Actor, Ben Whishaw

How do you know, OP?

He's almost out (fully?) and has hinted at it on a few occasion. Very good actor but a bad choice for Bright Star.

It was talked about quite a bit here on DL when the first season of The Hour was airing.

Of course we talk about everyone being gay, but I think in this case it was pretty clear cut.

I don't care whether he's gay or not. All I care about is that he's beautiful especially as Sebastian in Brideshead Revisted.

Not when Matthew Goode is on the screen R4.

I haven't watched the super definitive mini series (remember clips of it as it was repeated ad infinitum and gave me an early taste of homosexuality), but that abridged version was nice enough.

My friend used to date him. He dumped him once he found a bit of fame. It was pretty tragic. He definitely didn't want to have a long-term relationship with a guy, feeling that being out could hurt his career.

Saw him nude in something a couple of years back. Tiny dick. I feel better for my friend now. lmao

Quote:

[quote]"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."

I'm laughing as I copy and paste.

Who?

What did your friend say about the sex, OP?

r9, I didn't ask. That's one gay feature I did not develop. I didn't find him attractive from the start (he's cute in the right lighting), so I wouldn't have even been interested if I was one to ask such a question to a friend. I just remember how despicable it was, why he dropped by friend. I hope he finds happiness someday, because he won't be able to maintain a relationship in Hollywood if he doesn't want to get caught. I guess he'll either come out once he gets REALLY successful, or he'll come out post-success in order to revive his career. I had no idea he's in the Bond films. The last film I saw him in was back a few years ago. I wasn't impressed.

I hear he has a lot of cats. Always a red flag.

I didn't even realise he was in, but considering he's a British actor (and the Brits don't give a shit about actors being gay) and not really a contender for 'romantic lead' roles, I have no fucking idea what he's worried about.

"I didn't even realise he was in, but considering he's a British actor (and the Brits don't give a shit about actors being gay) and not really a contender for 'romantic lead' roles"

He played a romantic lead in Bright Star.

Personally, I love him and think it's great that he doesn't use beards or put up a front. Wish more actors were like him.

Simon Amstell.

so according to the daily mail hes been in a civil partnership with the composer from bright star for a year.

guess that confirms it as much as the daily mail can confirm anything.

Look forward to Amstell ripping the piss out of Andrew Garfield. Beards are comedy gold.

[quote]ripping the piss

Oh, dear.

"To rip the piss is to point fun at someone, slag them off, take the mickey or generally have a laugh at the expense of someone else."

He's a brilliant actor. He was stunning in Richard II.

wheres that link for the daily mail R15?

.

Just google daily mail ben whishaw and it should be the first result [R20]

Going purely on that one picture of the two of them I think he could do better.

meh.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Yes. Love him.

OP, why did you put a comma after "actor"? It's very distracting to encounter errors like that, and they undermine your credibility.

Thanks for the link R23, Ben and Mark look cute and happy together.

I find Ben's comments about his private life to be enlightening and hopefully it'll help people (Cavill haters) understand that it's a choice to not want to talk about one's real private life.

In an interview to promote Skyfall last year, he answered questions about his private 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.’

R26 Bullshit. Anyway, now he's out. Congrats.

Ben Whishaw one of the favourites to be new Doctor Who >>>>>>>>>>

R27 reads my mind. How come straight celebrities never have this problems with talking about their personal lives, yet it's always ok and expected with gays? Double standards, that's what it is.

..

Ugh, what's with the Daily Fail's scare quotes around 'marry?'

That paper is trash.

R31, you just have to laugh at that sort of stuff. It's even funnier when you consider how many gay people write for that paper. They're just trolling. Constantly.

I think its to make distinction between civil partnership and marriage - not a horrible distinction even if it is done with malice.

Well since he chose this point in time to come out, I assume he's not the new Doctor.

What r29 said.

While I'm pleased that he's come out and I'm happy for him, I find it insulting when -- and they do this ONLY for gay stars -- when Hollywood PR flack say some bs about the actor wanting to have "a private life." It's bullshit and it's insulting.

And here's what the Mirror had to say

I don't think his quote from last year only applies to gay people. There are plenty of straight actors that I can't take seriously because I know too much about their personal life (Brad and Angelina for example). It's just that straight actors don't bother or don't care.

Then the problem is with you, r37.

