Trivia

Beat out Leonardo DiCaprio and Orlando Bloom for the role of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006).

At age 32, he is the youngest actor to portray Q in a James Bond film.

Has a twin brother, James.

Replaced Colin Firth as the voice of the title character in Paddington (2014). Whishaw was originally reluctant to take on the role and passed on it the first time around. He came on board when the film's director sent him a sincere letter in which he eagerly encouraged him to reconsider his choice.

Entered into a civil partnership with his partner Mark Bradshaw in August 2012. They met on the set of Bright Star (2009).

His paternal grandfather, John Vladimir Stellmacher, was of German and Russian descent, and spied for the British during World War II, later taking the surname "Whishaw". His paternal grandmother, Olga Adele Bernard, was French. Ben's mother is of English background.

Met his husband, Australian composer Mark Bradshaw on the set while making Bright Star (2009), in 2008, and was civilly married in August 2012.

Graduated from Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

Favourite film is Vertigo (1958).

Good friends with his Brideshead Revisited (2008) co-star Matthew Goode.

Favorite actor is James Stewart.

Grew up in Bedfordshire, and attended the Bancroft Players Youth Theatre at the Hitchin's Queen Mother Theatre.

Played Hamlet to rave reviews at the Old Vic, London. (May 2004)

Enjoys reading, painting and gardening in his spare time.

Favorite James Bond films are Dr. No (1962) and From Russia with Love (1963).

Enjoys music, dance, visual arts and traveling.

Appearing in "His Dark Materials" at the Royal National Theatre, directed by Nicholas Hytner. (December 2003)

Took in a couple of stray cats living in his neighborhood.

Performing John Logan's "Peter & Alice" with Judi Dench at Noel Coward Theatre, London. Starring as Peter Llewellyn Davies. (May 2013)

Has played several characters who were writers, including a character inspired by Arthur Rimbaud in I'm Not There (2007), John Keats in Bright Star (2009), and Herman Melville in In the Heart of the Sea (2015); and fictional author Robert Frobisher in Cloud Atlas (2012).

Starring off-Broadway as "Oliver" in "The Pride", by Alexi Kaye Campbell, directed by Joe Mantello. With Hugh Dancy, Adam James, Andrea Riseborough. (February 2010)

Father is a computer engineer and mother is a sales person.

Confirmed to be one of the actors performing in 'His Dark Materials' at the Royal National Theatre. (August 2004)

Despite being the voice of Paddington Bear, whose favorite food is a marmalade sandwich, he does not like marmalade in real life.

At 23 he was one of the youngest Hamlets in an Old Vic production.

His grandmother was an actress.

Invited to join the Actors Branch of AMPAS in 2018.