Ben Whishaw, AKA the voice of Paddington and Q in James Bond, recently spilled some tea about the early days of his career—and let’s just say it’s a good reminder that even the most charming of Brits have their own “coming out” struggles. In a refreshingly candid chat with The Sunday Times Style, Whishaw revealed that being openly gay in Hollywood back in the day wasn’t exactly a choice—it was more of a “risk.” He summed it up perfectly: “There were very few gay actors who were out when I started, so being out didn’t seem like a sustainable position to be in.” Translation: he was worried that his career would be over before it even began. Oof, relatable.
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But now? Well, things are (thankfully) a little different. “Now it kind of is sustainable,” he said. “But it opens up so many questions I have for myself. Because, again, part of me still thinks that it is nobody’s business.” So, yeah, Ben’s in that awkward “Do I tell you everything or keep it mysterious?” phase that we all go through at some point. And honestly, who can blame him? If the public wanted to know every little detail about my love life, I’d probably be like, “You know what? It’s nobody’s business.” And that’s the vibe we’re getting from him—and it’s pure gold.
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Whishaw, 44, finally came out publicly in 2014, but his private life wasn’t exactly a public spectacle before then. He did, however, get pretty cozy with composer Mark Bradshaw in 2012, after meeting on the set of Bright Star. Ah, love on set—classic. The two even entered a civil partnership, but after calling it quits in 2022, Ben’s back on the market (sort of). Rumor has it he’s been seeing Fleabag actor Kadiff Kirwan, with whom he starred in the BBC drama This Is Going to Hurt—and while the couple’s relationship has been kept low-key (as it should be), they were spotted together at Margate Pride, and Kirwan called Ben his “other half” on a podcast. Cue the collective sigh of relief. This might be the low-drama romance we didn’t know we needed.
But let’s talk about the real tea: Ben Whishaw is over the idea of playing perfect, cookie-cutter characters. He’s drawn to roles that are “ambiguous, morally dubious, ambivalent. Messy.” Yes, Ben, yes. We want messy characters too. There’s something so refreshing about a character who isn’t a perfect hero or villain but just a person living in their own beautifully complicated world. And let’s be real—if there’s one thing queer people know, it’s how to be messy in the best possible way. Life’s complicated, and Ben’s embracing it.
As much as he’s become a symbol for queer actors navigating Hollywood, Whishaw’s reflections also remind us of the huge strides the industry has made—and how much further we’ve still got to go. Being openly gay in Hollywood today might be more “sustainable,” but it’s still not the norm—and we’re here for actors like Whishaw who continue to push boundaries, be authentic, and, well, get messy. Because, as Ben says: “Part of me still thinks it is nobody’s business”—but as long as he’s giving us a peek, we’re here for the ride.
Source: The Times
I saw him play Hamlet at the Old Vic. It was a brilliant production and he gave a magnificent performance. I’ve seen this play many times, but he is the best Hamlet that I’ve ever seen onstage!