Ben Whishaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ben Whishaw
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Whishaw in 2025
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Benjamin John Whishaw
14 October 1980 Clifton, Bedfordshire, England
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| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Partner(s) | Mark Bradshaw (2012–2022) |
Benjamin John Whishaw (born 14 October 1980) is a talented English actor. He has won many important awards, including three British Academy Television Awards, two Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe.
Ben Whishaw started his acting career in the early 2000s. He became well-known for playing the main character in a play called Hamlet in 2004. After that, he appeared in TV shows like Nathan Barley (2005) and The Hour (2011–2012). He also starred in films such as Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006) and Bright Star (2009).
In 2012, Whishaw played King Richard II in a BBC Two TV show. For this role, he won a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor. In the same year, he joined the James Bond movies as Q in Skyfall (2012). He played Q again in Spectre (2015) and No Time to Die (2021). Many people also know his voice as Paddington Bear in the Paddington movies since 2014.
Whishaw also had a main role in the TV series London Spy (2015). For his role as Norman Scott in A Very English Scandal (2018), he won a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, and an Emmy Award. In 2020, he was in the fourth season of the TV show Fargo. More recently, he starred in the medical drama This Is Going to Hurt (2022) and the Netflix spy thriller Black Doves (2024).
Early Life and Education
Ben Whishaw was born on 14 October 1980, in Clifton, Bedfordshire, England. He grew up there and in a nearby town called Langford. His mother, Linda, worked with cosmetics, and his father, Jose, worked in sports with young people. Ben has a twin brother named James.
His family background is quite interesting. His mother is English, and his father has French, German, and Russian roots. Ben's paternal grandfather, Jean Vladimir Stellmacher, was born in Istanbul in 1922. He later became a British spy during World War II and changed his name to John Victor Whishaw. This secret was kept from the family until shortly before John's death in 1994. Ben and his father kept the name Whishaw.
When he was younger, Whishaw was part of the Bancroft Players Youth Theatre in Hitchin. He went to Henlow Middle School and then Samuel Whitbread Community College. He later studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and finished his studies in 2003.
Acting Career Highlights
Ben Whishaw was very active in youth theatre. He performed in many plays, including one based on a book by Primo Levi, a survivor of a concentration camp. This play was performed at the 1995 Edinburgh Festival and received excellent reviews.
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In 2004, Whishaw played the lead role in Hamlet at the Old Vic theatre. His performance was highly praised, and he was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actor.
He also appeared in films like Layer Cake and the TV show Nathan Barley in 2005. He was recognized as a "Most Promising Newcomer" for his role in My Brother Tom in 2001. In the film Perfume (2006), Whishaw played a perfume maker.
In 2007, Whishaw was in the film I'm Not There, where he played one of the different versions of Bob Dylan. He also starred in the BBC series Criminal Justice in 2008. In 2009, he played the famous poet John Keats in the movie Bright Star.
A big moment in his career was when he played Q in the 2012 James Bond film Skyfall. He was a younger Q than previous actors who played the role. He continued to play Q in Spectre (2015) and No Time to Die (2021).
In 2014, Whishaw became the voice of Paddington Bear in the popular film Paddington. He returned to voice Paddington in Paddington 2 (2017) and Paddington in Peru (2024).
His other notable films include The Lobster (2015), Suffragette (2015), and Mary Poppins Returns (2018), where he played Michael Banks. In 2022, he starred in the BBC medical drama This Is Going to Hurt, based on a doctor's real-life experiences.
More recently, in 2022, Whishaw was in the film Women Talking, which earned him several acting nominations. In 2023, he appeared in Passages. In 2024, he starred with Keira Knightley in the Netflix spy thriller Black Doves. He was also nominated for an Olivier Award in 2025 for his performance in the play Bluets.
Personal Life
Ben Whishaw prefers to keep his personal life private. He believes that actors should maintain some mystery so they can better convince audiences they are different characters.
In 2012, he entered into a civil partnership with Australian composer Mark Bradshaw. They met in 2009. They separated in 2022.
Images for kids
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Whishaw in 2018
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See also
In Spanish: Ben Whishaw para niños