I know practically everything about the lives of Natalie Wood and Montgomery Clift, but I can still watch Splendor in the Grass and From Here to Eternity and still totally accept and believe that they are a lovesick Kansas teenager and an embittered Army private respectively.

Hope his husband is into necrophilia. When I fucked him, he just laid there motionless. He ain't got no ass so he should at least wriggle a little.

How's he hung, r39?

It is a choice to not talk about your sexuality but after awhile, you start feeling like it's an insult. An insult to the fans and an insult to other gay people.

Ben Whishaw seems to be a boring time had by all.

LOL R39, I think it say more about YOU and your fucking abilities than about Ben. LOL!

He was a good addition to the Bond series, playing a young, tech-savvy Q. I look forward to him in future episodes.

More details, R39.

Are you as fat as his husband?

no I'm 5' 11" and 165 pounds. I'm hovering in the background here and there. I'm no one famous.

More details. Where did you meet him? Who picked up whom? How was his cock? Did he beg to be fucked?

I had a minor part in one of his projects (I choose not to elaborate so I can continue to get hired). We flirted a bit because there was tons of off-time. I have a big cock and he wanted it. The pants I wore left little to the imagination - I don't dress like that normally.

He sucked me hard and flipped on his belly. What was I supposed to do?

Mmm hmm. You're welcome.

How was his hole?

Was he a moaner?

Did he take it raw?

Did you come on his face?

He's very small framed and his hole was very tight. He just laid there (like I said at first). i didn't offer it raw, I always suit up. I came in the condom in his ass. He took it off of me, smiled and sucked me some more.

and that's it, we never repeated. Just a fling for the bored. It happens more than you'd think. Wait a minute, this is datalounge. Forget that last comment.

Did you taste his hole?

He is NOT gay, it's all a publicity stunt.

I had that strange feeling that he wasn't gay.

lmfao what he's definitely kinsey 6 gay

I wonder if Cavill is jealous, or does he just scream, "I'M SUPERMAN!" and then cry himself to sleep?

Lucky, R51. Was his foreskin tight and long? I'm assuming he's uncut...

Hes so skinny and ugly...who cares about him!

Uncut - nice cock. Not overly big. Tasty. Interesting how different he looks in person. Sometimes he looks like Cillian Murphy on film or photos. i've never seen Cillian Murphy in person.

Ben is amazingly attractive and has a real charisma and sense of balance. If you've seen Jennifer Aniston in person you'll understand. Some people like Whishaw and Aniston are stunningly beautiful in person but don't translate as well on film. go figure.

Jennifer Aniston...

I think you're reiterating my point - they fall into the category of nobody gaf.

Henry Cavill is far more interesting than Ben Whishaw just like Angelina Jolie is far more interesting than Jennifer Aniston. I would have dumped her ass in a second to be with Ange. Whishaw's husband should do the sa- oh wait, he too is ugly. And unfortunately not skinny but fat.

Zzzzzz

I honestly can't tell him and Hugh Dancy apart - they could be twins, especially with facial hair. They once played lovers in a play, and I can't help wondering if the audience found that really confusing.

Hugh Dancy is the hot one.

No matter how Shakespeare-talented he is, I don't appreciate Ben Wishaw much. Find him pompous to begin with. He alsmot ruined The Hour for me. Thank fuck for Dominic West and Romola Garai. And the Chaplin girl. And that woman, what was her name... The older one. Sex on legs.

And he cannot hide the gay, no matter how much he may or may not be tyring.

He dated Irish actor Kevin Trainor, who played "gay John" in "The Catherine Tate Show."

Here's a question. Would he have come out if The Hour hadn't been cancelled? I mean, he was part of the central heterosexual relationship on that show.

I don't think The Hour had that kind of hold over his career. It wouldn't even have been the bulk of his income.

That relationship wasn't believable from the get-go, R66.

R48 - so when was this? He's been with his current partner since 2009.

I think Ben made it more of a big deal than it needed to be by being so secretive about his private life. He could still have kept a large degree of privacy but been honest enough to say Yes I am gay + I'm now in a relationship. It just always struck me that he seemed to have a bit of an issue about being gay because I don't think it would have made that much difference to his career. And it just seemed like he was loath to even say he was gay publically.

I think the paper was going to run the story anyway and his rep had no choice but to confirm. Otherwise I think he might still have kept quiet about the whole thing.

It will be interesting to see how it affects his career but however the news has come out I hope him + his partner are happy

If he was that obsessive about remaining closeted, he wouldn't have given those quotes in the OUT interview.

