Title Page

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH, TRANSITION COMPLETED

Films, Fame, Fans

Lynnette Porter

Publisher Information

First edition published in 2014 by

MX Publishing

335 Princess Park Manor, Royal Drive,

London, N11 3GX

www.mxpublishing.com

Digital edition converted and distributed by

Andrews UK Limited

www.andrewsuk.com

© Copyright 2014 Lynnette Porter

The right of Lynnette Porter to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1998.

All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without express prior written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted except with express prior written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1956 (as amended). Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damage. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this book. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and not of MX Publishing.

Cover design by Jules Coomber.

About the Author

Lynnette Porter, Ph.D., is a professor in the Humanities and Communication Department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA. This is her fifteenth book. Among the others are books about television series, including Sherlock, Doctor Who, and LOST, as well as films, including The Lord of the Rings. In addition, she has written numerous chapters about The Hobbit, Torchwood, Heroes, Quantum Leap, and Internet fandom, for example, as chapters within other authors’ books. She is a contributing editor, often writing about television or film, for online magazine PopMatters and an associate editor for the journal Studies in Popular Culture. She is a frequent speaker at academic conferences and fan conventions, talking about television, film, popular culture, or celebrity studies. In 2013, MX Publishing released the performance biography, Benedict Cumberbatch, In Transition. The 2014 follow-up, Benedict Cumberbatch, Transition Completed, can be read as a stand-alone book or companion work.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to the friendly staff of the National Theatre Archives in London, director Susan Luciani, and entrepreneur Margareta Lidskog. A very special thank you to Jules Coomber, who once again has designed a beautiful cover that captures what this book is all about.

Introduction

“You can’t get too nostalgic. You can look back and go, ‘That was a great year, a great moment’... I’ve got personal goals and all sorts of things that I want to evolve. I always have been about building a career of longevity”. [1]

Benedict Cumberbatch

Star Trek: Into Darkness, The Fifth Estate, 12 Years a Slave, August: Osage County, and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - these would be milestones in most actors’ entire career. As part of his “career of longevity,” in the months leading up to the phenomenal professional years of 2013-14, Benedict Cumberbatch accepted a wide range of roles, including smaller character parts in large ensembles (that, in 2013, ended up being nominated for or winning major film awards), a controversial lead, and blockbuster villains [one in a major sci-fi franchise, two others - one requiring motion- capture (mo-cap) - in possibly the largest fantasy franchise ever]. These films are merely a year’s additions to his already-vast resume. Roles released during 2013 and the constant attention paid to Cumberbatch because of them proved to be the final step in his transition from respected working actor to bona fide worldwide star and media celebrity, culminating in becoming the recipient of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Los Angeles’ Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year.

A Fan Experience

My fan experience in the U.S. may be unique because of my region and ability to drive around my home state in search of Cumberbatch performances. The sheer number of events during autumn 2013, however, made finding a Cumberbatch-related project a relatively easy task, even for someone not living anywhere close to a major entertainment hub like London, New York, or Los Angeles, and thus unable to see the actor in “live performance” filming on location, attending a convention, walking a red carpet, or even daring to venture out to a restaurant or theatre to see a friend on stage. Instead, like many Cumberbatch fans, I had to content myself with visits to the cinema.

In October I watched The Fifth Estate twice during its opening week (and, unfortunately, found far too many open seats), but a few weeks later I stood in a long line outside a small “art” cinema to get a good seat for 12 Years a Slave. As I did before Star Trek, I bought my Hobbit ticket well in advance so I could be among the first in the U.S. to see the film, and I, along with hundreds in the sold-out cinema, cheered when Cumberbatch made his entrance - in May as Khan, in December as Smaug. Then there was the afternoon when, after finishing my teaching responsibilities for the week, I hurried to the closest cinema to catch the last matinee of August: Osage County, on the way home stopping to buy the soundtrack CD because Cumberbatch’s character sings one song while accompanying himself on the organ.

Although it is easy to joke that Benedict Cumberbatch may have provided something for everyone during the latter months of 2013, from the intellectualised Fifth Estate to the star-powered adaptation of August: Osage County, many of these films (12 Years a Slave, The Fifth Estate, August: Osage County) are rated R (in the U.S.), which theoretically limited the audience to adults over 18. Under-18 fans primarily looked forward to The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (as well as the return of favourite consulting detective Sherlock Holmes in early 2014) because, without a guardian over 18, they could not get in to see the actor’s other movies.

