The Kindest Keats? Campion Talks About Demure New Biopic, Starring Dreamy Whishaw

Ben Whishaw, the young British actor with a Romantic poet’s mop of tousled black hair, stood alone by the bar at the Plaza’s Oak Room during lunchtime at Tuesday, Sept. 15, wearing black Vans, black jeans and an untucked white dress shirt. Although slightly out of place among a crowd of carefully primped movie-industry types, Mr. Whishaw looks the part for his role as a love-struck John Keats in Jane Campion’s new biopic Bright Star.

Ms. Campion said that she wanted Mr. Whishaw after seeing pictures in which he “looked like a rock star,” comparing Keats to Nick Drake. “I thought—yes!” More>