I think he genuinely doesn't want to be a public figure.

I thought he came across a bit awkward in the Out interview to be honest - like he wanted to be honest + say he was gay but he didn't want to say it at the same time.

It seems like a lot of his fans already knew he was gay + knew about him being with Mark. To give him credit he never lied or pretended to be straight or had fake PR romances with women - he just made it clear he wouldn't discuss his personal life at all.Which kind of makes me wonder why it's been confirmed now.

I think he wanted to be known as an actor first and foremost rather than as a gay actor if that makes sense. I think it's the press that are like that so from now on he'll get 'openly gay actor' yet they never say 'openly straight actor'

Well R69/R71 (I'm assuming that you're the same person) thank you for killing this thread with your unwarranted analysis. I was rather enjoying it until then.

R63 you mean Anna Chancellor (or something along those lines) she is gorgeous and doing Private Lives atm. I would highly recommend it. Absolutely hilarious.

What, Duckface?

They should have made Ben the first Bond boy.

[quote] He dated Irish actor Kevin Trainor, who played "gay John" in "The Catherine Tate Show."

I guess that must have been the short stout young guy with light brown hair who was the first one to play the "gay John" part? He was not so hot. The replacement gay John, Colin "Merlin" Morgan, was way cuter.

R74 I second that.

I think he's a great actor + I agree with what R70 said, I don't think he really was closeted as such I think he's someone who likes his privacy + didn't want to go in for being a celebrity.

I hope they have a lot more of Q in the next Bond film + I'm looking forward to what Ben Whishaw does next, I've really liked everything I've seen him in so far.

Somebody please give him a sammich!

Colin Morgan is also rumored to be family and also a very nice guy.

His lithe frame is sexy - all the people who want to give him a sandwich need to stop eating so many themselves.

Hi Ben!

Boring, R81. If you do see Ben, though, let him know I'm interested.

Colin Morgan was a shit Ariel in The Tempest.

Merlin is a shit show that played to all his strengths. He's Laurence Olivier compared to Bradley James and Katie McGrath, though.

I saw Colin Morgan's Ariel. I thought it was good and I liked that interpretation of the character (bringing out the inhuman part of being a magical non-human creature giving him a spaciness that seems suited to an air spirit).

It's went over well with critics and audiences, as has the play.

Just put "ben whishaw boyfriend" into a search engine!

I can never understand why people bother to ask for links????

I think Kevin Trainor is cute. How long were they dating? Anyone know who Kevin is dating now?

Does anybody have gossips about Ben and Kevin Spacey? Did they have anything?

I don't think so. In 2004 Kevin Spacey interviewed Ben + Samantha Whittaker about doing Hamlet + Ben mentioned he'd auditioned for a part in one of KS's films.

I can believe KS made a pass at him - BW has always looked really young for his age/seems his type but I don't believe BW accepted unless DLers know otherwise???

I've read that Ben was his protégé and Kevin pushed him for the role of Hamlet in The Old Vic, where Spacey is an artistic director from 2003. Knowing reputation of Spacey some questions and suspicions arise.

r86

It's a case of "why do it yourself when you can have someone else do it for you".

Love his acting + I hope him + his husband are very happy.

He did seem very shy and awkward in his early interviews to the point where it was uncomfortable to watch. At least now he seems a bit more relaxed/happier.

OP - I'm guessing that as Ben has been with his current partner since 2009 and they got married in 2012 that he doesn't have that much of a problem being in a long term relationship with a guy. Maybe he just used his career as an excuse to dump your friend - a variation of 'it's not you it's me' 'I need some space' etc

Anyone know any more about him and kevin spacey? I remember reading and interview where Ben said he was shocked by what you had to do to become and actor (post drama school) and I guess he meant sleeping with strange old men...

[quote]OP - I'm guessing that as Ben has been with his current partner since 2009 and they got married in 2012 that he doesn't have that much of a problem being in a long term relationship with a guy.

Um, no, and this was almost ten years ago now.

Ben has sex with women pretty regularly.

Did he and Alan Rickman get along?

R96, are you on sabbatical from being the Luke MacFarlane Troll?

That doesn't surprise me, r96. There isn't a bi guy alive whom I couldn't get into the sack.

R99, what do you look like? He has a type ;)

Honey, my lovegame transcends "type."

Haha awesome. If you ever bag him you should report back.

