Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch

Born Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch
19 July 1976
London, England, U.K.
Education Brambletye School
Harrow School
Alma mater
Occupation Actor, producer
Years active 2000–present
Spouse(s) Sophie Hunter (m. 2015)
Partner(s) Olivia Poulet (1999–2011)
Parent(s)
Family
Cumberbatch's voice
from the BBC programme Front Row, 23 December 2010[1]
Signature Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch[2] (born 19 July 1976) is an English actor and film producer who has performed in film, television, theatre and radio. The son of actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham, he graduated from the University of Manchester and continued his training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, obtaining a Master of Arts in Classical Acting. He first performed at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park in Shakespearean productions such as Love's Labour's Lost (2001), A Midsummer Night's Dream (2001), and Romeo and Juliet (2002). He also portrayed George Tesman in Richard Eyre's revival of Hedda Gabler in 2005 and since then has starred in the Royal National Theatre productions After the Dance (2010) and Frankenstein (2011).

Cumberbatch's television work includes appearances in Heartbeat (2000), Silent Witness (2002) and Fortysomething (2003) before starring as Stephen Hawking in the television film Hawking in 2004. He has played Sherlock Holmes in the series Sherlock since 2010. He has also starred in Tom Stoppard's adaptation of Parade's End (2012), as well as providing the voices of the British Prime Minister and Severus Snape on an episode of the animated series The Simpsons (2013).

Cumberbatch's first film appearance was in the 2003 film To Kill a King and he went on to appear in the films Atonement (2007), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), and War Horse (2011). He has starred in the films Amazing Grace as William Pitt the Younger (2006), Star Trek Into Darkness as Khan (2013), 12 Years a Slave as William Prince Ford (2013), The Fifth Estate as Julian Assange (2013) and The Imitation Game as Alan Turing (2014). From 2012 to 2014, through voice and motion capture, he played the characters of Smaug and the Necromancer in The Hobbit film series.

Cumberbatch has received numerous awards and nominations for acting including two Laurence Olivier Award nominations, winning Best Actor in a Play for Frankenstein. He has also received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for Sherlock. His portrayal of Alan Turing in The Imitation Game earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. In addition, he has received six British Academy of Film and Television Arts nominations, five Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and two Golden Globe Award nominations among others. In 2014, Time magazine included him in its annual Time 100 as one of the "Most Influential People in the World".

Background

Cumberbatch was born on 19 July 1976 in London, England,[2] to actors Timothy Carlton (né Timothy Carlton Congdon Cumberbatch)[3] and Wanda Ventham.[4] He grew up in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. He has a half-sister, Tracy Peacock, from his mother's first marriage.[5] His grandfather, Henry Carlton Cumberbatch, was a decorated submarine officer of both World Wars, and a prominent figure of London high society. His great-grandfather, Henry Arnold Cumberbatch CMG, was Queen Victoria's consul general in Turkey and Lebanon.[6][7]

Cumberbatch is also a distant relative of King Richard III, the last ruler of the Plantagenet dynasty. Cumberbatch and the king are second cousins, 16-times removed, according to professor Kevin Schürer, who said of the relation, "(Cumberbatch) is linked in several ways, but in terms of number of generations, the shortest is via Richard’s mother, Cecily Neville’s grandmother Joan Beaufort. He also has more in-direct links to both Queen Elizabeth II and Lady Jane Grey through other ancestors in his tree."[8] On 26 March 2015, Cumberbatch took part in the reburial of Richard III—whose remains were discovered beneath a car park in 2012—at the Cathedral Church of St Martin, Leicester, where he read a poem written for the service by Carol Ann Duffy.[9]

Education

Cumberbatch attended boarding schools from the age of 8,[10] was educated at Brambletye School in West Sussex, and was an arts scholar at Harrow School.[11][12][13] He was a member of The Rattigan Society, Harrow's principal club for the dramatic arts, which was named after Old Harrovian and playwright Terence Rattigan.[14] He was involved in numerous Shakespearean works at school and made his acting debut as Titania, Queen of the Fairies, in A Midsummer Night's Dream when he was 12.[15] Cumberbatch's drama teacher, Martin Tyrell, called him "the best schoolboy actor" he had ever worked with.[16]

After leaving Harrow, Cumberbatch took a gap year to volunteer as an English teacher at a Tibetan monastery in Darjeeling, India.[17] He then attended the University of Manchester, where he studied Drama.[18] He continued his training as an actor at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art graduating with an MA in Classical Acting.[19]

Career

Theatre

During rehearsals for Frankenstein, April 2011

Since 2001, Cumberbatch has had major roles in a dozen classic plays at the Regent's Park Open Air, Almeida, Royal Court and Royal National Theatres. He was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for his role as George Tesman in Hedda Gabler, which he performed at the Almeida Theatre on 16 March 2005 and at the Duke of York's Theatre when it transferred to the West End on 19 May 2005.[20] This transfer marked his first West End appearance.[21]

In June 2010, Cumberbatch led the revival of Terence Rattigan's After the Dance directed by Thea Sharrock at the Royal National Theatre.[22] He played 1920s aristocrat David Scott-Fowler to commercial and critical success.[23] The play eventually won four Olivier Awards including Best Revival.[24]

Cumberbatch acted in Danny Boyle's The Children's Monologues, a theatrical charity event at London's Old Vic Theatre, on 14 November 2010. The show was produced by Dramatic Need.[25]

