British Actors You Should Know: Ben Whishaw
As any Anglophile rightly knows, the world of British entertainment is full of “hey, it’s that guy!” performers, talented, seemingly omnipresent actors who pop up in every sort of production but never seem to earn the widespread acclaim they so obviously deserve. Ben Whishaw is a perfect example of this trend —- a performer who has starred opposite Daniel Craig in the James Bond franchise and crafted one of the definitive performances of Shakespeare’s Richard II. And yet, I suspect a not insignificant number of viewers of both wouldn’t be able to tell you his name.
An actor’s actor, Whishaw is best known for the sheer variety of his roles, which range from classic period dramas to modern-day thrillers. (And, of course, the whole James Bond thing.) Here are just a few of his best roles, listed in chronological order to prevent me from playing favorites.
Perfume: The Story of A Murderer
In an incredibly dark, disturbing film, Perfume: The Story of a Murder tells the story of olfactory genius Jean-Baptiste Grenouille and his quest for the perfect scent, which involves killing people to find it. Whishaw plays Grenouille and is very creepy, but the fact that you generally want to run away from him screaming is a testament to how good his performance here is. Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman also star.