So seemingly happily-married gay Ben Whishaw is now a bi on his way to straight woman shagger?

Only on DataLounge, kids!

Well, it doesn't look like there will be many actresses for apparent pussy hound Ben to bang in his new play. As I recall, his character does spend some of the play squeezing Colin Morgan's character's nuts, though. It's a good thing Rupert Grint's role isn't very demanding since I don't see him being able to keep up with the rest of these guys very far. I'll be interested to see the reviews.

Is Whishaw playing the Ben Whishaw role?

I meant is Whishaw playing the Aidan Gillen role? I've only seen the movie.

Ben is playing a crazy vicious bully, which, despite his dark look in the play press photo, I have a hard time imagining. It doesn't help that his main bullying target (Morgan) is the same height as him and more muscular.

Yes, he has the Aidan Gillen role. Has Ben played some similar roles before? I've only experienced him in interviews and playing nerds and sensitive wimpy guys.

When did Ron Weasley get the big gut?

What is going on with his clothes? You'd think his Harry Potter millions could buy him some clothes that look as stylish as what the other guys are wearing in that promotional pic.

Grint is eating away the pain from not having his pilot picked up during upfronts this year.

I wonder if Ben ever hooked up with Daniel Craig? That would be hot.

I watched Richard II (The Hollow Crown) last night on PBS. It was very well done and Ben was affecting. His voice kept jumping from high to low inexplicably.

Thanks for mentioning it, R112. I wish I'd seen it last night. But I'll watch it online.

The Englishmen are so hot these days. Ben Whishaw, Hugh Dancy, Matthew Goode, and my new favorite, Jamie Dornan.

I don't find him at all beautiful. And I believe that he wants to act and not be a celebrity and doesn't want to discuss his personal life (unlike some people who obviously relish being celebrities and remain in the closet).

All I really care about is that he's one hell of an actor. His Richard II in Hollow Crown is the kind of performance that should be talked about for generations and likely will.

[quote] my new favorite, Jamie Dornan.

He's Irish.

[quote]He's Irish.

Northern

[quote] Northern

Exposure?

Soul?

Ireland. Duh.

Oh, of course...

He might consider himself British, but no way could he consider himself English.

Thanks for the correction, R119. Would it be even more correct to use "UK"?

The Brits are so hot these days. Ben Whishaw, Hugh Dancy, Matthew Goode, and my new favorite, Jamie Dornan.

or

UK actors are so hot these days. Ben Whishaw, Hugh Dancy, Matthew Goode, and my new favorite, Jamie Dornan.

I caught some of [italic]Hollow Crown[/italic] last night and was struck by how tiny and waifish he is.

r120

Either are acceptable, though "British" implies an affiliation that some would balk at (e.g. Scots wishing for independence)

He may be small, R121, but I'll bet he's HUGE.

r123

Google that Brian Jones biopic.

Not huge, but looks like he's got more than a mouthful.

I'm guessing grower.

He gave a great performance as Richard.

Do you think he lost some weight specially for the scene in the tower prison? Lean looks good on him generally, but his body was painfully skinny half naked in that scene.

[quote] Ben is playing a crazy vicious bully, which, despite his dark look in the play press photo, I have a hard time imagining. It doesn't help that his main bullying target (Morgan) is the same height as him and more muscular.

Not a problem.

BW's character has been able to get away with more because he is the son of the boss, and he is an unpredictable and violent person. CM's character is not the violent type. BW's character doesn't have to be bigger to successfully bully.

In the play Baby has a fixation on the idea that Skinny Luke loves him and wants to fuck him. It fits the play for Skinny to be played by an attractive fit looking guy. Aiden Gillen, Baby in the movie, played Skinny in the original stage production.

I've heard a while ago that Ben is really into fisting, both as a top and as a bottom. Does anyone have any more info on this subject? Do tell!

Is he more of a top or bottom? Or not fussy either way?

Btm.

Way too skinny.

He has absolutely beautiful teeth. Did he wear braces?

"Way too skinny."

Perfectly fine in my opinion.

He was sexy unclothed in Cloud Atlas. He was still lean but looked like he made an effort to put on some pounds. And he managed the astounding feat of turning things pretty hot in a scene where he was making a pass at *Jim Broadbent*.

I think the leanness is just natural, not a matter of diet. He's said before that he hasn't been able to bulk up significantly even when directors have asked him too, and having looked at his fraternal twin and his mother I'm not surprised. Same really lean, long limbed, long necked, rangy body type but even more exaggerated on his twin and mother.

