EXCLUSIVE:Ben Whishawwill reunite with directorIra Sachsto shoot an intimate movie about photo artistPeter Hujar.
The untitled film followsPassages, the acclaimed picture Sachs shot in Paris with Whishaw and Franz Rogowski.
Whishaws also on the BAFTA Best Supporting actor longlist forPassages.
Ben Whishaw in ‘Good Boy'130 Elektra Films
Its one of 15 films shortlisted for the 96th Academy Awards in the Best Live-Action Short Film category.
Good Boyprovides a poignant blend of slapstick comedy and something really deep and difficult, as Whishaw put it.
En route theres a botched robbery attempt; the only bounty bagged is a pigeon.
Ira Sachs, Adele Exarchopoulos, Ben Whishaw and Franz Rogowski of ‘Passages’ at the Deadline StudioMichael Buckner for Deadline
Whishaw and Stuart have been friends since their early twenties.
Now hes ventured into film directing.
Good Boyis dedicated to Susan Stuart, the filmmakers mother, who died in the Spring of 2020.
Its based very much on his mum and the loss of his mum, Whishaw said.
Stuart had left London in the wake of her passing and went to stay with friends in Glastonbury.
Whishaw revealed the director had taken his cast and crew back to the Somerset town during the shoot.
I swear those lines channeled some sort of charge through the screen as I watched the film.
Yeah, theres all of that going on, agreed Whishaw.
And what about the dead pigeon that plops from the sky.
The film cost 12 pence, so there wasnt money for a crane.
It must have been someone up a ladder dropping it , said Whishaw chuckling.
It has its own quite unusual flavour.
When I questioned him about the situation, he wasnt so certain.
Well see, he said cryptically.
He told me that its a two-hander a very small, very intimate little film.
Hujars work wasnt widely celebrated before he died of complications from AIDS in 1987.
However, in the intervening decades his candid portraits have been much sought after.
For instance, Elton John is a huge fan and has assembled a substantial collection of his images.
First up is a new play based on an adaptation of a book about which he could reveal nought.
Sounds like theres plenty more intimate moments coming from one of the UKs most sought after stars.
