starred in theBBC medical drama seriesThis Is Going to Hurt (2022), the short filmGood Boy (2023) and theNetflix spy thriller seriesBlack Doves (2024).
Whishaw was born on 14 October 1980, inClifton, Bedfordshire, and was brought up there and in neighbouringLangford. He is the son of Linda (née Hope), who works in cosmetics, and Jose Whishaw, who works in sports with young people.[2] He has afraternal twin brother, James.
His mother is of English ancestry and his father is of French, German and Russian descent.[3] His father's German line had the surname of Stellmacher. (This is a traditional German occupational name for a wheelwright.)[3][4]
Whishaw's paternal grandfather was born Jean Vladimir Stellmacher inIstanbul in 1922, to a Russian mother and German father, who was stationed there. The couple moved toKassel, Germany, where Stellmacher grew up and was educated.[5] Despairing about serving in the army ofHitler and through a connection of his tutor, Jean Stellmacher met with a contact at the British embassy and was recruited to serve as a British spy while serving in the German army. He spoke seven languages. Jean Stellmacher changed his name to John Victor Whishaw during World War II after joining the British in Cairo. He entered England in 1947 after being discharged. He married Olga, a woman he had met in France, and together they made new lives in the UK. Their children included Whishaw's father and a daughter Ingrid. They did not know about their father's wartime adventures until shortly before John's death in 1994, when their mother Olga told them. (She survived to 2015, dying at the age of 90.) Ingrid took back the surname of Stellmacher. Whishaw (and his father) kept the adopted name his grandfather chose.[4]
Whishaw was a member of the Bancroft Players Youth Theatre, atHitchin'sQueen Mother Theatre. He attendedHenlow Middle School, followed bySamuel Whitbread Community College inClifton. He graduated from theRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2003.[6]
Whishaw was involved in many productions withBig Spirit Youth Theatre, includingIf This Is a Man (also performed asThe Drowned & The Saved), a piece devised by the company based onthe book of the same name byPrimo Levi, an Italian chemist, writer and survivor as a young man ofAuschwitz concentration camp.[7] It was adapted as a physical theatre piece by the group and taken to the 1995Edinburgh Festival, where it garnered five-star reviews and great critical acclaim.[8]
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As the lead inTrevor Nunn's 2004 production ofHamlet at theOld Vic, Whishaw received highly favourable reviews, was nominated for theOlivier Award for Best Actor and received third prize at theIan Charleson Awards. The role was shared withAl Weaver in an unusual arrangement. Whishaw played all nights except for Mondays and matinées. Nunn is reported to have made this arrangement due to the youth of the two actors playing the lead, to relieve some of the pressure on each.
His film and television credits includeLayer Cake andChris Morris's 2005 sitcomNathan Barley, in which he played a character called Pingu. He was named "Most Promising Newcomer" at the 2001British Independent Film Awards forMy Brother Tom. In 2005 he was nominated as best actor in four award programs for his portrayal of Hamlet. He also playedKeith Richards in theBrian Jones biopicStoned. In the spring of 2005, Whishaw received much attention for his role as a drug dealer in the world premiere ofPhilip Ridley's controversial stage playMercury Fur.[9]
In the filmPerfume (2006), Whishaw playedJean-Baptiste Grenouille, a perfume maker whose craft turns deadly. The film was released in Germany in September 2006 and in the United States in December 2006. In the same year, Whishaw worked onPaweł Pawlikowski's abandonedThe Restraint of Beasts.[10]
Whishaw appeared as one of theBob Dylan reincarnations in the filmI'm Not There in 2007, in theBBC's seriesCriminal Justice in 2008, in a new film adaptation ofBrideshead Revisited, and in a stage adaptation ofThe Idiot at the National Theatre called...some trace of her.[11]
At the end of 2009, he starred inCock, a new play byMike Bartlett at theRoyal Court Theatre, about a gay man who falls in love with a woman.[12][13] In 2009 he also starred as the poetJohn Keats in the filmBright Star. In February 2010, Whishaw made a successful off-Broadway debut atMCC Theater in the American premiere of the awarding-winning playThe Pride byAlexi Kaye Campbell. He played Ariel inJulie Taymor's2010 film adaptation ofThe Tempest, and was featured inThe Hour (2011), aBBC Two drama series.[14]
In 2012, Whishaw appeared asRichard II in the television filmRichard II, a part of the BBC Two seriesThe Hollow Crown. He received theBritish Academy Television Award for Leading Actor.[15] Also in 2012, he appeared as part of the ensemble cast of the science-fiction drama filmCloud Atlas, adapted from the novel of the same name byDavid Mitchell.
Whishaw appeared in the 23rdJames Bond film,Skyfall, in the role ofQ.[16] He portrayed a younger Q than portrayed in previous films;Peter Burton andDesmond Llewelyn both received the role when they were in their forties, while Llewelyn andJohn Cleese played the role into their eighties and sixties, respectively. In addition, he was teamed a fourth time withDaniel Craig after they starred in the filmsThe Trench,Enduring Love, andLayer Cake.