Those who missed the Cloud Atlas bedroom scene can check it out at the link.

Who is the blond guy r135?

James D'arcy.

oh my! Mr. D'Arcy!!!! yeah!!!

[quote] I wonder if Ben ever hooked up with Daniel Craig? That would be hot.

That would definitely be hot. I don't know, but there's been plenty of opportunity long before Ben got married. They've acted in a number of movies together starting back when Ben was a teenager.

I guess if Ben dated Kevin Trainor and married the guy that he did then he particularly likes blond guys with round faces?

I guess if Ben dated Kevin Trainor? when? when they were in school?

I don't know the details, r140. A poster on this thread claimed Ben and Kevin dated. A poster on a previous thread claimed they'd dated too after initially avoiding actually naming Kevin. If one of those guys would like to add some information on it that would be welcome.

It would be a pretty weird thing to make up considering that most people don't have a clue who Kevin Trainor is. Also Kevin looks quite a bit like Ben's husband.

Ben was brilliant as Richard II. He really made the language very clear and easy to understand and feel. The BAFTA award was well deserved.

did he do Richard II on stage or film/tv?

He did it on TV. It was part of a series called The Hollow Crown which included four movie length, high quality productions of sequential historical Shakespeare plays. Ben played Richard II in the first TV movie, then Tom Hiddleston played Harry in Henry IV and Henry V. It's a BBC series that was recently shown on PBS in North America.

Richard II was excellent, and Ben did really earn his BAFTA. If you live in the USA you can watch the whole thing on the PBS website if you're interested.

thanks r144!

I don't think he's hooked up with Daniel Craig

He said this in an interview in 2009 Is it coincidence that you’ve appeared in three films with Daniel Craig or are you friends? You made The Trench, your very first film, then Layer Cake and Enduring Love… Oh God, I was so young. I don’t know Daniel Craig at all. It’s purely coincidence. I don’t think he would even remember me. We barely exchanged a conversation, particularly on the first film. I think I was about 17 and really, really timid, really shy. I don’t think I spoke to him. I was too frightened… And by the time you got to Enduring Love? A little bit, maybe. [laughs]

I know he said he was friends w/James D'Arcy his co-star in Cloud Atlas (who was also in The Trench). And they would make a really hot couple

The surviving members of Queen are hoping Ben will take the role of Freddie Mercury in the biopic that Sacha Baron Cohen departed from.

I'm having a hard time picturing Ben as Freddie. I don't know. They're both talented and bold on stage but retiring and shy types off stage. And Ben is the same height Freddie was according to online figures. Freddie had such a unique, distinctive look and voice, though, that I kind don't want to see anyone trying to play him. I'm glad Sacha Baron Cohen is out of the project.

Roger Taylor should have kept his trap closed, really. Now Ben Whishaw is going to have to deal with nosiness and pressure around his decision, and if they have to go with someone else everyone will know that actor wasn't their first choice to replace Sacha.

He's have to wear fake teeth to give him that Mercury buck-teethed look.

They'd risk making him look ridiculous and distracting if they put too much stuff on his face to try to make him resemble Freddie more. I'm sure they would try out things like fake teeth, but I wonder if they would really end up using them.

I don't think colour contact lenses would be much of an option to turn his eyes from green to dark brown. From what I've heard actors who try to make their eyes much darker like that can barely see with the contacts in. They even gave up on turning Daniel Radcliffe's eyes from blue to green for Harry Potter because the colour contact were causing him too much trouble.

R147 I love Ben's acting but yeah, I have a hard time picturing him embodying the confident extrovert performer that Freddie was + I think they have to show that side of Freddie in the film to do him justice. (I guess they could use original footage of Freddie but that might be a bit jarring).

Plus Ben is a lot skinnier than Freddie + more pale-skinned. I actually think SBC looked more like Freddie.

I wish Roger Taylor had kept his mouth shut too. Because to me, it didn't sound like Ben Whishaw was confirmed to play Freddie by any means.

Maybe Freddie had darker skin when he was living in Zanzibar and India, I don't know, but he was as pale as snow during his career. Ben has lighter eyes, but he doesn't have lighter skin.

Both Ben and SBC are too skinny, and SBC is far too tall. SBC is 6 foot 3. FM was 5 foot 9 the same as BW. I can't think of a british actor who really fits Freddie.