Not only were traditional movies part of my Cumberbatch cinematic experience during autumn 2013, but the National Theatre (or, at least, an NT Live recording of what had been performed in London) brought the actor onto a big screen within a few hundred miles from my home. To see Frankenstein (yet again, this time as part of a Halloween celebration) and the National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage feast of scenes (including one with Cumberbatch), I drove three to five hours each way to be part of the packed house for these cinematic broadcasts. This is not an atypical journey for fans eager to see NT Live (and much shorter than the transworld trips many fans take in order to see Cumberbatch during a live appearance).

If my conversations with audience members before and after Frankenstein and the National Theatre’s anniversary celebration are anything to go by, these broadcasts have created new Cumberbatch fans, because not everyone who attends NT Live screenings may be film aficionados or viewers of PBS’s Sherlock. Some who adore Frankenstein, for example, found something fresh to admire in the actor’s brief scene from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.

Even when I went to see a movie that does not include Cumberbatch in the cast, I was made aware of yet another of his projects coming soon to a screen near me. A long trailer for August: Osage County played before Philomena during the Thanksgiving holiday. Audiences first heard Little Charles’ Oklahoma accent, saw this sensitive soul cry in public, and likely wished to hug him because of his shy smile. One woman seated near me commented that she planned to see August: Osage County because she likes “that nice young man, Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Sherlock Holmes on TV”.

Interviews and promotional events taking place around the world prior to a film’s release led to larger audiences for the actor’s cinematic work. A few years ago, fewer people would go to a movie simply because Cumberbatch is in it. In the U.S., for example, his higher media profile - including interviews on talk (or chat) shows like Katie (in October, to discuss The Fifth Estate) and Jimmy Kimmel Live and Conan (in December) soon after The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’s Los Angeles premiere - almost guaranteed the actor greater face or name recognition by the end of 2013. By early 2014, Cumberbatch exclaimed in the press that he feared he had overexposed himself (which, he admitted, sounded dirty). More seriously, he told an Adelaide Advertiser reporter that “I just hope the public agree because they are seeing a lot of me”.[2]

The performances so briefly mentioned in this Introduction illustrate that Cumberbatch is an actor who will not limit himself to “either/or” acting challenges: to leads or supporting roles, theatre or film (or television or another medium). Furthermore, he does not limit himself to roles in mainstream films or indies, as will be discussed in later chapters. His is the actor’s quest to stretch himself as a performer, sometimes quite literally, and to take on characters who might not be fashionable or easy to like but are thought provoking and illuminating. Perhaps that diversity is what Benedict Cumberbatch can uniquely offer the entertainment industry.

A Performance Biography and Celebrity Studies

Like its predecessor, Benedict Cumberbatch, In Transition (MX Publishing, 2013), Benedict Cumberbatch, Transition Completed: Films, Fame, Fans explores the nature of Cumberbatch’s fame and fandom while analysing his most recent and forthcoming roles. Since the “old days” in Hollywood, when actors under studio contract would often make several movies a year, few actors, even wonderfully talented ones in great demand, have had so many high-profile films released within a year. Of course, industry timing to determine when a movie will be most marketable plays a big part in selecting its release date, which may be months or years after it is filmed. That Cumberbatch has been very busy and has been cast in so many interesting films in the past few years cannot be disputed, however, even when they all seem to arrive during the same awards season.

At the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), for example, Cumberbatch not only starred in the gala opening film, The Fifth Estate, but had roles in two other films showcased at this festival alone: 12 Years a Slave (for which Cumberbatch walked the red carpet and was interviewed before the premiere) and August: Osage County (which was screened the day after Cumberbatch had to fly back to work on another film). Such a career is unprecedented in recent film history.

This in-depth performance biography explores Cumberbatch’s work in four media that have been staples of his career for years: radio, stage, film, and television. In the little more than a year since In Transition was published, the actor has, yet again, been busy in all these media. He planned a return to the stage as Hamlet, recorded the final episode of the BBC radio hit Cabin Pressure, and filmed The Imitation Game. He balanced a series of feature film offers, completed voice roles, and acted in, produced, and promoted indie short Little Favour. He brightened television or computer screens as himself (on, respectively, Top Gear and Sesame Street), and he starred as Sherlock Holmes in the third series of the BBC’s multiply award-winning Sherlock. Merely a “what he did” description could be enough to fill these pages, but why and how these performances affect the entertainment industry’s perception of Cumberbatch and move audiences - individually as fans and, perhaps more importantly, collectively within popular culture - is the focus of this book and what makes it different from “regular” biographies.

