Whishaw prefers not to discuss his personal life, saying: "For me, it’s important to keep a level of anonymity. As an actor, your job is to persuade people that you’re someone else. So if you’re constantly telling people about yourself, I think you’re shooting yourself in the foot." In 2011 he told Out magazine, "As an actor 你 have total rights to privacy and mystery, whatever your sexuality, whatever 你 do. I don't see why that has to be something 你 discuss openly because 你 do something in the public eye. I have no understanding of why we turn actors into celebrities." However, in August 2013 a representative for Whishaw confirmed that he entered into a civil partnership with Australian composer Mark Bradshaw in August 2012.