Even if whatever actor ends up playing Freddie manages to be as bold as Freddie on stage I don't see how he could be anything but a weaker imitation. And what will the story of the movie be? Freddie was a great artist and performer but his actual life off stage doesn't seem very cinematic to me. If they are trying to hire a green eyed actor does that mean they are planning to skip Zanzibar and India totally?

I'm skeptical about the project and I'm hoping more than a bit that Ben will turn them down.

HBC did a good job as Liz Taylor recently, and she was no dead ringer. Have a little imagination.

"I actually think SBC looked more like Freddie."

I agree, but SBC doesn't look much like Freddie either.

SBC has played everything so far as an over the top caricature. Freddie was a showman but he wasn't a walking caricature. I'm not confident he'd be up to the acting job or would do service to the subject.

Also SBC's gay character Bruno is a negative stereotype and he made cheap gay jokes when I saw him being asked seriously about this project.

Change of subject, but Ben's husband is pretty cute in a "grown up cherub" kind of way. He's the blond guy sitting next to Ben and conducting the music in this movie clip.

For wardrobe and environment that has to put them around the top place among gay celebrity couples for title of "most absurdly romantic first meeting".

Oh my goodness. I hate bright star so much. It was just dire. Most of the people in that clip have justin bieber influenced hair T_T

The music the Human Orchestra "sings" is the third movement in Mozart's Gran Partita serenade in B flat(#10).

Saw him in mojo last night and boyyyy am I gonna need to reassess my opinion of him. He's nowhere near as skinny as I thought he was, just lean really. Also: extremely impressive ass. He wears the same trousers as colin morgan and his lack of shape just emphasises ben's. It's verrrryyy nice to watch.

Anyone else seen it? It was actually very funny and I'd give it a go if you're in/around london.

I've seen his ass before. I can only think whatever impressed you is padding of some sort.

R158 here. After a quick google search I'm going to have to agree with you. Those images are not showing the almost spherical posterior of yesterday...ah well, it was nice while it lasted.

yes saw Mojo also

Ben is great and he sings as well as goes shirtless!

I can totally see him as Freddy Mercury!

Rupert Grint on the other hand is charming, but inaudible and a little overweight

He's put on a decent amount of muscle. Do you think it's for the Freddie?

Personally I don't want him to do it. He's too tiny (even with the added muscle) and fey.

He's a wonderful actor. I'd like to see what he does with it.

[quote] I've seen his ass before. I can only think whatever impressed you is padding of some sort.

He's been putting on weight. Some of it probably went to his ass. There's no reason for him to pad his ass for the part in Mojo, and it would be weird for him to just suddenly start doing that.

He wont't be Freddie. Lead roles don't go to openly gay actors.

The surviving Queen members have publicly stated that they want Ben for the part and that they believe everything is now in place (actor, director and finished script) to go forward. They have control of the music, so they have control of the movie. And the whole band including Freddie always knew what they wanted on their projects and were insistent on that. They can fill up the surrounding roles with heterosexuals to offset Ben.

It's a british director apparently. They said the whole production was shaping up to be quite english which they felt was important in terms of capturing Freddie's sense of humour (which did seem quite english despite the whole Zanzibar/India origin). They haven't decided yet if Ben should do actual singing, said they'd have to spend some time in the studio with him seeing what he could do.

Ben is the right height (Freddie just seemed taller because of his presence). He has the kind of talent and experience the demanding role calls for. I think it's more important to have someone who can do a decent job capturing the essence of Freddie than to have someone who looks identical to him. And he's not so famous that it'll be distracting or someone who falls back on lazy tricks like Sacha Baron Cohen's caricaturing or Johnny Depp's "kooky" copying of pop culture figues.

Good post at r166! I always felt the Queen members wanted to do this right, and not, like the anti-prude hysterics insisted, to de-gay Freddie.

What are those idiots saying now? They drive SBC away and take Ben Whishaw all in an attempt to de-gay Freddie, don't they? Right.

It depends on what they want to do. If they want to make Freddie seem human and take away the whole larger than life aspect of him then yeah, I can see Ben whishaw doing it.

Personally I would prefer it if they kept him as the legendary figure he is.

Also, I'm pretty sure that it was padding now. There doesn't seem to be Amy fat covering his new muscles and that bottom looked so so round and soft.