In February 2011, Cumberbatch began playing, on alternate nights, both Victor Frankenstein and his creature, opposite Jonny Lee Miller, in Danny Boyle's stage production of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein at the Royal National Theatre.[26][27] Frankenstein was broadcast to cinemas as a part of National Theatre Live in March 2011.[28] Cumberbatch achieved the "Triple Crown of London Theatre" in 2011 when he received the Olivier Award, Evening Standard Award and Critics' Circle Theatre Award for his performance in Frankenstein.[29]

Cumberbatch was a part of a cast featuring members of the Royal National Theatre Company in 50 Years on Stage, the Royal National Theatre's landmark event for its 50th anniversary on 2 November 2013. He played Rosencrantz in a selected scene from Tom Stoppard's play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.[30] The show was directed by Sir Nicholas Hytner and was broadcast on BBC Two and in cinemas worldwide as a part of National Theatre Live.[31]

Cumberbatch is set to return to theatre to play Shakespeare's Hamlet at London's Barbican Theatre. The production will be directed by Lyndsey Turner and produced by Sonia Friedman. It will start its 12-week run in August 2015.[32][33]

Television

Filming Sherlock in Chinatown, London, March 2010

Cumberbatch's early television roles include two separate guest roles in Heartbeat (2000, 2004), Freddy in Tipping the Velvet (2002), Edward Hand in Cambridge Spies (2003) and Rory in the ITV comedy drama series Fortysomething (2003). He also featured in Spooks and Silent Witness. In 2004, he landed his first main part in television as Stephen Hawking in Hawking. He was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor and won the Golden Nymph for Television Films – Best Performance by an Actor. He later provided Hawking's voice in the first episode of the television series Curiosity. He also appeared in the BBC miniseries Dunkirk as Lieutenant Jimmy Langley.[34]

In 2005, Cumberbatch portrayed protagonist Edmund Talbot in the miniseries To the Ends of the Earth, based on William Golding's trilogy; during filming he experienced a terrifying carjacking in South Africa, managing to escape.[35] He made brief appearances in the comedy sketch show Broken News in 2005 and featured alongside Tom Hardy in the television adaptation of Stuart: A Life Backwards, which aired on the BBC in September 2007.[36]

In 2008, Cumberbatch played the lead character in the BBC miniseries drama The Last Enemy, earning a Satellite Award nomination for Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Film. In 2009, he appeared in Marple: Murder Is Easy as Luke Fitzwilliam. He played Bernard in the TV adaptation of Small Island, earning him a nomination for BAFTA Television Award for Best Supporting Actor.[37]

Cumberbatch featured in Michael Dobbs' play, The Turning Point,[38] which aired as one of a series of TV plays broadcast live on Sky Arts. The play depicted an October 1938 meeting between Soviet spy Guy Burgess, then a young man working for the BBC, and Winston Churchill.[39] Cumberbatch portrayed Burgess; Churchill was played by Matthew Marsh, who had played a supporting role in Hawking.[40][41] He narrated the 6-part series South Pacific (US title: Wild Pacific), which aired from May to June 2009 on BBC 2.[42]

In 2010, Cumberbatch portrayed Vincent van Gogh in Van Gogh: Painted with Words. The Telegraph called his performance "[a] treat ... vividly bringing Van Gogh to impassioned, blue-eyed life."[43] In the same year, Cumberbatch began playing Sherlock Holmes in the joint BBC/PBS television series Sherlock, to critical acclaim.[44][45][46] The second series began on New Years Day 2012 in the United Kingdom[47] and was broadcast on PBS in the United States in May 2012.[48] The third series aired in the United States on PBS over a period of three weeks in January to February 2014. Cumberbatch won an Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for the third episode of the third series of the show entitled His Last Vow.[49]

In 2012, Cumberbatch led the BBC and HBO co-produced miniseries Parade's End with Rebecca Hall. An adaptation of the tetralogy of novels of the same name by Ford Madox Ford, it was filmed as five episodes, directed by Susanna White and adapted by Tom Stoppard.[50][51] His performance earned Cumberbatch his second Emmy Award nomination for Best Actor in Miniseries or TV Movie.[52]

In February 2014, Cumberbatch appeared with Sesame Street characters Murray and Count von Count for PBS.[53] In April that same year, it was announced that Cumberbatch will portray Richard III in Shakespeare's play of the same name in the second series of films for The Hollow Crown.[54] Cumberbatch has also been a brand ambassador for Dunlop and Jaguar luxury cars since 2014.[55][56]

In April 2015, Cumberbatch was nominated for his sixth British Academy Television Award for Best Leading Actor for Sherlock. The awards cermeony will be held in May 2015.[57][58]

Film

In 2006, Cumberbatch played William Pitt the Younger in Amazing Grace. The role garnered him a nomination for the London Film Critics Circle "British Breakthrough Acting Award". He subsequently appeared in supporting roles in Atonement (2007) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008). In 2009, he appeared in the Darwin biographical film Creation as Darwin's friend Joseph Hooker. In 2010, he appeared in The Whistleblower. He portrayed Peter Guillam, George Smiley's right-hand man, in the 2011 adaptation of the John le Carré novel Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. The film was directed by Tomas Alfredson and featured Gary Oldman and Colin Firth.[59] Cumberbatch played Major Jamie Stewart in Steven Spielberg's War Horse in 2011.[59]

