Ben Whishaw

After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Whishaw went on to appear alongside Daniel Craig in Enduring Love and Layer Cake. In 2003, he also starred in the popular comedy-drama "The Booze Cruise" for ITV.

He made his West End debut at the National Theatre in their stage adaptation of Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" and starred as Hamlet in Trevor Nunn's electric 'youth' version of the play at the Old Vic, for which he received an Olivier nomination (2005).

Whishaw appeared in Brideshead Revisited, which was released to critical acclaim in September 2008. He starred as Sebastian Flyte, a young, troubled aristocrat. The project was directed by Julian Jarrold and produced by Robert Bernstein. In 2008 he also starred in the hugely popular BBC drama "Criminal Justice" which saw him pick up the award for Best Actor at the 2009 Royal Television Society Awards, Best Actor at the International Emmy Awards 2009, and a nomination for Best Actor at the 2009 BAFTA Television Awards. In 2008 he also played the lead in "The Idiot" at the National Theatre.

In 2009 he starred as poet John Keats in Bright Star. The film focused on Keats' relationship with Fanny Brawne, played by Abbie Cornish. He then played the lead at The Royal Court Theatre in Mike Bartlett's play "Cock", a story that takes a candid look at one man's sexuality. He then played Ariel opposite Helen Mirren and Russell Brand in "The Tempest".

Whishaw went on to star as Freddie Lyon in "The Hour" for the BBC opposite Dominic West and Romola Garai. This was followed by the lead role alongside James Purefoy and Patrick Stewart in the BBCs adaptation of Shakespeare's "Richard II" which was released in summer 2012 and earned him a TV BAFTA. He replaced John Cleese as Q in Skyfall, a role he reprised in SPECTRE.

In 2013 he starred in Cloud Atlas alongside an all-star cast including Tom Hanks, Jim Sturgess and Halle Berry. He also appeared on stage starring opposite Judi Dench in "Peter And Alice", which received rave reviews.

In 2014, he played the dark and tragic character of Baby in Jez Butterworth's "Mojo" in the West End and was the lead in the sensationally moving independent film Lilting.

In 2015, he was seen on film alongside Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz in the sci-fi thriller The Lobster, which played in competition at the Cannes film festival and In The Heart Of The Sea, about the whale attack that inspired Herman Melville's Moby Dick. He also starred alongside Carrey Mulligan, Meryl Steep, and Helena Bonham Carter in the film Suffragette and featured in The Danish Girl. On television, Whishaw played the lead in the BBC thriller "London Spy". In 2015, Whishaw also starred in "Bakkhai" at the Almeida.

Sony Pictures Entertainment