Taylor and May have said it couldn't work with SBC because they didn't want the movie to be "a joke". Taylor said SBC didn't see the possibility for a moving story. That's quite something considering it's a tale of a talented boy from the third world who teaches himself to sing, achieves global domination in music, comes to terms with his sexuality against his cultural and religious traditions, and dies young of a terrible disease. SBC has never really demonstrated empathy, though. He was probably looking at it as "Bruno Part 2: Bruno Sings!".

People freaked out about possible de-gaying when the initial rumours came out that SBC wanted a gritty R-rated movie, while Queen wanted a more PG type movie that focused more on the band. I never thought that meant de-gaying, which would be ludicrous to attempt with Freddie. I suspect Queen want to put the focus more on Freddie as a musician and his career rather than getting really detailed and explicit about his promiscuous years. That's an understandable thing for friends of a dead talented, professionally accomplished guy to want, and realistically it's likely what Freddie himself would prefer.

I think it's good for movies about great dead artists to spend a lot of time on what makes that artist great and worth making a movie about. The PG-13 movie Ray showed that Ray Charles was a drug addict who fucked around with women all the time. It didn't need a load of really explicit material and an R-rating to put across those things convincingly, and it did a good job of showing him as an artist.

The nice thing about Ben being younger than SBC is that now the movie will cover Freddie's whole life according to Queen drummer Roger Taylor, whereas because of SBC's age the screenwriter had previously said he was restricting himself to the time around Live Aid.

I saw Mojo too + thought he was really good in it. He's still very slim but has definitely got a bit more of muscular definition.

Also has a good voice. I think he could do a good job as Freddie Mercury but a lot depends on the script. I think it's a difficult one to get right - you have to do justice to Freddie as the larger-than-life performer and still get a sense of the man behind that.

It wouldn't be a good idea to have him do his own singing, beyond a few bars maybe.

Just rewatched him in Layer Cake yesterday. The role was small, but he was perfect in it.

Ben will play Freddy Mercury in a biopic

Is he officially out?

Just considering my options.

R173 ugh. So disappointed. I love queen but can't seen Ben Whishaw doing anything other than tortured waif. I hope they're not going for that angle on this thing.

R174 yeah. Out. Out and married. Didn't even give anyone else a chance.

Ben can be funny and can play a tough person. Just because he's been cast as a lot of tortured waifs and done a good job at them doesn't mean that's all he can do.

As a talented actor, I'm sure he'd like to take advantage of an opportunity to break away from past roles and do something fresh.

He probably will have at least somewhat less meat and muscle on his bones than Freddie, though, which won't be easy to hide considering how Freddie dressed on stage.

There hasn't been any proof that he can do more than them. Funny maybe, but only as shy, socially awkward characters.

Well that's great for him but I'd rather not risk an fm biopic on it. I've always been slightly suspicious of the 'great actor' tag he gets given. He plays a lot of tortured geniuses and I feel that he's only good at them because he is one.

I know. I don't think he'll be able to get Freddie's charisma down either. Paired with his rather less impressive physical form that is likely to leave us with a slightly pathetic frontman.

He's not gay, he's bisexual!!!!!

You didn't see his TV Shakespeare turn?

Yes I did. I've got it on DVD. He's brilliant at Shakespeare but Richard II isn't exactly Freddie mercury.

[quote] There hasn't been any proof that he can do more than them.

His Cloud Atlas character may have come to a sticky end, but he wasn't tortured waif. He was tough and determined, and Ben put on some weight for the role.

[quote] Funny maybe, but only as shy, socially awkward characters.

Freddie Mercury by all accounts was naturally a pretty shy person off stage despite the stage persona.

R178 bisexual? really?

Of course I knew he was gay. I have eyes, don't I?

According to his biography on IMDB, he has been married to Mark Bradshaw since 2012.

"Actor, Ben Whishaw is gay. You knew that right?"

Which actor are you addressing, OP?

R178

that wasn't me before but apparently he was with haley atwell for a while

Bump.

Aaaand his career has gone from hot to ice-cold since he came out.

This thread is a perfect snapshot of the timeline.

Not a peep about him for almost three months.

r188, maybe he's busy working? He's never been one to hog the spotlight, anyway. A Kardashian, he's not.

He's been working plenty, R188, you fucking moron.

He married so young. Can it last?

He'll be in the next Bond, so he's got that coming up...

R191 Doubt it. Not so much because of his age (he was in his 30s by then?) More because of the difference between his level of success and his husband's. There's got to be some jealously there...

