Ben Whishaw opens up about being gay in early career: “It wasn’t a sustainable position”

British actor Ben Whishaw has reflected on the challenges of being openly gay in the entertainment industry, revealing that early in his career, it felt like a risk that could jeopardise his future.

In a candid interview with The Sunday Times Style, the Paddington and James Bond star said, “There were very few gay actors who were out when I started, and so being out didn’t seem like a sustainable position to be in.” He added, “Now it kind of is sustainable, but it opens up so many questions I have for myself. Because, again, part of me still thinks that it is nobody’s business.”

Whishaw, 44, came out publicly in 2014, though he had long kept his personal life private. He entered into a civil partnership with Australian composer Mark Bradshaw in 2012, after meeting on the set of Jane Campion’s Bright Star, in which Whishaw played poet John Keats and Bradshaw composed the score.

Part of me still thinks that it is nobody’s business.

The actor has spoken previously about struggling with his sexuality in his twenties, admitting he “hated” himself and feared being pigeonholed. “I did not feel very good about myself,” he said. “It was to do with my sexuality and not knowing how to be myself.” 

Following his split from Bradshaw in 2022, Whishaw has reportedly been in a relationship with Fleabag actor Kadiff Kirwan. The pair met while filming This Is Going To Hurt and have kept their relationship largely private, though they were seen together at Margate Pride and Kirwan referred to Whishaw as his “other half” on a podcast appearance. 

Whishaw’s reflections come amid broader conversations about LGBTQ+ representation in film and television. He has expressed a desire for more complex portrayals of queer characters, saying he’s drawn to roles that are “ambiguous, morally dubious, ambivalent. Messy.”