Benedict Cumberbatch, childhood photo with his mother
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Cumberbatch, childhood photo with his parents
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Cumberbatch, childhood photo
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Cumberbatch, childhood photo
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Cumberbatch, childhood photo
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Cumberbatch, childhood photo
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Cumberbatch
College/University
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Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
Young Benedict Cumberbatch
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Benedict Cumberbatch
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Benedict Cumberbatch
Career
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2013
Toronto, Canada
Benedict Cumberbatch of 'The Fifth Estate' poses at the Guess Portrait Studio during 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2013, in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Larry Busacca)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2014
Whitehall Pl, Westminster, London SW1A 2BD, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the press conference for "The Imitation Game" during the 58th BFI London Film Festival at Corinthia Hotel London on October 8, 2014, in London, England. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2015
6801 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 22, 2015, in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2016
Hollywood, California, USA
Benedict Cumberbatch (R) and wife Sophie Hunter Premiere Of Disney And Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange" on October 20, 2016, in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2016
1 Ham Yard, Soho, London W1D 7DT, United Kingdom
(L-R) Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman attend a screening of the Sherlock 2016 Christmas Special at Ham Yard Hotel on December 19, 2016, in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2017
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 8XX, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the Virgin TV BAFTA Television Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on May 14, 2017, in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2017
United Kingdom
(L-R) Mark Strong, Jamie Byng, and Benedict Cumberbatch at the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar, Wilderness Festival on August 5, 2017, in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Dave M. Benett)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2017
London, England
Benedict Cumberbatch poses for a photo ahead of a preview screening of 'The Child In Time' at BAFTA on September 18, 2017, in London, England. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch of Avengers: Infinity War took part today in the Walt Disney Studios live action presentation at Disney's D23 EXPO 2017 in Anaheim, Calif. Avengers: Infinity War will be released in U.S. theaters on May 4, 2018. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
Stratton St, Mayfair, London W1J 8LT, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch at "The Child in Time" Press Conference at the May Fair Hotel on February 22, 2018, in London, England. (Photo by Vera Anderson)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
26 Av. Princesse Grace, 98000 Monaco
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the 2018 Laureus World Sports Awards at Salle des Etoiles, Sporting Monte-Carlo on February 27, 2018, in Monaco, Monaco. (Photo by Christian Alminana)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
Los Angeles, California, USA
Benedict Cumberbatch arrives at the Premiere Of Disney And Marvel's 'Avengers: Infinity War' on April 23, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
9500 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch at the "Patrick Melrose" Press Conference at the Four Seasons Hotel on April 24, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Vera Anderson)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
1313 Vine St, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the premiere of Showtime's 'Patrick Melrose' at Linwood Dunn Theater on April 25, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
30 Pavilion Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 0HJ, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the launch of 'Patrick Melrose' at Searcys Knightsbridge on May 9, 2018, in London, England. (Photo by Joe Maher)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
30 Pavilion Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 0HJ, United Kingdom
Sophie Hunter and Benedict Cumberbatch attend the launch of 'Patrick Melrose' at Searcys Knightsbridge on May 9, 2018, in London, England. (Photo by Joe Maher)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
20 Deans Yd, Westminster, London SW1P 3PA, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch speaks at Professor Stephen Hawking's memorial service at Westminster Abbey on June 15, 2018, in London, England.)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
2 Savoy Ct, Strand, London WC2R 0EZ, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch attends The Southbank Sky Arts Awards 2018 at The Savoy Hotel on July 1, 2018, in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
Church Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 5AE, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch arrives at Wimbledon Tennis for Men's Final Day on July 15, 2018, in London, England. (Photo by Neil Mockford)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
Sestiere San Polo, 2766, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy
Benedict Cumberbatch arrives for the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gala Dinner during the 75th Venice International Film Festival at Palazzo Pisani Moretta on August 31, 2018, in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Eamonn M. McCormack)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
777 Chick Hearn Ct, Los Angeles, CA 90015, United States
Sophie Hunter (L) and Benedict Cumberbatch attend the 70th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2018
1221 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch visits SiriusXM Studios on November 1, 2018, in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2019