In 2012, Cumberbatch provided the voice and motion-capture for both Smaug the Dragon and the Necromancer in An Unexpected Journey, the first installment of The Hobbit film series based on the novel by J. R. R. Tolkien.[60] He reprised his roles as Smaug and the Necromancer for The Desolation of Smaug (2013) and The Battle of the Five Armies (2014).[61][62] For the motion-capture aspect of the films, he used a suit and facial markers to highlight the dragon's expressions and movements. Cumberbatch told Total Film "You just have to lose your shit on a carpeted floor, in a place that looks a little bit like a mundane government building. It was just me as well, with four static cameras and all the sensors."[62]

At the Los Angeles premiere of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, December 2013

In 2013, Cumberbatch appeared in J. J. Abrams's sequel Star Trek Into Darkness as Khan, the film's antagonist.[63][64] Three of the four films he featured in during the second half of 2013 premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival: The Fifth Estate, in which he played WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, 12 Years a Slave, in which he played William Prince Ford, a slave owner, and August: Osage County, in which he played Charles Aiken.[65] For the official soundtrack of the latter film, he recorded a song titled "Can't Keep it Inside".[66]

In January 2014, Gary Oldman confirmed that Cumberbatch, Ralph Fiennes and Amanda Seyfried are to star in his next directorial project, Flying Horse, about the life of English photographer Eadweard Muybridge.[67][68][69]

Cumberbatch had a voice role in DreamWorks Animation's feature film Penguins of Madagascar, which was released on 26 November 2014 in the US.[70][71] He starred in the historical drama The Imitation Game as British cryptographer Alan Turing, released in the US on 28 November 2014. The role earned him nominations for the Golden Globe, BAFTA, SAG, and Academy Award for Best Actor.[72][73][74]

In September 2013, Cumberbatch replaced Brad Pitt as the lead in Paramount Pictures and Plan B Entertainment's adaptation of the best-selling book The Lost City of Z about the British South American explorer Percy Fawcett. The film will be directed by James Gray and began shooting in January 2014 in Colombia and the United Kingdom.[74][75][76][77]

At the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, it was announced that Cumberbatch will star in the film adaptation of 2012 National Book Award finalist, The Yellow Birds written by war veteran Kevin Powers. The film will be directed and adapted to the screen by Ain't Them Bodies Saints director David Lowery.[78] In May 2014, he replaced Guy Pearce in the film Black Mass opposite Johnny Depp which will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures worldwide.[79] In August 2014, it was announced he will provide the voice and do performance capture for the tiger Shere Khan in Warner Bros. Pictures's film adaptation of Jungle Book: Origins, alongside Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett.[80] In December 2014, Marvel Studios confirmed Cumberbatch had been cast as Doctor Strange in the eponymous film, set for a November 2016 release.[81]

Radio

Cumberbatch has repeatedly expressed his affection for radio and has done numerous productions for the BBC.[82] Among his best-known radio work is the adaptation of John Mortimer's novel Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders in 2009. Cumberbatch played Young Rumpole, and went on to play the part in nine more adaptations of Mortimer's works. Between 2008 and 2014, he played Captain Martin Crieff in the BBC's Cabin Pressure. He then went on to play the Angel Islington in the 2013 BBC Radio 4 adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. In the same year, he led the BBC Radio 3 adaptation of Michael Frayn's play Copenhagen wherein he played theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg.[83]

For the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings, Cumberbatch read the original radio bulletins from June 1944 for BBC Radio 4.[84]

Narration

Cumberbatch has narrated numerous documentaries for the National Geographic and the Discovery Channel. He has also read for several audiobooks, including Casanova, The Tempest, The Making of Music, Death in a White Tie, Artists in Crime, and Sherlock Holmes: The Rediscovered Railway Mysteries and Other Stories. He has done voice-overs for several commercials, including for major names Jaguar, Sony, Pimms, and Google+, performing the Seven Ages of Man monologue. For the 2012 London Olympics, he featured in a short film on the history of London, which began the BBC coverage of the opening ceremony.[85] He made appearances for two Cheltenham Festivals, in July 2012 for Music when he read WWI poetry and prose accompanied by piano pieces[86] and in October 2012 for Literature when he discussed Sherlock and Parade's End at The Centaur.[87] In 2012, he lent his voice to a four-part, spoken-word track titled "Flat of Angles" for Late Night Tales based on a story written by author and poet Simon Cleary, the final installment of which was released in 9 May 2014.[88][89]

In 2013, Cumberbatch narrated the documentary film Jerusalem about the ancient city. It was distributed by National Geographic Cinema Ventures in IMAX 3D theatres worldwide.[90][91] The same year, he appeared as a special guest in a recording of Gordon Getty's opera Usher House, where he voiced the role of "the visitor", recorded and released by Pentatone.[92][93] He also narrated the documentary Cristiano Ronaldo: The World at his Feet about the Portuguese footballer for Vimeo and Vision Films.[94] In August 2014, he recorded the first ever unabridged audiobook of William Golding's 1964 novel The Spire for Canongate Books.[95]

Production company

Cumberbatch, Adam Ackland, writer-director Patrick Monroe, action coordinator Ben Dillon, and production manager Adam Selves launched a production company, SunnyMarch Ltd., in late 2013.[96] Their first project under the company's banner was the £87,000 crowd-funded short film Little Favour, written and directed by Monroe with Cumberbatch in the lead role. The 30-minute action-thriller became internationally available on iTunes on 5 November 2013.[96][97]

