‘I’m not damaged’ – Ben Whishaw opens up about sexuality and career

Ben Whishaw has opened up about the effect discussing his sexuality has had on his career, and admitted that there are benefits to being open with the public about elements of his personal life.

“Now people aren’t that interested, because now there’s nothing being concealed.” he told The Guardian,

The actor, who has recently appeared in movies such as The Danish Girl and Suffragette, explained how people’s interest in his personal life seemed to dissipate a little when they no longer had his sexuality to figure out, but highlights how the most important thing for him is not to focus on their opinions.

“If you don’t let it be a weight upon you, it won’t manifest as one in your life.” he says.

“I just try to give it little space in my brain. It’s not interesting to me.”

Whishaw’s civil partnership was revealed by a journalist back in 2013, but he has said that it has not negatively impacted his career, saying: “I’m not damaged. Not more than anyone else.”

Admitting that he would prefer to maintain as much privacy as possible, the actor says that it is because he does not want the audience’s view of his characters to be clouded by what they think they know about him. “It’s not helpful,” he says, citing his own experience as an audience member: “I want to get immersed in the thing. Don’t you? Wouldn’t anybody?”

Words: Georgios Hadjimichael

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