1201 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the world premiere of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures "Avengers: Endgame" at the Los Angeles Convention Center on April 22, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2019
1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter attend The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019, in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2019
Burlington House, Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 0BD, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the Jaeger-LeCoultre 'Art of Precision' Event with Letters Live at The Royal Academy on July 08, 2019, in London, England. (Photo by Tristan Fewings)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2019
Church Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 5AE, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter attend Men's Final Day at the Wimbledon 2019 Tennis Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2019, in London, England. (Photo by Neil Mockford)
Gallery of Benedict Cumberbatch
2019
200 W Arbor Dr # 8485, San Diego, CA 92103, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch of Marvel Studios' 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' at the San Diego Comic-Con International 2019 Marvel Studios Panel in Hall H on July 20, 2019, in San Diego, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez)
Achievements
Benedict Cumberbatch with his wax figure
Membership
Awards
Britannia Award
2013
9876 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch accepts the Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year presented by GREAT Britain Campaign onstage during the 2013 BAFTA LA Jaguar Britannia Awards presented by BBC America at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on November 9, 2013, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter)
British Independent Film Award
2014
1 Old Billingsgate Walk (Riverside, 16 Lower Thames St, London EC3R 6DX, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch, winner of The Variety Award, poses at The Moet British Independent Film Awards 2014 at Old Billingsgate Market on December 7, 2014, in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett)
Hollywood Film Award
2014
6215 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch accepts the Hollywood Actor Award for 'The Imitation Game' onstage during the 18th Annual Hollywood Film Awards at The Palladium on November 14, 2014, in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz)
British Academy Television Award
2019
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 8XX, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch, winner of the Best Leading Actor Award for 'Patrick Melrose' poses in the Press Room at the Virgin TV BAFTA Television Award at The Royal Festival Hall on May 12, 2019, in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang)
9876 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch accepts the Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year presented by GREAT Britain Campaign onstage during the 2013 BAFTA LA Jaguar Britannia Awards presented by BBC America at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on November 9, 2013, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter)
Benedict Cumberbatch of 'The Fifth Estate' poses at the Guess Portrait Studio during 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2013, in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Larry Busacca)
1 Old Billingsgate Walk (Riverside, 16 Lower Thames St, London EC3R 6DX, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch, winner of The Variety Award, poses at The Moet British Independent Film Awards 2014 at Old Billingsgate Market on December 7, 2014, in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett)
6215 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch accepts the Hollywood Actor Award for 'The Imitation Game' onstage during the 18th Annual Hollywood Film Awards at The Palladium on November 14, 2014, in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz)
Whitehall Pl, Westminster, London SW1A 2BD, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the press conference for "The Imitation Game" during the 58th BFI London Film Festival at Corinthia Hotel London on October 8, 2014, in London, England. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby)
6801 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 22, 2015, in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk)
Benedict Cumberbatch (R) and wife Sophie Hunter Premiere Of Disney And Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange" on October 20, 2016, in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison)
(L-R) Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman attend a screening of the Sherlock 2016 Christmas Special at Ham Yard Hotel on December 19, 2016, in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer)
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 8XX, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the Virgin TV BAFTA Television Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on May 14, 2017, in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer)
(L-R) Mark Strong, Jamie Byng, and Benedict Cumberbatch at the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar, Wilderness Festival on August 5, 2017, in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Dave M. Benett)
Benedict Cumberbatch poses for a photo ahead of a preview screening of 'The Child In Time' at BAFTA on September 18, 2017, in London, England. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby)
800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch of Avengers: Infinity War took part today in the Walt Disney Studios live action presentation at Disney's D23 EXPO 2017 in Anaheim, Calif. Avengers: Infinity War will be released in U.S. theaters on May 4, 2018. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez)
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the 2018 Laureus World Sports Awards at Salle des Etoiles, Sporting Monte-Carlo on February 27, 2018, in Monaco, Monaco. (Photo by Christian Alminana)
Benedict Cumberbatch arrives at the Premiere Of Disney And Marvel's 'Avengers: Infinity War' on April 23, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard)
9500 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch at the "Patrick Melrose" Press Conference at the Four Seasons Hotel on April 24, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Vera Anderson)
1313 Vine St, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the premiere of Showtime's 'Patrick Melrose' at Linwood Dunn Theater on April 25, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff)