This book also differs from the information found on Tumblr, for example, or provided by diligent webmasters who bring the latest Cumberbatch news to a very wide readership. Fan and official sites are wonderful for helping to promote an actor, provide information about his projects, and give supporters a way to connect with each other and share the fan experience. They are able to provide numerous videos or photographs that would be prohibitive for me (or MX Publishing) to buy for publication because of national and international copyrights; they can keep up with every sighting or newsbreak that a published book cannot. Although I consider myself a fan, what I have done with this book is to step back and analyse not the fact that Benedict Cumberbatch has become a star but to understand how his star has uniquely ascended so rapidly and what that means to all of us living in a celebrity-oriented culture. In this respect, the current book is much more in line with celebrity studies. I synthesise information and, as a professor/author, put it in a framework to illustrate why this actor has changed the face of stardom and the connection between modern celebrity and great acting talent. I also focus on the ramifications of Cumberbatch’s explosive celebrity and extremely devoted fandom, which affect the actor (and the public perception of the acting profession) to a degree that astounds the media and even those who work closely with Cumberbatch.

During an Entertainment Weekly interview about his critically acclaimed FX television series Fargo, star Martin Freeman - who, in Sherlock, plays John Watson - discussed his own global fame in light of such television projects and his film role as Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy. No stranger to films, fame, or fans, Freeman nonetheless seemed almost horrified by the phenomenon of co-star Cumberbatch’s career. The interviewer noted Sherlock “mania” that helped propel Cumberbatch into global fame as an actor and a sex symbol, which led Freeman to comment “The trajectory of [Cumberbatch’s rise] is very extreme... It’s deserved in his case, because he’s really good”. Would Freeman enjoy that degree of stardom? “But to that extent? No thanks. I like to be a moving target. I’ve got enough madness in my life without it being there all the time”.[3]

Benedict Cumberbatch may not have envisioned the amount of constant attention given him because of his many recent projects, but this degree of scrutiny indicates his significant role in popular culture and the fact that he represents both the best of acting and the power of celebrity.

1 Bill Keveney. “Benedict Cumberbatch’s Very Big Year.” USA Today. 29 Jan. 2014.

2 Katie Ellis. “Benedict Cumberbatch - From Star Trek to Sherlock to Oscar Night Sex Symbol.” Adelaide Advertiser. 4 Apr. 2014.

3 Josh Rottenberg. “Martin Freeman Does Not Want to Be Your Friend.” Entertainment Weekly. 1 May 2014.

Chapter 1

2013’s British Artist of the Year

“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”.[1]

Benedict Cumberbatch

By the time Cumberbatch said this in an October 2013 interview, he had already had a marvellous year, with Star Trek: Into Darkness becoming a hit that generated a great deal of new interest in the increasingly popular actor. Before the end of the year he would be seen in four more films, including his first leading role in a major studio production. To underscore Cumberbatch’s status as a rapidly rising star and one of the world’s hottest celebrities (thanks, in part, to a vibrant Internet following), the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) became the equivalent of his official society “debut” or “coming out party” within the entertainment industry. Although his fine work had been praised for many years, he had not achieved this level of public or industry awareness of him or his film roles, and the screenings, red carpets, and endless stream of interviews attested to the fact that Cumberbatch had truly “arrived”.

Four key events in 2013 and two in early 2014 best illustrate that Cumberbatch’s career no longer is “in transition” to stardom and international celebrity: earning the “new A-list” cover of the Hollywood Reporter, becoming TIFF’s “It” man, having media name 2013 the Year of the Cumberbatch, inaugurating BAFTA’s “In Conversation” series in New York, being named by Time as one of the most influential people in the world, and becoming BAFTA Britannia’s British Artist of the Year.

Any one of those popular markers of success would indicate that Cumberbatch’s career has “come of age” and earned him a respected place within the film industry, not only in the U.K. or Wellywood but increasingly in Hollywood. This level of success also feeds into and is a result of fervent media interest in everything Cumberbatch is or does.

