Following his big Golden Globe win for best supporting actor in a TV series/limited series for “A Very English Scandal”, Ben Whishaw made sure his voice was heard backstage.
While speaking with the press, one member asked him if the 38-year old felt the same way as Darren Criss does when it comes to playing LGBTQ characters.
Just one month ago, “The Assassination fo Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” star revealed that as a straight man, he would no longer be playing LGBTQ characters.
“I want to make sure I won’t be another straight boy taking a gay man’s role,” Criss stated at the What Comes Next event in New York City.
However, Whishaw made it clear he didn’t necessarily agree with Criss’ point of view.
“I don’t think that should happen because I really believe that actors can embody and portray anything and we shouldn’t be defined only by what we are. I think there was a time when we didn’t know anything about actors, they were very mysterious. But now we know everything,” he told the reporter.
“So no, I don’t think that. On the other hand, I think there needs to be greater equality. I would like to see more gay actors playing straight roles. It needs to be an even playing field for everybody, that would be my ideal. I don’t know how far we are away from that,” he added.
Whishaw, who came out in 2014, also starred alongside Emily Blunt in “Mary Poppins Returns”, and when asked about a potential sequel, he gave the best response.
“I think there needs to be a nice long break before she returns again. She needs to go do what she’s doing up in the clouds for another 50 years,” he exclaimed.