30 Pavilion Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 0HJ, United Kingdom
Sophie Hunter and Benedict Cumberbatch attend the launch of 'Patrick Melrose' at Searcys Knightsbridge on May 9, 2018, in London, England. (Photo by Joe Maher)
Benedict Cumberbatch arrives for the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gala Dinner during the 75th Venice International Film Festival at Palazzo Pisani Moretta on August 31, 2018, in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Eamonn M. McCormack)
777 Chick Hearn Ct, Los Angeles, CA 90015, United States
Sophie Hunter (L) and Benedict Cumberbatch attend the 70th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison)
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 8XX, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch, winner of the Best Leading Actor Award for 'Patrick Melrose' poses in the Press Room at the Virgin TV BAFTA Television Award at The Royal Festival Hall on May 12, 2019, in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang)
1201 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the world premiere of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures "Avengers: Endgame" at the Los Angeles Convention Center on April 22, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman)
Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter attend The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019, in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy)
Burlington House, Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 0BD, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the Jaeger-LeCoultre 'Art of Precision' Event with Letters Live at The Royal Academy on July 08, 2019, in London, England. (Photo by Tristan Fewings)
Church Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 5AE, United Kingdom
Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter attend Men's Final Day at the Wimbledon 2019 Tennis Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2019, in London, England. (Photo by Neil Mockford)
200 W Arbor Dr # 8485, San Diego, CA 92103, United States
Benedict Cumberbatch of Marvel Studios' 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' at the San Diego Comic-Con International 2019 Marvel Studios Panel in Hall H on July 20, 2019, in San Diego, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez)
Belvedere Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 8XT, United Kingdom
James McAvoy attends the BFI London Film Festival Awards during the 58th BFI London Film Festival on October 18, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for BFI)
(The Academy Award-winning film "Topsy-Turvy" catches Gilb...)
The Academy Award-winning film "Topsy-Turvy" catches Gilbert and Sullivan, the famed playwright-composers, at a crossroads in their illustrious careers. An antic comedy and riveting drama from Oscar-nominated director Mike Leigh, "Topsy-Turvy" was hailed by many critics as the Best Film of 1999.
(Fairfax and others agree to return the King to power in e...)
Fairfax and others agree to return the King to power in exchange for valuable gifts and the promise of favor, but their plan backfires, implicating the King.
(A brilliantly book-smart young man heads to college bent ...)
A brilliantly book-smart young man heads to college bent on leading his school on a popular TV quiz show, only to get caught up in a series of personal entanglements.
(Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, t...)
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, this stunning epic love story stars Keira Knightley and James McAvoy and is hailed by critics as "a ravishing romance."
(Based on the best-selling novel, The Other Boleyn Girl is...)
Based on the best-selling novel, The Other Boleyn Girl is a captivating tale of intrigue, romance, and betrayal about two sisters who rival for the bed and heart of King Henry VIII.
(Torn between faith and science, and suffering hallucinati...)
Torn between faith and science, and suffering hallucinations, English naturalist Charles Darwin struggles to complete 'On the Origin of Species' and maintain his relationship with his wife.
(This ripped-from-the-headlines thriller is inspired by ac...)
This ripped-from-the-headlines thriller is inspired by actual events. Kathy Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz), a Nebraskan police officer, takes a job as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia. Her expectations of helping to rebuild a devastated country are dashed when she uncovers a dangerous reality of corruption, cover-up, and intrigue amid a world of private contractors and multinational diplomatic doubletalk.
(Tomas Alfredson directs this adaptation of John Le Carre'...)
Tomas Alfredson directs this adaptation of John Le Carre's thrilling Cold War-era spy novel that casts Gary Oldman as a retired secret agent who is pulled back into the game to ferret out a Soviet agent in MI6.
(Wreckers is an evocative drama that examines the fragile ...)
Wreckers is an evocative drama that examines the fragile relationship between truth, intimacy, and betrayal. A married couple moves back to his childhood village to start a family but a surprise visit from the husband's brother ignites sibling rivalry and exposes the lies embedded in the couple's relationship.
(The adventure follows Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an...)
The adventure follows Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim Erebor with the help of Gandalf the Grey and 13 Dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield.
(When a ruthless mastermind, Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch, )...)
When a ruthless mastermind, Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch, ) declares a one-man war on the Federation, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise set out on their most explosive manhunt of all time.
(Director Steve McQueen's powerful film based on the true ...)
Director Steve McQueen's powerful film based on the true story of a man kidnapped and sold into slavery features an all-star cast including Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender.
(Triggering our age of high-stakes secrecy, explosive news...)
Triggering our age of high-stakes secrecy, explosive news leaks and the trafficking of classified information, WikiLeaks forever changed the game. Now, in a dramatic thriller based on real events, "The Fifth Estate" reveals the quest to expose the deceptions and corruptions of power that turned an Internet upstart into the 21st century's most fiercely debated organization.
(Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts lead an all-star cast. A f...)
Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts lead an all-star cast. A family crisis unites a dispersed group of siblings at the Oklahoma house they grew up in with the dysfunctional woman who raised them.
(In the company of thirteen dwarves and the wizard Gandalf...)
In the company of thirteen dwarves and the wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), Bilbo enters the Lonely Mountain in possession of Gollum's "precious" ring and his keen blade, Sting.
(Benedict Cumberbatch shines as real-life war hero and pio...)
Benedict Cumberbatch shines as real-life war hero and pioneer of modern-day computing, Alan Turing, who saved millions of lives by cracking Germany's so-called unbreakable code during WWII.
(From the creators of Madagascar comes the funniest new mo...)
From the creators of Madagascar comes the funniest new movie of the year, starring your favorite penguins - Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private - in a spy-tacular new film!
(The epic conclusion to the adventure of Bilbo Baggins, wh...)
The epic conclusion to the adventure of Bilbo Baggins, who joins the Wizard Gandalf, Thorin Oakenshield and his company of Dwarves, in the clash of the Battle of the Five Armies.
(In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly persuades ...)
In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly persuades Irish mobster James "Whitey" Bulger (Johnny Depp) to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob.
(With the powerful Thanos on the verge of raining destruct...)
With the powerful Thanos on the verge of raining destruction upon the universe, the Avengers and their Super Hero allies risk everything in the ultimate showdown of all time.
(The Grinch tells the story of a cynical grump who goes on...)
The Grinch tells the story of a cynical grump who goes on a mission to steal Christmas, only to have his heart changed by a young girl's generous holiday spirit.
(The fourth installment in the Avengers saga is the culmin...)
The fourth installment in the Avengers saga is the culmination of 22 interconnected films and the climax of an epic journey. Earth's heroes will finally understand how fragile our reality is-and the sacrifices that must be made to uphold it-in a story of friendship, teamwork and setting aside differences to overcome an impossible obstacle.
(In Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange, a world-famous neurosu...)
In Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange, a world-famous neurosurgeon seeking a cure finds powerful magic in a mysterious place known as Kamar-Taj - the front line of a battle against unseen dark forces bent on destroying our reality.
(Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie (House) is Paul Slippery,...)
Golden Globe winner Hugh Laurie (House) is Paul Slippery, a British doctor in the midst of a midlife crisis. His wife, Estelle (Anna Chancellor), has embarked on a new career and perhaps an extramarital love affair or two. His three oversexed sons mock him without mercy, and at work, he's tormented by a flaky colleague.
(This diverse, complex and haunting trilogy of William Gol...)
This diverse, complex and haunting trilogy of William Golding novels charts a dazzling, hazardous sea journey from England to Australia in 1812-1813, as experienced through the eyes of one young Englishman, Edmund Talbot. During his journey, he goes through his own rites of passage from youthful bravado to maturity, from arrogance to humility.
(Sherlock Holmes, an analytical deduction fanatic, is help...)
Sherlock Holmes, an analytical deduction fanatic, is helping the police out with their inquiries for fun when he runs into potential flatmate Dr. John Watson, fresh from serving in the war in Afghanistan and sporting a limp. In spite of Watson's initial skepticism,
Benedict Cumberbatch is a highly acclaimed English actor who has worked in almost every field of the entertainment industry. Benedict has been part of major theatre productions from his early days and became famous for playing the role of Titania at a very young age. He has worked in films, TV, theatre, and radio. Cumberbatch is a highly talented person and has even voiced some iconic characters from popular works of fiction.
Background
Ethnicity:
Benedict Cumberbatch has mostly English ancestry, with small or distant amounts (to varying degrees) of Welsh, Scottish, Cornish, French, Swiss-French, Swedish, German and Dutch. His paternal grandfather, British Royal Navy and submarine commander Henry Carlton Cumberbatch, was born in Izmir, Turkey and his paternal grandmother, Pauline Ellen Laing (Congdon), was born in Bengal, India (their families were English). His great-grandfather, diplomat Henry Arnold/Alfred Cumberbatch, was born in Berdyans'k, Zaporiz'ka oblast, Ukraine, and was Queen Victoria's consul general in Turkey and Lebanon. Henry's own father, Robert William Cumberbatch, was also a diplomat, serving as Consul in the Russian Empire and Ottoman Empire.