Hollywood Reporter’s “The New A-List” Cover

Cumberbatch well represents the new A-List, as the Hollywood Reporter’s selection of him indicates. What is interesting is the “old Hollywood”-style cover photo of serious, suited Cumberbatch, his gaze turned away from the camera and toward the future (i.e., the right-hand side of the cover). He looks like a classic, posed Hollywood actor from the studio system’s glory days, right down to the white handkerchief in his pocket and his short, dark, tamed hair. The photo portrays Cumberbatch as a highly talented actor, being recognised for his body of work to date, who is part of that new A-list but also recalls the high-class elite status of old-time Hollywood’s glamorous stars.

More practically for today’s Hollywood and its financial interest in the marketability of celebrities and media projects, Cumberbatch is a hot commodity. Not only does he have many film projects in the works at one time, something that Hollywood respects in a moneymaker, but he has been part of lucrative science fiction and fantasy franchises, as well as had roles in award-winning dramas. He has mass appeal in blockbusters as well as acting cred in “serious” films. He is a celebrity, with the media reporting anything they can learn about him, and he is invited to the best parties in the U.K. and U.S. and royal fetes of the arts. He has an international fan following. He regularly receives television award nominations. In short, he is doing extremely well and generally manages his public persona to great advantage. He checks all the boxes as a member of the new A-list.

According to the Hollywood Reporter cover story, Cumberbatch is at the top of DreamWorks’ list for everything but a broad comedy. (Even after the commercial flop of DreamWorks’ The Fifth Estate, starring Cumberbatch, the studio wants to work with him; one of the actor’s movies released in 2014 is the animated The Penguins of Madagascar from DreamWorks’ Animation.) While his career provides an exciting number of choices and potential directions, the actor also has to balance the other side of celebrity - deciding how much to present of himself and how best to protect the most private aspects of his life.

The Hollywood Reporter interviewer commented upon Cumberbatch’s ability to be both warm and personable or cool and prickly, depending upon the questions being asked. The resulting portrait paints Cumberbatch as “[b]oth highly intellectual and intensely emotional... At the flick of a switch, he can turn from icy to incandescent, from dignified to indignant”.[2] These contradictory descriptions suggesting the actor’s mood shifts illustrate the final stage of Cumberbatch’s transition from being “merely” a highly respected working actor to a multimedia star with its accompanying global, especially Internet, celebrity. Sometimes, as discussed throughout the following chapters, he embraces his new lifestyle, which includes fans and paparazzi as well as a plethora of excellent roles from which to choose and the clout to establish a production company. At others, he does not respond well to media scrutiny and chooses to lash out with a harsh comment or to find a way of hiding in plain sight.

That Cumberbatch was selected for the new A-list cover is not surprising, given his remarkable number of high-profile films released in one year or his popularity in Sherlock. What may be surprising is that the actor did not “play the game” in this high-profile interview but offered the reporter - and thus his readers - a glimpse of two sides to his public persona, that of a friendly, emotional man who is not ashamed to reveal his feelings about important moments in his life and a wary professional who analyses not only an interviewer’s questions but the way his responses will be interpreted in the media.

Like the cover photo, Cumberbatch is both a man of his time and of the past. He in some ways seems as old-fashioned as some of the characters he plays. He enjoys books and is frequently reported to be carrying around at least a few tomes, electronically or in paper. He chooses not to use social media because of its frequent “vitriol” yet has a vast Internet following and sometimes uses online chat to converse with fans.

Cumberbatch at times still has difficulty incorporating both personas or types of responses within a single interview or on-camera moment in the spotlight. Yet that dichotomy allows fans to see the actor as more “real” than most Hollywood actors who only seek to deftly present a unified glossy image that is attractive but reflects only what the public wants to see in its stars. Cumberbatch well understands how media and publicity work, but he does not shy away from saying what is on his mind.

Toronto International Film Festival

One of the most prestigious international film festivals is held in Toronto in early September. The timing allows buzz to build for key films likely to be nominated for Academy Awards or BAFTAs. Although having a film at TIFF is a remarkable opportunity to showcase a film to eager public audiences as well as critics and industry insiders, the most highly publicised and therefore desirable are the red-carpeted galas that bookend the two-week festival.

In September 2013, The Fifth Estate gained the coveted opening gala spot on the schedule and was shown twice on the same date, once at the Elgin and shortly after, with full red carpet premiere media and fan attention, at Roy Thomson Hall, which seats more than 2,600. The film tackles the controversy surrounding WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange, and as such was highly anticipated.

