Happy September First!
I thought it only fitting that my first official discussion post should be about my current obsession: Ben Whishaw. For those who haven’t heard of him, Ben Whishaw is an English actor, who has done everything from theater to films, Shakespeare to James Bond; you may best know him as Q from Bond's latest film Skyfall. I only recently discovered Mr. Whishaw’s phenomenal work within the last year, but throughout that time I have been binging on all of his projects. To me, Ben Whishaw is one of the most underrated and unappreciated actors of this generation.
I first came across Ben when I watched the 2007 film, I'm Not There. In this film, six actors portray a character that represents an aspect of Bob Dylan's life. Ben played the role of Arthur, a sort of narrator throughout the film. Very English and Beatles’ like, Arthur is an interviewee who's dialogue is intertwined throughout the movie to connect the different stories. Unaware of who Ben was at the time, I found myself constantly thinking, "Who is this guy," every time he came on screen. I was imminently intrigued by his performance. His body language, the way I completely believed in his character, the look in his eyes; everything about his performance captured me. I found myself watching the movie only in anticipation for his next appearance.
A few months later, I encountered my second Ben Whishaw journey. Scrolling through Netflix, I came across the BBC miniseries Criminal Justice. I stared at the picture trying to place the face on the cover. Ah, that guy from I’m Not There! Remembering that I loved his performance in that movie, I pressed play. What a stroke of luck that was. Ben’s performance blew me away, and I knew right then and there that he was going to become an obsession of mine. Playing the character of Ben Coulter, Whishaw travels through the emotional journey of an accused rapist murderer. The series follows Coulter as the event happens, his arrest, his time in jail, the trial, and the aftermath. Through each episode, Coulter looses more and more emotional stability, leading to multiple mental breakdowns, beatings, and drug use. Whishaw’s performance was raw and believable (I have watched plenty a movie where an actor just couldn't convince me of the pain they felt or the traumatic event they faced). I myself was emotional drained after watching it. I felt so strongly for Coulter because of Whishaw’s convincing performance; I wanted justice for him. Whishaw won an Emmy for Best Performance by an actor (UK), and gained his first BAFTA nomination, along with a Broadcasting Press Guild nomination.
Following Criminal Justice, I began to watch as many of Ben’s work as I possibly could. The Trench, My Brother Tom, Enduring Love, Layer Cake, Stoned, Nathan Barley, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, Love Hate (my absolute favorite short film). I always became disappointed when he only appeared in small roles, giving him maybe five minutes of screen time total. I wanted submerge myself in his beautiful acting once more. But of course, as loyal fan, I loved all of his work and watched everything, even the supporting roles. But the films that I find myself wanting to watch over and over again include his best performances: The Hour, Bright Star, Brideshead Revisited, Cloud Atlas, and the Hollow Crown. These films have had such a strong impact on me. Ben Whishaw’s performances in these pieces are why I want to be an actor, why I want to be an artist. His character development, his passion, his complete devotion to a character, is evident in his work. I love his characterization of Sebastian Flyte in Brideshead Revisited. Although he, Sebastian, is flamboyant and carefree on the outside, you can see the sadness and pain in his eyes. The overbearing mother stifling him with religion, the addiction to alcohol, the sister who takes away everything he loves; Sebastian is a tragic, heartbreaking character. And Ben portrays that perfectly. He understands his characters; he becomes his characters. His performance as John Keats in Bright Stars is completely heart wrenching; the impossible love of Keats and Brawne, a situation that just won’t let two lovers be together. You can see the passion and love in Whishaw’s eyes as he performs. You can physically feel his pain. (Make sure you stock up on tissues before watching this movie.)
Ben and Shakespeare is probably the best combination I have ever been graced with. Unfortunately, I didn’t witness Ben in his critically acclaimed performance as Hamlet back in 2004, but we were all fortunate when the BBC produced The Hollow Crown. Ben plays the child-like king, Richard II, whose ignorance and incompetence leads to the loss of his crown and dignity. I was never a fan of Shakespeare before, but after seeing Richard II I fell desperately in love with it because of Ben. Shakespeare’s words flowed so effortlessly from Ben’s beautiful voice, and his dramatics fit flawlessly with Richard’s over the top character.
Last, but definitely not least, The Hour. The BBC period drama based in 1950’s Britain following the journalist Freddie Lyon and the news program The Hour. This is, hands down, my favorite show of all time. I cannot stress that enough. The Hour is perfect in every sense of the word. Ben plays the egotistical, hard-headed, driven journalist, Freddie, who is set out to deliver the most truthful and thought provoking story there is. Freddie Lyon is my favorite character of all time. He is so complex and four-dimensional, that I find at points I love him and at points I hate him. But that’s what makes him such a great character. Ben’s delivery of Freddie’s penultimate speech at the end of the first series is powerful and heroic. His desperation and fear in the concluding episode of series two is heartbreaking. If you get anything out of this post, make that you will watch this show. It has to be one of my favorites of Ben’s.
Ben is an actor who can completely submerge the audience into a story. He is, in my eyes, the epitome of what an actor should be. He doesn’t surrender to the status of “celebrity,” he stays native to British projects, and he truly has a passion for his job. Ben Whishaw will never fail to captivate you; he is the ultimate “scene stealer.” Ben Whishaw is a definite must watch actor!
Upcoming Ben Whishaw projects to anticipate: Lilting, Beat, The Zero Theorem, and, if you’re in London, the stage production of Mojo . Ben is also announced to reprise his role as Q in Bond 24.
Photo Credit: televisionaryblog.com, veriteyjes.wordpress.ocm, theguardian.com, pintrest.com, rhube.co.uk, astralsilence.tumblr.com, bbc.co.uk
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