Ben Whishaw says reveal of Q’s sexuality in ‘No Time to Die’ was “unsatisfying”
James Bond's quartermaster was revealed as gay in 'No Time to Die'
By Joe Goggins
Ben Whishaw was left unsatisfied by the reveal of Q’s sexuality in ‘No Time to Die’, admitting he considered questioning the decision.
The British actor, who made his third and potentially final appearance as James Bond’s quartermaster in last year’s long-delayed 007 film, expressed disappointment with the movie’s failure to dig deeper into the revelation that Q is gay. “I think I thought, ‘Are we doing this, and then doing nothing with it?’” he explained to The Guardian. “I remember, perhaps, feeling that was unsatisfying.”
In ‘No Time to Die’, Q’s sexuality is revealed when Bond (Daniel Craig) and Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) make an unannounced visit to his house. They find Whishaw’s character preparing dinner for a date that he is expecting imminently, referring to him by male pronouns – implying that Q is gay.
Whishaw, who is also gay, suggested that he considered raising his issues with the reveal on the set of the movie; Q’s sexuality is never referenced again. “For whatever reason, I didn’t pick it apart with anybody on the film. Maybe on another kind of project I would have done? But it’s a very big machine. I thought a lot about whether I should question it. Finally, I didn’t. I accepted this was what was written. And I said the lines. And it is what it is.”
He went on: “I’m very happy to admit maybe some things were not great about that decision.” He acknowledged that he felt the screenwriters meant well, saying they were coming “from a good place,” and noting, “I suppose I don’t feel it was forced upon the studio.”
Whishaw, perhaps best known as the voice of Paddington in the eponymous 2014 film and its 2017 sequel, has previously said he is unsure if he will continue in the role of Q, with his contract now up. Looking ahead to the post-Craig future of the 007 franchise, Whishaw told Attitude in September that a future iteration of Bond could himself be openly gay.
“God, can you imagine? I mean, it would be quite an extraordinary thing,” he said. “Of course I would like to see that. I really believe that we should be working towards a world where anyone can play anything and it would be really thrilling if it didn’t matter about someone’s sexuality to take on a role like this. I think that would be real progress.”