Ben Whishaw of 'Skyfall' comes out as gay

British actor Ben Whishaw, who played Q in the 2012 James Bond film "Skyfall," has come out as gay.

With his announcement, he also said he has been in a civil partnership for the past year with Australian composer Mark Bradshaw.

"Ben has never hidden his sexuality, but like many actors he prefers not to discuss his family or life outside of his work," his representative said. "Due to speculation, I can confirm that Ben and Mark entered into a civil partnership in August 2012. They were proud to do so and are very happy."

Whishaw and Bradshaw first met in 2009 on the set of "Bright Star," a film about poet John Keats. Whishaw, 32, played the lead role, while 30-year-old Bradshaw composed the score.

Whishaw had an interview with Out magazine in 2011 while he was playing a homosexual character in an off-Broadway play called "The Pride." His answer to a question on serving as a gay role model stirred speculation about his sexuality, but he had not yet come out.

"I really agree with [serving as a positive influence on young gay people], and I feel in my heart that it's important, but I don't quite know yet the way to go about that," he said.

"Maybe that's the transitional thing I feel I'm in the middle of at the moment," he continued at the time. "It's something I think about, but it's important for me to do it at the time that's right for me. And I'm not there yet."

Now that Whishaw is there, it is time for the newlyweds to celebrate.

"There hasn't been a chance for a big celebration because of Ben's schedule but I'm sure there will be one at some point," a friend of the couple said."