Benedict Cumberbatch was born at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital on July 19, 1976, in London, England, the United Kingdom, to Timothy Carlton (born Timothy Carlton Congdon Cumberbatch) and Wanda Ventham. He grew up in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. He has a half-sister, Tracy Peacock, from his mother's first marriage.
His parents were well-known television actors. Despite their success, they tried to steer young Benedict away from the stage.
Education
Most of Cumberbatch's early days were spent in boarding schools. He attended Brambletye School and Harrow School, the elite private school. Whilst at Harrow, he had an arts scholarship and painted large oil canvases. It’s also where he began acting. At Harrow, his drama teacher called him "the best schoolboy actor I have ever worked with". After he finished school, he took a year off to volunteer as an English teacher in a Tibetan monastery in Darjeeling, India.
On his return, he studied drama at Victoria University of Manchester. He continued his training as an actor at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art graduating with a master’s degree in Classical Acting. By the time he had completed his studies, he already had an agent.
At Harrow, Cumberbatch displayed an interest in rugby and painting, but it was theater that captured his imagination. Under the mentorship of Martin Tyrrell, Cumberbatch's first role was as Titania, Queen of the Faeries, in William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer's Night Dream.
At the start of his career, he used his father’s stage name, Carlton, but, encouraged by a colleague, he began to appear under the family’s original, unusual surname in order to attract greater professional attention. Cumberbatch’s first work in the professional theatre was primarily Shakespearean, beginning with two repertory seasons with the New Shakespeare Company in London’s Regent Park in 2001 and 2002.
Cumberbatch enjoyed a successful career in theater that included an Olivier Award for his performance in Hedda Gabler and critical acclaim for playing both Victor Frankenstein and his monster on alternating days in a stage performance of Frankenstein. He then decided to move on to the small screen.
Cumberbatch began his career with roles in classic plays and small television shows. In 2004 he portrayed a young Stephen Hawking coping with the early stages of motor neuron disease. Cumberbatch's performance earned him a BAFTA nomination. His first film was the 2006 college comedy Starter for 10. A year later, he appeared in the film Atonement and played opposite Tom Hardy in the TV movie Stuart: A Life Backwards.
In 2010 he broke through to far greater popularity at home and abroad as Sherlock Holmes in the BBC television series Sherlock, based on the stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The adaptation placed the characters of the classic Victorian-era tales in 21st-century London and captured viewers’ imaginations with its contemporary Holmes, who used nicotine patches (a nod to Conan Doyle’s pipe-smoking Holmes) and was a self-described “high-functioning sociopath.” Cumberbatch remained in the public eye with subsequent seasons of Sherlock, and in 2014 his performance in an episode of its third season won him an Emmy Award for outstanding actor in a miniseries or movie.
In 2011 Cumberbatch seemed locked in a Hollywood trajectory with roles in the Cold War thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Steven Spielberg's World War I drama, War Horse. But he continued to appear on the London stage, this time in Danny Boyle's Frankenstein. The role required him to alternate playing Victor Frankenstein and playing his monster on opposite nights and earned him an Olivier Award for Best Actor jointly with his co-star Jonny Lee Miller.
In the 2012 film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Cumberbatch provided the voice for the Necromancer, and the dragon, Smaug. He also played the villain in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek sequel, Star Trek: Into the Darkness (2013). Cumberbatch's film career continued to thrive in 2013 with such films as Steve McQueen's true-life drama 12 Years a Slave. He also stars in The Fifth Estate (2013), playing Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.
In 2014 Cumberbatch won his first Emmy after three nominations for his lead role in PBS' Sherlock, a modern take on the classic detective. The same year he starred in the WWII drama The Imitation Game as trailblazing mathematician Alan Turing. Cumberbatch earned Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for the role.
In 2016 Cumberbatch took on the role of Marvel comic book hero Dr. Stephen Strange, playing the lead role in the blockbuster hit Dr. Strange, and the following year played Thomas Edison in The Current War. In 2018 he reprised his role as Dr. Strange in Avengers: Infinity War.
On 28 September 2016, Cumberbatch appeared on stage with Pink Floyd member David Gilmour during one of the musician's shows in London held at the Royal Albert Hall. He sang lead vocals on the song "Comfortably Numb", singing the verse sections originally sung by Roger Waters.
Always branching out into diverse projects, Cumberbatch is set to voice the Grinch in the animated film How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which was released in November 2018.