In spring 2013, Whishaw starred on stage alongsideJudi Dench in the world premiere ofPeter and Alice, a new play byJohn Logan, inspired by the lives ofAlice Liddell andPeter Llewelyn Davies.[17][18] From October 2013 to February 2014, Whishaw appeared on stage in the revival ofJez Butterworth's playMojo, also starringRupert Grint,Brendan Coyle,Daniel Mays andColin Morgan.[19] He was nominated for aWhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor for both roles.[20] In the summer of 2015 he appeared asDionysos inEuripides' tragedyBakkhai at theAlmeida Theatre in London.[21]
In 2014, Whishaw starred in the independent filmLilting, as well as voicingPaddington Bear in the filmPaddington.[22] In 2015, Whishaw co-starred inThe Lobster, a romantic science fiction drama from Greek directorYorgos Lanthimos; appeared inSuffragette, a story of the early feminist movement written byAbi Morgan and also starringCarey Mulligan,Helena Bonham Carter,Meryl Streep and hisThe Hour co-star,Romola Garai;[23] reprised his role of Q inSpectre, the 24thBond film; and played authorHerman Melville inRon Howard'sIn the Heart of the Sea.[24][25]
In 2017, Whishaw reprised his role as Paddington Bear inPaddington 2. In 2018, he portrayedNorman Scott in theBBC One miniseriesA Very English Scandal, oppositeHugh Grant as parliamentarianJeremy Thorpe, and also starred as Michael Banks inMary Poppins Returns. In 2020, Whishaw had a lead role in thefourth season of the critically acclaimedFX black comedy crime dramaFargo, portraying Patrick "Rabbi" Milligan, alongsideChris Rock,Jason Schwartzman,Jessie Buckley andJack Huston.
Whishaw reprised his role of Q inNo Time to Die (2021), the 25thJames Bond film.[26] As of 2022, Whishaw stars in the BBC and AMC medical dramaThis Is Going to Hurt, an adaptation of comedianAdam Kay'smemoir recalling his time in 2006 as a juniorNHS doctor. Whishaw is also credited as an executive producer.[27] Whishaw appeared inSarah Polley'sWomen Talking, the film adaptation ofMiriam Toews'novel of the same name, for which he was nominated for several acting awards for his performance.[28] In 2023, he appeared inPassages, for which he received a nomination forBest Supporting Performance at the39th Film Independent Spirit Awards.[29]
He portrayed Russian writer and ultranationalistEduard Limonov in the biopicLimonov: The Ballad (2024), directed byKirill Serebrennikov;[30][31][32] filming commenced in Moscow in 2021 but was halted by theRussian invasion of Ukraine.[33] In late 2024, he starred withKeira Knightley in the Netflix spy thrillerBlack Doves,[34] and headlined theWest End revival ofWaiting for Godot at theTheatre Royal Haymarket alongsideLucian Msamati.[35][36]
In 2025, Whishaw was nominated for theOlivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance inBluets.[37]
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For several years, Whishaw refused to answer questions about his personal life, saying: "For me, it's important to keep a level of anonymity. As an actor, your job is to persuade people that you're someone else. So if you're constantly telling people about yourself, I think you're shooting yourself in the foot."[38] In 2011, he toldOut magazine: "As an actor you have total rights to privacy and mystery, whatever your sexuality, whatever you do. I don't see why that has to be something you discuss openly because you do something in the public eye. I have no understanding of why we turn actors into celebrities."[39]
In August 2012, Whishaw entered into acivil partnership with Australian composerMark Bradshaw, whom he had met in 2009.[40] In 2014, he publicly discussed hiscoming out, saying that it was a tense experience for him but "everyone was surprisingly lovely".[41] He split from Bradshaw in 2022.[42]
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | The Trench | Pte. James Deamis | |
| The Escort | Jay | ||
| 2001 | Baby | Little Joe | Short film |
| My Brother Tom | Tom | ||
| 2002 | Spiritual Rampage | Short film | |
| 2003 | Ready When You Are Mr. McGill | Bruno | |
| The Booze Cruise | Daniel | ||
| 2004 | 77 Beds | Ishmael | Short film |
| Enduring Love | Spud | ||
| Layer Cake | Sidney | ||
| 2005 | Stoned | Keith Richards | |
| 2006 | Perfume: The Story of a Murderer | Jean-Baptiste Grenouille | |
| 2007 | I'm Not There | Arthur | |
| 2008 | Brideshead Revisited | Sebastian Flyte | |
| 2009 | The International | Rene Antall | |
| Bright Star | John Keats | ||