Personal life

With Sophie Hunter, December 2014

In 1999, Cumberbatch began dating actress and screenwriter Olivia Poulet, whom he met at university. They amicably broke up after a 12-year relationship.[98][99][100] After Poulet, he dated London-based artist Anna James but eventually split in 2012.[101][102]

Cumberbatch's engagement to theatre and opera director Sophie Hunter was traditionally announced in the "Forthcoming Marriages" section of The Times on 5 November 2014.[103][104][105] In January 2015, a spokesperson for the couple confirmed that they are expecting their first child later in the year.[106][107] On 14 February 2015, the couple married at the 12th century Church of St. Peter and St. Paul on the Isle of Wight followed by a reception at Mottistone Manor.[108][109][110]

While in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, in 2005, Cumberbatch and two friends were abducted overnight and held at gunpoint by a group of locals. Eventually their abductors drove them into unsettled territory and set them free without explanation. Cumberbatch said of the incident: "It taught me that you come into this world as you leave it, on your own. It's made me want to live a life less ordinary."[111][112]

Cumberbatch subscribes to Buddhist philosophy and has expressed affinity for meditation and mindfulness.[113][114]

In the media

Cumberbatch did not achieve international recognition until the first series of Sherlock in 2010.[115][116][117] He has since been called "The Thinking Woman's Crumpet" and has been a mainstay in numerous "Sexiest Man Alive" lists including that of Empire and People.[118][119][120][121]

Tatler listed Cumberbatch in the "Most Eligible Bachelors in the United Kingdom" in 2012.[122] In the same year, Cumberbatch described a cyberstalking incident in which he discovered that someone had been live-tweeting his movements in his London home.[123] Coming to terms with it, he said, it is "an ongoing process. To think that somebody knew everything I'd done in a day and told the rest of the world in real time!"[114] His photograph taken at the Garrick Club by Derry Moore, 12th Earl of Drogheda was the cover of Moore's 2012 book An English Room.[124]

In 2013, Cumberbatch was ranked fifth in the Tatler's "Most Fascinating People in Britain" list, higher than the Duchess of Cambridge and just below Queen Elizabeth II.[125] Entertainment Weekly identified Cumberbatch as one of the "50 Coolest and Most Creative Entertainers" in Hollywood.[126] He has also appeared on the covers of GQ, Time and The Hollywood Reporter's "New A-list" issue.[127]

In 2014, Cumberbatch was included in The Sunday Times "100 Makers of the 21st Century", cited as this generation's Sir Laurence Olivier."[128][129] In addition, GQ identified him as one of the "100 Most Connected Men" in the UK.[130] In the same year, Country Life magazine labeled him as one of its "Gentlemen of the Year".[131] In April 2014, Time magazine included Cumberbatch in its annual TIME 100 as one of the "Most Influential People in the World".[132] Film critic Roger Friedman stated that "Cumberbatch may be the closest thing to a real descendant of Sir Laurence Olivier."[133] In 2015, he was named one of GQ's 50 best dressed British men.[134]

Cumberbatch was the inspiration and focus of the play Benedict Cumberbatch Must Die which, despite its title, was a "love letter" and portrait of the fan obsession surrounding the actor. It premiered in June 2014 at BATS Theatre in New Zealand.[135] The Tennessee Aquarium named one of its otters "Benny" in reference to Cumberbatch's first name after a naming contest on the zoo's website.[136] A wax figure of Cumberbatch has been on display at Madame Tussauds London since October 2014.[137]

Charity and social action

At the premiere of 12 Years a Slave at TIFF, September 2013

Cumberbatch is an ambassador for The Prince's Trust.[138] He is a supporter and patron of organizations focused on using the arts to help disadvantaged young people including Odd Arts, Anno's Africa and Dramatic Need.[139][140][141] Since portraying Stephen Hawking in 2004, he has been an ambassador for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and in 2014 did the Ice Bucket Challenge for the organization.[142] He also set up a recovery fund for the benefit of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association.[143][144][145] Cumberbatch has donated artworks for charities and fundraisers including the Willow Foundation, and Thomas Coram Foundation for Children.[146][147]

In 2003, Cumberbatch joined the Stop the War Coalition protest in London against the Iraq War.[148] He addressed activists in a 2010 protest sponsored by the Trade Union Congress in Westminster on the suggested risks to the arts due to spending cuts expected in the Spending Review.[149][150] In 2013, he protested against what he perceived were civil liberties violations by the UK Government.[151][152]

Together with Prince Philip, Cumberbatch presented 85 young people with the Duke of Edinburgh's Award at St. James Palace on 19 March 2014.[153] "Our ambition is to extend this opportunity to hundreds of thousands across the UK", Cumberbatch said on behalf of the youth awards programme.[154][155] In May 2014, he joined Prince William and Ralph Lauren at Windsor Castle for a cancer awareness and fundraising gala for the benefit of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. Cumberbatch stated, "Cancer isn't a disease that needs much awareness, but it does need continued funding for research."[156][157] In September 2014, he participated in a video campaign for Stand Up To Cancer.[158] Cumberbatch posed for photographer Jason Bell for an exhibition at Pall Mall, London from 16–20 September 2014 to mark 10 years of the "Give Up Clothes For Good" charity campaign, which has raised £17 million for Cancer Research UK.[159]