Credits from 2019 included Brexit, a TV movie following the 2016 campaign to withdraw Britain from the European Union, and The Current War (completed in 2017 and released two years later), a drama about the contest between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse to determine which electrical system would power the United States.
(The son of an aristocratic family seeks redemption and re...)
2018
Religion
Cumberbatch subscribes to Buddhist philosophy and has expressed an affinity for meditation and mindfulness.
Politics
In June 2016, Cumberbatch, along with Sir Patrick Stewart, guided more than 280 figures for the arts world who backed the vote to remain in the European Union (EU) for the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum.
Views
Cumberbatch posted a video of himself accepting the "Ice Bucket Challenge" to raise research funds for ALS, also known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease". He is also known for donating his own drawings and sketches for charities and fundraisers.
He helped raise money and awareness for the plight of the Syrian refugees. He recorded a video for the charity Save the Children. Cumberbatch collected money for charity in London following several performances of the Shakespearean play Hamlet. He also participated in a theatrical charity event at the Old Vic Theater. He had a role in The Children’s Monologs. Benedict Cumberbatch is an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust. He supports Odd Arts, Anno’s Africa, and Dramatic Need.
After playing the role of Stephen Hawking, he became an ambassador for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. He set up a recovery fund for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association. He had joined the Stop the War Coalition back in 2003 and in 2010 addressed activists in the Trafe Union Congress in Westminster protest.
Cumberbatch is a straight ally and in July 2013 officiated at the same-sex marriage of friends. For International Women's Day 2014, he was a signatory of Amnesty International's letter to the Prime Minister David Cameron for women's rights in Afghanistan. Cumberbatch identifies as a feminist.
Quotations:
"I've seen and swam and climbed and lived and driven and filmed. Should it all end tomorrow, I can definitely say there would be no regrets. I am very lucky, and I know it. I really have lived 5,000 times over."
"Sometimes as an actor, you're looking for the infinite. If you can hold that, if you can remember that in the chaos, [it will] anchor you and give you grace and ease."
"Worst thing about my profession? The press, obviously. Don't write that, eh?"
"I don't live beyond my means. I enjoy luxury and I enjoy the privilege of it when I can afford it, and I'm in the situation where it's been given to me, but I'm very conscious of what is wasteful."
"I've always had an eye on longevity; I've got loads more goals to achieve. It's not like I've completely conquered the whole thing. That's a lifetime's objective, not an overnight thing."
"I've never been an activist, but I've always been politically aware. I protested against budget cuts and cuts to education. I marched against the Iraq war. All that protesting was just swept aside to pave the way for an illegal war, and the results of that war were made very, very plain by those leaked war logs."
"People forget about books. They're always just turning on the television, but reading a good book is the most nourishing thing you can do."
Personality
Benedict had a terrifying carjacking experience while filming in South Africa. He was filming for To the Ends of the Earth (2005) when he and his fellow actors were kidnapped by a group of armed men in the wilderness. The actor was later let go by the group in a barren desert with no explanation whatsoever.
He lives by the rule, ''Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, 'I'm possible.'''
Physical Characteristics:
Benedict Cumberbatch was born with both central heterochromia and sectoral heterochromia - two rare-but-harmless genetic mutations that affect his eyes. Each of his eyes has multiple colors (a mix of blue, green, and gold) because of the central heterochromia, and the sectoral heterochromia is the reason why he has a brown “freckle” on his right eye.
Interests
Horseriding, scuba diving
Politicians
David Cameron
Writers
Terence Rattigan, Vladimir Nabokov, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Charles Dickens, Paul Auster, William Boyd, Ian McEwan, Martin Amis, Julian Barnes, Nancy Mitford, AS Byatt, Beryl Bainbridge, Hilary Mantel, Andrea Levy
Artists
Stanley Kubrick, Michael Winterbottom, Steven Soderbergh, John Hughes, Alfred Hitchcock
Sport & Clubs
tennis
Athletes
Andy Murray
Music & Bands
Van Morrison, The Stone Roses
Connections
Cumberbatch dated Olivia Poulet on and off for many years before calling it quits for good in 2011. The pair had met at the University of Manchester.
In November 2014, Cumberbatch became engaged to director Sophie Hunter. The under-the-radar and understated announcement ran in England’s Times newspaper. The couple tied the knot on February 14, 2015, on the Isle of Wight and welcomed their first child, son Christopher Carlton, that June. Two years later, they welcomed the birth of their second son, Hal Auden.