Ben Whishaw on Becoming Peter Hujar in Ira Sachs’ Vivid Snapshot of ’70s Manhattan

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Ira Sachs has a sneaky way of building a rapport between his co-stars.

As a gamer, I found myself in a familiar role when Ben Whishaw shared with The Hollywood Reporter that this American filmmaker has a knack for placing actors like me and Rebecca Hall in a situation where we’re left to converse without any initial direction, often in settings such as cafes or restaurants. This is exactly what happened to us while working on ‘Peter Hujar’s Day’, a project that we’re both part of, which is premiering internationally in the Berlinale’s Panorama section.

Whishaw, known for his roles in ‘Black Doves,’ ‘Paddington,’ and the James Bond series, reminisces about an extended conversation at a diner in New York. Despite sounding like it could have been unpleasant, it was quite pleasant, he says. The informal setting allowed them to move past casual politeness and quickly delve deeper into conversation.

In the film “Peter Hujar’s Day“, the characters portrayed by Whishaw and Hall discuss Peter Hujar’s ordinary day, a renowned American photographer recognized for his black-and-white portraits. The movie is adapted from the 2021 book by Linda Rosenkrantz (Hall), who, according to Whishaw, found much of what was written about her friend to be exaggerated: “Peter was quite a complex individual. It’s simple to oversimplify a person based on tales or hearsay about them. I didn’t want to pass judgment on Peter.

During his lifetime, the renowned photographer Peter Hujar received little recognition, despite being a contemporary of Fran Lebowitz, Susan Sontag, and David Wojnarowicz. In fact, Hujar was Wojnarowicz’s protégé. However, posthumously, he is now recognized as a significant figure in photography from the ’80s and ’90s. Tragically, Hujar passed away due to AIDS in 1987, receiving minimal acclaim during his lifetime. As actor Andrew Whishaw shares, it was heartbreaking that Hujar couldn’t witness the celebration of his work at a recent film premiere in Sundance. Linda, one of Hujar’s friends, attended the event, but there was a profound sadness as she knew Peter wasn’t there to enjoy it. Whishaw expresses his happiness that the recognition is happening at all, acknowledging Hujar as an unyielding and exceptional artist.

The film marks the second collaboration between Whishaw and Sachs since the 2023 release of “Passages“. This project materialized when Sachs suggested Rosenkrantz’s book to the actor. He swiftly transformed this book into a screenplay, which resonated with Whishaw, an ardent admirer of Hujar’s work. “I had collected some of his postcards years ago,” the actor reminisced. “I used to send them to people, and I cherished them, but I didn’t pay much attention to their creator.

It wasn’t until Whishaw came across Hujar’s photo of Warhol superstar Candy Darling, which adorned the cover of Antony and the Johnsons’ album “I Am a Bird Now“, that he started to connect the dots. His admiration for Hujar grew significantly when Whishaw visited a London exhibition and was able to view a gathering of his photographs together. “It left me absolutely amazed,” he shared with THR.

The 76-minute film initially debuted at Sundance and subsequently graced the Berlin Film Festival. Here’s a sneak peek: it’s a conversation between two friends discussing ordinary and even extraordinary moments in their daily lives. Whishaw hints that this is essentially a heartwarming tale of friendship, delving into the beauty found in everyday life. He further explains that it’s a story about the artistry of finding the monumental or peculiar in the mundane, and the struggle of an artist to encapsulate something special within their work, which he finds deeply moving.

As for Hujar, he’s a cryptic character and delving into his biography wasn’t really an option. “I couldn’t find a single video of him speaking,” Whishaw mentions, shedding light on his role as the photographer. “We sifted through the archive at The Morgan Library [in New York], but all we could unearth was a minuscule audio recording of him undergoing hypnosis while attempting to quit smoking.

In another interaction, the artist engaged in a discussion with his former lover, Wojnarowicz. Whishaw frequently revisited this talk, yet beyond those two tapes and writings about him by those who knew him personally, the portrayal of Hujar was primarily shaped by Whishaw’s own perspective. “I felt quite liberated in a sense,” he expresses. “I didn’t aspire for it to seem like a portrayal or an imitation of him, but rather a blend of myself. I believe it needed to be the same with Rebecca. Then, under Ira’s direction, we were able to create an environment where we could act naturally and intimately with each other.

Since Sachs and Whishaw have collaborated previously, they were able to delve into their project more intimately without the pressure of getting to know each other from scratch. Whishaw remarks that Sachs’ film exudes a home-spun charm. Ultimately, he expresses satisfaction with the end result, stating, “I think it’s an uncommon piece.” He continues, “We didn’t really plan what it would turn out to be. We thought maybe it would be a brief movie. There wasn’t much forethought about the final product – at least not on my part. I believe Ira may have had other ideas, but I was simply enthusiastic and said, ‘I love this. Let’s go for it.’

Did Whishaw discover any similarities with the deceased creative individual? He shares that they are both Librans and laughs, “I do believe in those!” However, he acknowledges Hujar as a very distinct person from himself. Yet, he empathizes with Hujar’s sentiment of unfulfilled potential, stating, “[But] I resonated with this sense of dissatisfaction over not giving your best.” Regarding what made Hujar’s photography stand out, Whishaw is more confident in his answer. “Have you ever taken photos with a camera?” he asks, “I’m terrible at it! I see how uneasy people get. I struggle to capture candid shots on the street. So I think he must have possessed some unique charisma that made people feel comfortable enough to reveal themselves.

He goes on to say: “It seems like it was an inherent trait within him, as he managed to portray something deeply personal and heartfelt about both people and animals. Remarkably, they trusted him immensely.

Ben Whishaw isn’t making his first appearance at the Berlin Film Festival, yet he’s eager to arrive in Berlin regardless. The actor plans to meet up with Sachs and Hall before the film’s debut, but also hopes to catch a few films during his stay. As for his own movie, he doesn’t mind what the audience takes away from it. “I didn’t experience that era myself, but I believe the film captures the spirit of New York in the ’70s, a time when you could be an artist in Manhattan and spend all day chatting on your friend’s bed,” Whishaw says. “It conveys a sense of spaciousness, camaraderie. I personally find it fascinating, and I think people will take whatever they want from it. And that’s as it should be.

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2025-02-15 20:25