Cumberbatch is a straight ally and in July 2013 officiated at the same-sex marriage of friends.[160][161] For International Women's Day 2014, he was a signatory of Amnesty International's letter to UK Prime Minister David Cameron for women's rights in Afghanistan.[162] In 2014, Cumberbatch publicly backed "Hacked Off" and its campaign for UK press self-regulation by "safeguarding the press from political interference while also giving vital protection to the vulnerable."[163][164]

In a November 2014 cover story for Out promoting The Imitation Game, Cumberbatch opened up about sexual experimentation during his time in boarding schools stating, “While there was experimentation, it had never occurred to me as, 'Oh, this is that!' It was just boys and their penises, the same way with girls and vaginas and boobs. It wasn’t out of desire." LGBT group Stonewall released a statement praising Cumberbatch's comments, saying, "Seeing someone in the public eye – especially somebody as influential as Benedict – talking positively around gay issues, is powerful for young lesbian, gay and bisexual people. It is often difficult for those growing up to find role models who demonstrate that it is equally okay to be gay or straight."[165][166]

In an open letter published in The Guardian on 31 January 2015, Cumberbatch, amongst others, asked for pardons of all gay and bisexual men who were convicted under the same now-defunct "indecency" laws as Alan Turing (whom Cumberbatch portrayed in The Imitation Game).[167][168]