Have to agree with R188. There seemed to be quite a bit of interest post skyfall but it hasn't really come to anything. He's just in weird, small roles. Working more than he previously did but on much lower quality stuff IMO. Maybe needs to do more to make up for a pay drop? Sadly, I can't see any big US film companies wanting to take a risk on him now that he's out. Ah well, at least he's got bond again soon.

He won't be the next Bond. Cavill, who is malleable, is better suited to that especially if the Superman movie with Baflleck does well. He will be a Bond more in line with Roger Moore and will likely have chemistry with Ben Whishaw's character in the same manner that Moore used to with Moneypenny.

obviously he won't be the next bond...I never said that he would.

point still stands though, his career has stalled since he came out.

he might be able to get some 'big' gay roles, but I can't see him getting anywhere near cumberbatch or even hiddleston levels of success now (even though he is infinitely more talent than the latter)

He's had work since he came out + he's got other stuff lined up. I think he's a good actor but I don't think he wanted to be a big Hollywood star - I must admit I still don't understand why he accepted the Freddie Mercury role I think it has 'car crash' written all over it, I just can't see them getting a script that does Freddie justice.

I suppose so. It's just impossible to tell if he didn't WANT to capitalise on the bond buzz or if he isn't ABLE to because he came out.

Thats what I thought before...but bond + cloud atlas (shit but they clearly hoped it was going to be huge) + now this freddie thing. He also did a US tv pilot...it doesn't really look like he's trying to stay out of the spotlight.

I completely agree with the 'car crash' statement. I think he accepted it because has really terrible taste. With the exception of bond (which was never going to fail), everything he's been in has flopped, even if it looked good on paper. Apparently he was supposed to be in Kill Your Darlings but it took too long to find funding so everyone got recast. Huge shame as I think he would've been excellent in it.

R191 - just read that he's doing some performance thing at my uni with his husband and a group of Aussie musicians. So still going strong I guess!

From what I have seen of Ben Whishaw in interviews and things I doubt making it big in Hollywood would be what he wants, he seems to be very shy and values his privacy.

one of the reasons I am a big fan is because he never seemed to really want fame but actually does just love acting.

in the UK his sexuality won't make a difference in the roles he gets.

"With the exception of bond (which was never going to fail), everything he's been in has flopped, even if it looked good on paper."

Most of his movies were not intended to be big blockbusters. Something Bright Star wasn't going to be the next Titanic.

Obviously not but it didn't do as well as an artsy indie film with Jane campion as a director, and an actor of his calibre in a leading role should have.

Has he given up girls for good then?

Whishaw works rather consistently on the London stage so these statements about his career failing since he came out are rather comical.

He only started doing theatre again this year...which actually does point to his career 'failing'. The last time he did it was in 09. So no, not 'consistent'. Check your facts dearest R204

People here don't want an out actor to succeed so they desperately spin that he is "failing"

I guess he's a poor actor seeing he can't afford a haircut.

In that case I hope he stays poor. That hair is exquisite.

R206 nobody said his career was failing until R204. We just said nothing much had happened since he'd come out.

IMO, his stuff has always done badly. I heard him called an actors actor once which is pretty accurate. People in the industry seem to love him but the public just don't.

"People in the industry seem to love him but the public just don't."

Yeah, because stuff like Cloud Atlas failed SOLELY because of him *rolls eyes*

Let's blame Whishaw and not the "big stars" like Tom Hanks and Halle Berry!

R209 nobody said it failed solely because of him. It failed because it was shit. If it had just been his + james d'arcy's scenes it would have been enjoyable. He isn't a crap actor, he just has really really really shit taste when it comes to picking projects. Did anyone see the tempest he was in? Dire.

Ben's new film Lilting https://vimeo.com/97918218

Apparently he is now being the voice of paddington bear? I think its perfect tbh...

It is, R212. He is amazingly beautiful.

Wasn't he previously with Andrew Scott and Hayley Atwell?

Happy Birthday to lovely Ben Whishaw ❤️️

If you haven't seen Lilting, watch it You won't regret it ♡

Ben Whishaw: 'I feel I'm always in the dark' – interview

'I'm not damaged': Ben Whishaw on sexuality, privacy and playing troubled heroes

<3 ed him in London Spy

Pick your Ben.

Luv. Huh.

I liked him in Queers as the WWI closet case. I loved how he used the old idioms that were popular back then. He was charming and cute in that one.