Author: Vinod Rawat

Floppy-haired thesp Ben Whishaw is having an autumn for the ages. Hot on the heels of a starring role opposite Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon and Halle Berry in the Wachowski’s mesmerizing drama “Cloud Atlas,” the 31-year-old is enlisting in Her Majesty’s Service as gadget guru Q in James Bond’s latest romp “Skyfall.” But the actor is no neophyte—like many of his countrymen, Whishaw cut his teeth in theater (theatre?) before landing roles in “I’m Not There,” “Brideshead Revisited” and “The Tempest.” He arguably shines brightest, however, in the BBC period piece “The Hour” (which just kicked off its second season across the pond). Starring Dominic West and Romola Garai, “The Hour” follows a fledgling television news magazine of the same name as it strives to not only gain an audience but report fairly and accurately on the escalating Suez Crisis—no mean feat given BBC brass’ desire to appease the British government.