Credits

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Howard Jacobson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zaha Hadid, Colin Firth, Mumford and Sons, Christian Marclay". Front Row. 23 December 2010. BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Benedict Cumberbatch". TVGuide.com. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Pauline Cumberbatch | Deceased Estates". The Gazette Official Public Record. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  4. ↑ Stanford, Peter (18 August 2012). "It’s no good, Benedict Cumberbatch can’t stop us liking him". The Telegraph (London).
  5. ↑ Fraser McAlpine (22 April 2013). "The Full Dynastic Heritage Of Benedict Cumberbatch". BBC America. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  6. ↑ Hawkes, Rebecca (5 November 2014). "Sophie Hunter: who is Benedict Cumberbatch's fiancée?". The Telegraph. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  7. ↑ Dane, Patrick. "5 Things You May Not Have Known About Benedict Cumberbatch". What Culture. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "Actor Benedict Cumberbatch and Richard III are cousins". Science Daily. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch to read poem at Richard III's reburial". CNN. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  10. ↑ Stuart McGurk (31 December 2013). "The many lives of Benedict Cumberbatch". GQ. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  11. ↑ "The Park – History of the House". Harrow School.
  12. ↑ "Senior Verse Speaking Competition". Brambletye School. 26 November 2009. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  13. ↑ Jarvis, Alice-Azania (29 January 2011). "Benedict Cumberbatch: Success? It's elementary". The Independent (London, UK).
  14. ↑ "The Rattigan Enigma By Benedict Cumberbatch". BBC.
  15. ↑ "Ten Things About... Benedict Cumberbatch". Digital Spy. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  16. ↑ Mitchison, Amanda (17 July 2010). "Cumberbatch on playing Sherlock Holmes". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  17. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch plays Edmund Talbot" (Press release). BBC. 19 May 2005. When I heard about the gap year of teaching English at a Tibetan monastery, I knew I had to do something about it really quickly otherwise it was going to get allocated... I worked for six months to drum up the finance as it was voluntary — there was no income. I worked in Penhaligon's the perfumery for almost five months and I did waiting jobs... The monastery was a fantastic experience; you lived your life by very limited means, although you were given board and lodgings.
  18. ↑ Mitchison, Amanda (17 July 2010). "Benedict Cumberbatch on playing Sherlock Holmes". The Guardian (London, UK).
  19. ↑ Jesse Dorris (28 October 2013). "Benedict Cumberbatch Talks Secrets, Leaks, and Sherlock". Time. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  20. ↑ "Hedda Gabler | Almeida Theatre". Almeida Theatre. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  21. ↑ "Hedda Gabler at the Almeida Theatre". Whats On Stage. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  22. ↑ Brown, Mark (13 March 2011). "After the Dance, the awards: Terence Rattigan play wins four Oliviers". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  23. ↑ Thaxter, John (9 June 2010). "The Stage / Reviews / After the Dance". The Stage. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  24. ↑ Mark Brown, Mark (13 March 2011). "After the Dance, the awards: Terence Rattigan play wins four Oliviers". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
  25. ↑ "Old Vic hosts one-off Dramatic Needs charity show". BBC. 14 November 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  26. ↑ "Frankenstein". Royal National Theatre. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  27. ↑ "Full list: Olivier award winners 2012". The Guardian (London). 15 April 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  28. ↑ "Frankenstein – Productions". Royal National Theatre. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  29. ↑ Imogen Lloyd Webber (21 March 2014). "It’s To Be! Benedict Cumberbatch Will Play Hamlet in London". Broadway. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  30. ↑ "50th anniversary | National Theatre". National Theatre. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  31. ↑ "National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage". National Theatre. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  32. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch Will Star as HAMLET at the Barbican, Aug 2015". Broadway World. 20 March 2014.
  33. ↑ Cheesman, Neil (21 March 2014). "Benedict Cumberbatch will star as Hamlet at the Barbican 2015". London Theatre 1.
  34. ↑ "BBC Two – Dunkirk, Deliverance". BBC. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  35. ↑ Francis, Anna (8 May 2013). "Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch: I cried after carjacking shock – I thought thought I was going to die". Now Magazine.
  36. ↑ Matt Trueman (2 May 2013). "Stuart: A Life Backwards adaptation to launch new Edinburgh venue at Fringe". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  37. ↑ "Television Awards Winners in 2010". BAFTA. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
  38. ↑ "'The Turning Point' (by Michael Dobbs) starred Benedict Cumberbatch and Matthew Marsh". Michael Dobbs Official Site. 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  39. ↑ "Critics have often said that Michael's work has the extraordinary ability to bring history to life.". Michael Dobbs Official Website. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  40. ↑ "The Turning Point". The Company Presents. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  41. ↑ Dobbs, Michael (12 August 2009). "The Day Churchill Met Traitor Guy Burgess". Daily Express (London, UK). Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  42. ↑ Caroline Westbrook (27 September 2014). "Benedict Cumberbatch can’t say ‘penguins’, according to this 2009 documentary clip...". Metro. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  43. ↑ "Easter TV Highlights". The Telegraph. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  44. ↑ "Masterpiece | Classic | New Upstairs Downstairs". PBS. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  45. ↑ "BBC Drama announces Sherlock, a new crime drama for BBC One" (Press release). BBC. 19 December 2008. Retrieved 19 December 2008.
  46. ↑ Wollaston, Sam (26 July 2010). "TV Review: Sherlock and Orchestra United". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  47. ↑ Sutcliffe, Tom (2 January 2012). "Last Night's TV: Sherlock, BBC 1". The Independent (London, UK). Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  48. ↑ "Sherlock, Season 2 on MASTERPIECE MYSTERY!". PBS.
  49. ↑ Laura Prudom (25 August 2014). "'Sherlock’ Shocks Emmys with Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman Wins". Variety.
  50. ↑ "Parade's End". BBC. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  51. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (3 June 2011). "HBO Back in War Business With 'Parade's End'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  52. ↑ Stuart Kemp (18 July 2013). "U.K. Stars, Shows Draw Primetime Emmy Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  53. ↑ Cumberbatch on Sesame Street: Sherlock Star Talks to Muppets, Time; accessed 12 March 2014.
