Ben Whishaw is an English actor of stage, screen and television. Whishaw is known for his performances in film, television and the theatre. For his work in theatre he was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance as the title role in Hamlet in 2005. He's received two Emmy Award nominations for his work in television winning an International Emmy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the British series Criminal Justice in 2009 and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his performance as Norman Scott in the acclaimed limited series A Very English Scandal in 2019.
He also received five BAFTA Award nominations, winning three times: twice for Best Actor for The Hollow Crown in 2013 and for This Is Going to Hurt in 2023 and once for Best Supporting Actor for A Very English Scandal in 2019. He also received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for A Very English Scandal.
Major associations Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result International Emmy Awards2009 Best ActorCriminal Justice Primetime Emmy Awards 2019 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie A Very English Scandal
BAFTA Awards Year Category Nominated work Result British Academy Film Awards2007Rising Star Award British Academy Television Awards2009Best Actor Criminal Justice 2013 The Hollow Crown: Richard II 2016 London Spy 2019 Best Supporting Actor A Very English Scandal 2023Best Actor This Is Going to Hurt
Golden Globe Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2018 Best Supporting Actor – Television A Very English Scandal
Laurence Olivier Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2005 Best Actor Hamlet 2025 Best Actor in a Supporting Role Bluets
Screen Actors Guild Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2023 Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Women Talking
Awards Industry awards Year Award Category Work Result 2001 British Independent Film Awards Most Promising Newcomer My Brother Tom 2007 Independent Spirit Awards Robert Altman Award I'm Not There 2015 British Independent Film Awards Best Supporting Actor The Lobster National Film Awards UK Best Supporting Actor 2022 Gotham Awards Outstanding Performance in a New Series This Is Going to Hurt Outstanding Supporting Performance Women Talking 2023Independent Spirit AwardsRobert Altman Award2024Best Supporting PerformancePassages2026Best Lead PerformancePeter Hujar's Day2025Gotham TV AwardsOutstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama SeriesBlack Doves
Festival awards Year Award Category Work Result 2001 Sochi International Film Festival Best ActorMy Brother Tom 2002 Verona Love Screens Film Festival Best Artistic Contribution 2019 Palm Springs International Film Festival Ensemble Cast Award A Very English Scandal 2020 Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting Surge
Critics awards Year Award Category Work Result 2009 Alliance of Women Film Journalists EDA Awards Best Depiction of Nudity, Sexuality, or Seduction Bright Star 2016 Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Actor in a Play The Crucible 2018 Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards Best Voice Performance Paddington 2 Indiana Film Journalists Association Awards Best Vocal/Motion Capture Performance Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society Awards Best Visual Effects or Animated Performance 2019 Austin Film Critics Association Best Motion Capture / Special Effects Performance Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Movie / MiniseriesA Very English Scandal Best Actor in a Movie / Miniseries This Is Going to Hurt
Miscellaneous awards Year Award Category Work Result 2005 WhatsOnStage Awards Best Actor in a Play Hamlet 2006 Bambi Awards Film – NationalPerfume: The Story of a Murderer 2007 European Film Awards Best Actor 2008 Crime Thriller Awards Best Actor Criminal Justice 2009 Royal Television Society Awards Best Actor Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Actor 2013 CinEuphoria Awards Best Supporting Actor – International Competition Cloud Atlas Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Actor The Hour Dorian Awards We're Wilde About You! Rising Star of the Year 2014 BTVA Voice Acting Awards Best Male Lead Vocal Performance In A Feature Film Paddington 2014 WhatsOnStage Awards Best Actor in a Play Peter and Alice 2016 Theatre World Award The Crucible 2019 CinEuphoria Awards Best Ensemble – International Competition Mary Poppins Returns 2019 Dorian Awards TV Performance of the Year – Actor A Very English Scandal 2019 Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film 2021 Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Fargo 2022 TV Choice Awards Best Actor This Is Going to Hurt 2023 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Actor
Online awards Year Award Category Work Result 2007 Online Film & Television Association Best Breakthrough Performance: Male Perfume: The Story of a Murderer 2014 Best Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries The Hollow Crown
See also List of British actors List of Royal National Theatre Company actors List of Royal Academy of Dramatic Art alumni
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