| Love Hate | Tom | Short film | |
| 2010 | The Tempest | Ariel | |
| 2011 | The Prodigies | Gil Yepes | Irish and UK dub |
| 2012 | Skyfall | Q | |
| Cloud Atlas | Cabin Boy / Robert Frobisher / Store Clerk / Georgette / Tribesman | ||
| 2013 | Beat | Unknown | Short film[43] |
| The Zero Theorem | Doctor 3 | ||
| Teenage | British Boy (voice) | Documentary[44] | |
| Days and Nights | Eric | [45][46] | |
| 2014 | Lilting | Richard | [45] |
| Paddington | Paddington Bear | Voice and Facial Motion Capture | |
| 2015 | The Muse | Edward Dunstan | Short film[47] |
| The Lobster | Limping Man | ||
| Unity | Narrator (voice) | Documentary[48] | |
| Suffragette | Sonny | ||
| The Danish Girl | Henrik | ||
| Spectre | Q | ||
| In the Heart of the Sea | Herman Melville[24] | ||
| 2016 | A Hologram for the King | Dave | |
| 2017 | Paddington 2 | Paddington Bear | Voice[49] |
| Family Happiness | Short film | ||
| 2018 | National Theatre Live: Julius Caesar | Brutus | |
| Palo Santo | Palo Santo Hologram | Short film | |
| Mary Poppins Returns | Michael Banks | ||
| 2019 | Little Joe | Chris | |
| The Personal History of David Copperfield | Uriah Heep | ||
| 2020 | Surge | Joseph | |
| 2021 | No Time to Die | Q | |
| 2022 | Women Talking | August Epp | |
| 2023 | Bad Behaviour | Elon Bello | |
| Passages | Martin | ||
| Good Boy | Danny | Short film[50] | |
| 2024 | Limonov: The Ballad | Eduard Limonov | [31][30] |
| Paddington in Peru | Paddington Bear | Voice | |
| 2025 | Peter Hujar's Day | Peter Hujar |
| † | Denotes series that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Black Cab | Ryan | Episode: "Work" |
| Other People's Children | Sully | 4 episodes | |
| 2005 | Nathan Barley | Pingu | 6 episodes |
| 2008 | Criminal Justice | Ben Coulter | 5 episodes |
| 2011–2012 | The Hour | Freddie Lyon | 12 episodes |
| 2012 | Richard II | Richard II of England | Television film |
| 2014 | Playhouse Presents | Ezra | Episode: "Foxtrot" |
| 2015 | London Spy | Danny | 5 episodes |
| 2017 | Queers | Perce | Episode: "The Man on the Platform" |
| 2018 | A Very English Scandal | Norman Scott | 3 episodes |
| 2019–2025 | The Adventures of Paddington | Paddington Bear | Voice[51] |
| 2020 | Fargo | Rabbi Milligan | 7 episodes[52] |
| 2022 | This Is Going to Hurt | Adam Kay | 7 episodes[53] |
| Platinum Party at the Palace | Paddington Bear | Queen Elizabeth II sketch[54] | |
| 2024–present | Black Doves | Sam | Main role[55] |
| Year | Title | Role | Theatre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | His Dark Materials | Brother Jasper | Royal National Theatre | |
| 2004 | Hamlet | Hamlet | Old Vic | |
| 2005 | Mercury Fur | Elliot | Paines Plough at theMenier Chocolate Factory | |
| 2006 | The Seagull | Konstantin | Royal National Theatre | |
| 2007 | Leaves of Glass | Steven | Soho Theatre | |
| 2008 | ...some trace of her | Prince Myshkin | Royal National Theatre | |
| 2009 | Cock | John | Royal Court Theatre | |
| 2010 | The Pride | Oliver | Lucille Lortel Theatre | |
| 2013 | Peter and Alice | Peter Llewelyn Davies | Noël Coward Theatre | |
| Mojo | Baby | Harold Pinter Theatre | ||
| 2015 | Bakkhai | Dionysus | Almeida Theatre | |
| 2016 | The Crucible | John Proctor | Walter Kerr Theatre | |
| 2017 | Against | Luke | Almeida Theatre | |
| 2018 | Julius Caesar | Brutus | Bridge Theatre | |
| 2019 | Norma Jeane Baker of Troy | Marilyn Monroe | The Shed | |
| 2024 | Bluets | A | Royal Court Theatre | |
| Waiting for Godot | Vladimir | Theatre Royal Haymarket |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Arthur (Radio 4, six-part series of plays about Arthur, set in 5th-century Britain) | Arthur |
| 2006 | Look Back in Anger (Radio 4) | Jimmy Porter |
| Radio 3Wilfred Owen Season | Wilfred Owen's War Poems, read by Whishaw | |
| 2011 | Cock (Radio 3) | John |
Music Videos
Real - Years and Years (2014).
| Acting roles | ||||
| Preceded by Frank MacCusker | Uriah Heep actor fromDavid Copperfield 2019 | Most recent | ||
| Preceded by | Michael Banks actor fromMary Poppins Returns 2018 | |||
| Preceded by | Paddington Bear actor 2014–present | Incumbent | ||
| Preceded by | Q actor 2012–present | |||
| Preceded by | Richard IIactor 2012 | Most recent | ||
| Preceded by Katrina Gourley | Ariel actor fromThe Tempest 2010 | Succeeded by | ||
| Preceded by | Sebastian Flyte actor fromBrideshead Revisited 2008 | Most recent | ||
| New title | Daniel actor fromThe Booze Cruise 2003 | Succeeded by | ||