  54. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch to play Richard III on BBC2". The Guardian. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  55. ↑ Nabanita Singha Roy (25 June 2014). "Voice of Jaguar now face of Dunlop China, Benedict Cumberbatch". Rush Lane. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  56. ↑ Joe Windsor-Williams (April 2014). "Destinations Benedict Cumberbatch: Ice Driving in Finland". High Life. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  57. ↑ Alex Ritman (8 April 2015). "BAFTA TV Awards: Benedict Cumberbatch Gets Third Nomination for 'Sherlock'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  58. ↑ "Nominations Announced for this Year's House of Fraser British Academy Television Awards". BAFTA. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  59. ↑ 59.0 59.1 Euan Ferguson (18 August 2012). "Benedict Cumberbatch: naturally he's a class act". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  60. ↑ Fleming, Jr., Mike (16 June 2011). "Benedict Cumberbatch To Voice Smaug in 'The Hobbit'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  61. ↑ Calia, Michael. "Third ‘Hobbit’ Film Renamed ‘The Battle of the Five Armies’". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  62. ↑ 62.0 62.1 Romano, Nick (22 October 2013). "The Many Faces of Benedict Cumberbatch for ‘The Hobbit 2′ Motion Capture". Screen Crush. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  63. ↑ Finke, Nikki (4 January 2012). "'Star Trek' Sequel Hires Hot British Actor". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  64. ↑ Radish, Christina (8 January 2012). "J.J. Abrams Talks Star Trek 2; Says Filming Begins Thursday and 3D Tests on First Star Trek Convinced Him to Post-Convert Sequel". Collider. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  65. ↑ "Cast | August: Osage County". August: Osage County Official Website. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  66. ↑ Sony Music Soundtracks (2013-12-09). "August: Osage County (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Sony Music Soundtracks on SoundCloud – Hear the world’s sounds". Sound Cloud. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  67. ↑ "Amanda Seyfriend Joins 'Flying Horse', But Gary Oldman Says The Film Still Needs Financing". Indie Wire. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  68. ↑ "Gary Oldman Prepares Flying Horse". Empire Online. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  69. ↑ "Gary Oldman to Direct Benedict Cumberbatch & Ralph Fiennes in Flying Horse?". Screen Rant. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  70. ↑ Brent Lang (20 May 2014). "‘Home,’ ‘Penguins of Madagascar’ Swap Release Dates". Variety. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  71. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch, John Malkovich Join Penguins of Madagascar". The Wrap. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  72. ↑ "Actor in a Leading Role / BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH". The Oscars.
  73. ↑ Kristopher Tapley (2 May 2014). "Weinstein sets awards season dates for 'Big Eyes,' 'Imitation Game' and 'Eleanor Rigby'". HitFix. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  74. ↑ 74.0 74.1 Mike Fleming Jr (7 February 2014). "Berlin Record Deal: Harvey Weinstein Pays $7 Million For Alan Turing WWII Tale ‘The Imitation Game’". Deadline.com. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  75. ↑ "Toronto: Benedict Cumberbatch To Star In 'Lost City Of Z' For James Gray". Deadline.com. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  76. ↑ "James Gray Says 'Lost City Of Z' Will Shoot Next; Talks His Sci-Fi Project, Dances With Brad Pitt & More". Indie Wire.
  77. ↑ Brian Formo (14 May 2014). "The Immigrant: James Gray on Being Beloved By the French". Crave Online. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  78. ↑ Dave McNary (17 May 2014). "CANNES: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tye Sheridan in Iraq War Drama 'Yellow Birds'". Variety. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  79. ↑ Dave McNary (21 May 2014). "Benedict Cumberbatch Replaces Guy Pearce in Johnny Depp’s Whitey Bulger Movie". Variety. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  80. ↑ Release, Press. "Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett and Christian Bale Head the Ensemble of Warner Bros. Pictures’ 3D Adventure "Jungle Book: Origins"". Business Wire.
  81. ↑ Strom, Marc (4 December 2014). "Benedict Cumberbatch to play Doctor Strange". Marvel.com. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  82. ↑ Gary Oldman. "Benedict Cumberbatch". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  83. ↑ "BBC Radio 3 – Drama on 3, Copenhagen". BBC. 13 January 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  84. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch reads the 8am news from D-Day". BBC. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  85. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch film starts London 2012 coverage". BBC. 15 January 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  86. ↑ "Cheltenham Music Festival". Cheltenham Festivals. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  87. ↑ Webb, Claire (7 October 2012). "Benedict Cumberbatch and JK Rowling cause Saturday night fever at Cheltenham Literature Festival". Radio Times (London, UK). Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  88. ↑ Tom Eames (6 May 2014). "Benedict Cumberbatch reads final 'Flat of Angles' short story – listen". Digital Spy. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  89. ↑ "Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch joins Friendly Fires for Late Night Tales". NME; IPC Media. 31 October 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  90. ↑ Meg Calnan (23 May 2013). "Actor Benedict Cumberbatch Narrates ‘Jerusalem,’ New Theatrical Release from National Geographic Cinema Ventures". National Geographic. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  91. ↑ Amanda Cochran (26 October 2013). "Benedict Cumberbatch-voiced film "Jerusalem:" Inside the making of the IMAX movie". CBS. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  92. ↑ "Gordon Getty: Rork Music Usher House". Gordon Getty. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  93. ↑ "Gordon Getty – Usher House". Pentatone Music. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  94. ↑ Brown, Brigid. "WATCH: Benedict Cumberbatch Narrates Cristiano Ronaldo Documentary". BBC America.
  95. ↑ Flood, Alison. "Benedict Cumberbatch records audiobook of William Golding novel". The Guardian.
  96. ↑ 96.0 96.1 "Benedict Cumberbatch, Nick Moran And Colin Salmon Star In The SunnyMarch Short Film "LITTLE FAVOUR"". PR Newswire. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  97. ↑ "Mission Digital – Little Favour". Mission Digital. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  98. ↑ "This Sunday: The fabulous Baker Street boy". The Sunday Times.
  99. ↑ Thomas, David. "Whatever acting means". The Telegraph.
  100. ↑ Brinton, Jessica (26 September 2012). "Benedict Cumberbatch profile". The London Magazine. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  101. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch interview: 'Star Wars? We’ll wait and see'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  102. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch has split with Anna Jones, says half-sister". Digital Spy.
  103. ↑ Telling, Gillian (December 8, 2014). Cracking the Cumberbatch Code (Vol. 82 No.24 ed.). United States of America: People Magazine. pp. 90–94.
  104. ↑ Alex Ritman. "Benedict Cumberbatch Engagement News Sends Twitter Ablaze". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  105. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch announces engagement to director Sophie Hunter". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  106. ↑ "Sophie Hunter and Benedict Cumberbatch expecting baby". The Guardian.
  107. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch expecting first child with fiancee Sophie Hunter". Vanity Fair.
  108. ↑ Fowler, Tara. "Benedict Cumberbatch Marries Sophie Hunter". People Magazine.
  109. ↑ Brooks-Pollock, Tom. "Romantic Cumberbatch's Wight wedding today". The Times of London.
  110. ↑ "Cumberbatch weds Sophie Hunter over Valentine's weekend". BBC.
  111. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch Abducted at Gunpoint, He Says in New Interview". People. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  112. ↑ Bowater, Donna (12 January 2012). "Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch survived kidnap attempt in South Africa". The Telegraph (London).
  113. ↑ Hadley, George. "Smaug the dragon to get fans fired up for 'Hobbit' sequel". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  114. ↑ 114.0 114.1 Galloway, Stephen (2013-11-09). "Benedict Cumberbatch: Confessions of the 'Fifth Estate' Star". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  115. ↑ Lesley White (15 August 2010). "Benedict Cumberbatch: the fabulous Baker Street boy". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  116. ↑ Matthew Sweet (27 December 2013). "Sherlock: how it became a global phenomenon". The Telegraph. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  117. ↑ Caitlin Moran (11 May 2013). "What’s not to love about Benedict Cumberbatch?". The Times. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  118. ↑ Kiran Hefa; Laura Lane (27 June 2014). "Is Britain Home of the Sexiest Bachelors?". People. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  119. ↑ "The 100 Sexiest Movie Stars 2013". Empire Online.
  120. ↑ Alice-Azania Jarvis (29 January 2011). "Benedict Cumberbatch: Success? It's elementary". The Independent. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  121. ↑ Shinan Govani (10 August 2013). "Shinan Govani: Tapping Idris Elba and Benedict Cumberbatch, the Titans of TIFF". National Post. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  122. ↑ "The most eligible men and women in Britain?". The Telegraph. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  123. ↑ Tim Walker (13 March 2013). "Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch is cyberstalked". The Telegraph. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  124. ↑ "Derry Moore: An English Room". Random House. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  125. ↑ "Clare Balding beats all Royals to claim 'most fascinating person in Britain' title". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  126. ↑ Snetiker, Marc (2013-07-31). "This Week's Cover: The New Hollywood starring Mindy Kaling". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  127. ↑ Kelly Conniff (17 October 2013). "This Is How the Internet Reacted to Benedict Cumberbatch on the Cover of TIME". Time. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  128. ↑ The Sunday Times (2014-03-09). "Britain's movers and shakers". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  129. ↑ "The Sunday Times magazine: 100 Makers of the 21st Century". Twenty Twenty Agency. 2014-03-09. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  130. ↑ "Ed Miliband fails to make UK's 100 most connected – but his brother does". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  131. ↑ Hannah Ellis-Petersen (11 June 2014). "David Dimbleby – he's our Gentleman of the Year says Country Life". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  132. ↑ Colin Firth (23 April 2014). "TIME 100 Artists > Benedict Cumberbatch By Colin Firth". Time.
  133. ↑ Mandell, Andrea. "Toronto sings Cumberbatch's praises as WWII code-breaker". USA Today. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
  134. ↑ "50 Best Dressed Men in Britain 2015". GQ. 5 Jan 2015.
  135. ↑ ""Perfect" Benedict Cumberbatch Inspires New Show". Scoop. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  136. ↑ Daly, Emma. "There is an otter named Benedict at the Tennessee Aquarium". Radio Times.
  137. ↑ Tussauds, Madame. "Benedict Cumberbatch measures up for his wax figure!". Madam Tussauds.
  138. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch saddles up for Palace to Palace". The Prince's Trust. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  139. ↑ "Dramatic Need Children's Monologue". YouTube.
  140. ↑ "Annos Africa Patrons and Supporters". Annos Africa.
  141. ↑ "Odd Arts Patron – Benedict Cumberbatch". Odd Arts. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  142. ↑ Brenson, Tessa. "Benedict Cumberbatch's Ice Bucket Challenge". Time Magazine.
  143. ↑ Debra Wu. "Benedict Cumberbatch Birthday Fund". The ALS Association. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  144. ↑ "Press Office – Hawking Benedict Cumberbatch". BBC. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  145. ↑ MND Association. "'Hawking' Premiere | Latest News". MND Association. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  146. ↑ "Bono, Benedict and Whoopi among secret offerings at Affordable Art Fair". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  147. ↑ Couch, Aaron (14 June 2013). "Benedict Cumberbatch Draws Self Portrait for Charity (Photo)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  148. ↑ Decca Aitkenhead. "The peculiar charm of Benedict Cumberbatch". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  149. ↑ Polly Curtis. "Unions stage polite protest over spending cuts | Politics". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  150. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch speaks to the TUC rally against spending cuts, 19 October 2010". YouTube. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  151. ↑ Sarah Lyall (7 March 2014). "The Case of the Accidental Superstar". The New York Times.
  152. ↑ Erin McCann (21 August 2013). "Benedict Cumberbatch does the news". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  153. ↑ 19 March 2014. "Cumberbatch hails DofE recipients". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  154. ↑ "The Duke of Edinburgh presents young people with the #Gold @DofE award today alongside actor Benedict Cumberbatch". British Monarchy Verified Twitter. 19 March 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  155. ↑ "Gold Award Presentations (GAPs)". The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  156. ↑ "Prince William hosts Cumberbatch and Blanchett at Windsor Castle". BBC. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  157. ↑ Nardine Saad (14 May 2014). "Prince William hosts Emma Watson, Cate Blanchett at Windsor Castle". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  158. ↑ McAlpine, Fraser. "WATCH: British Stars on the Run for Cancer Campaign". BBC Anglophilia.
  159. ↑ Times, Radio. "Benedict Cumberbatch gets wet for charity again to recreate that Mr Darcy moment". Radio Times.
  160. ↑ Aaron Day (24 July 2013). "Benedict Cumberbatch conducts civil partnership". Pink News. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  161. ↑ Benedict Cumberbatch Can Now Pronounce You Man and Wife, The Hollywood Reporter; accessed 12 March 2014.
  162. ↑ "Stars write to Cameron about Afghan women for International Women's Day". Amnesty International UK. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  163. ↑ Szalai, Georg (18 March 2014). "Benedict Cumberbatch, Alfonso Cuaron, Maggie Smith Back U.K. Press Regulation". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  164. ↑ Ian Burrell (18 March 2014). "Campaign group Hacked Off urge newspaper industry to back the Royal Charter on press freedom – Press – Media". The Independent (London). Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  165. ↑ Alexander, Ella. "Benedict Cumberbatch praised by gay rights group for discussing sexual experimentation". The Independent.
  166. ↑ Hicklin, Aaron. "The Gospel According to Benedict". Out Magazine.
  167. ↑ Dan Carrier (30 January 2015). "Benedict Cumberbatch: broaden Turing’s pardon to other gay men". The Guardian.
  168. ↑ "Benedict Cumberbatch in call to pardon convicted gay men". BBC. 31 January 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Benedict Cumberbatch.