On the red carpet, director Bill Condon explained the film’s acting challenge for Cumberbatch:

You are bringing a dramatic work to life while the person that you’re playing is just down the road... [and having] the responsibility to that person... but also to the truth,... to actually including details that person may not like.[3]

As the director noted to the media, not many actors have the opportunity to play a real person who is still living, much less one as controversial as Assange, who closely monitored the film’s progress and frequently commented to the media about his portrayal. That Cumberbatch felt a responsibility to the performance but also to the man he represented on film was a key point to make to the press on the night the film premiered at TIFF.

The gala screening itself was not as well received as DreamWorks might have expected. The director and cast (Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Carice van Houten, Dan Stevens, Alicia Vikander) sat in the auditorium’s second tier to watch the film and were rewarded with a standing ovation at the conclusion. Despite the audience’s apparent enthusiasm, the press was less charmed in their reviews published a few hours later. One of the most positive critics wrote that

I wouldn’t read into [the standing ovation] any Oscars significance.... Cumberbatch... nails Assange with a convincing Aussie accent, a slight lisp, snow-white hair and a somnambulant look in his eyes. Moreover, he gets to his essence: He is a hacker who is brilliant but also an egomaniac.[4]

Despite being lauded with praise for his acting (even though The Fifth Estate received mixed reviews), Cumberbatch remained humble during press interviews. He told the Los Angeles Times of his appreciation of the ability to work in so many films in such a short time and seemed both gratified and yet in awe of the attention even small roles in an ensemble were gaining him at TIFF. He proclaimed his love for his work when “the variations in characters are there and I’m still learning and progressing. It’s great to have the freedom to play the entire orchestra. I saw that working with Meryl Streep,”[5] and then he reiterated that he still thinks he has a great deal to learn.

Of course, the media followed him beyond the red carpet, press gatherings, and screening rooms to TIFF’s night life. During Cumberbatch’s few days in Toronto, his “off” time was also reported just as diligently, another sign of his celebrity status. One media item aptly describes the dual nature of TIFF - emphasis on and celebration of film as well as exuberant interest in the actors who star in them: “After several hours of being yelled at, lusted over and praised... , Cumberbatch found escape... at Grey Goose Soho House Toronto, where I saw him drop a few dance moves,” but because of the limitations of his tuxedo, his “grooving was short lived and more for jokes”.[6] The actor’s moves, on screen or the dance floor, seemed to be of equal media importance at TIFF.

Among the many media-and-fan encounters along the red carpet, one streamed by CityNews is typical. Whereas Cumberbatch could be more expressive during the cast’s press conference for The Fifth Estate or in one-on-one interviews scheduled throughout his time at the festival, the red-carpet interviews resembled a gauntlet of cameras and correspondents jammed into a small space leading into the cinema. The CityNews reporter eagerly awaited Cumberbatch’s arrival as the time ticked closer to the screening’s 8:00 p.m. scheduled start. The arrivals walking the press line were running late, in part because Cumberbatch signed autographs for clamouring fans and talked to all reporters waiting for him in the TIFF press area off the red carpet. One journalist advised audiences watching the livestream to “Enjoy the view” as the camera operator found a way to stand on something to provide an elevated view of Cumberbatch talking with the group next to them.

Each time another round of cheers for Cumberbatch arose from the line of fans standing next to the barrier, the actor grinned, called out a hello, and waved. The reporter gushed that he makes fans scream. Cumberbatch, seeming uncomfortable, murmured “Apparently so”.

When CityNews proclaimed this “the year of the Cumberbatch,” the actor laughed nervously and looked down. He effusively thanked the reporter for that designation before humbly adding, “I have very small roles in other films, but they’re incredibly important films, so being associated with them at all is a real honour. To have a lead role in the opening gala film for 2013 is incredible”.[7]

Cumberbatch warmed to the conversation when discussing his role as Assange. He explained that, before he took the role, he knew that Assange was the publisher of the WikiLeaks website, understood its mission, and was intrigued. When he signed on to play Assange, he then did more of what he termed “the actorly thing” by reading the source material and conducting research into Assange and WikiLeaks.[8]

Asked whether Assange is a hero or a villain, Cumberbatch said that he wanted to develop a very human character and let the audience decide how they feel about him. “It’s not for me to judge him. I’m an actor who’s portraying him”. Furthermore, the actor explained that the film does not strive to create heroes or villains but to offer “a very balanced view on very complex issues”.[9]

When another interviewer asked if he would do anything different with the role or what he thought of his performance, Cumberbatch responded that someone more objective than his fans would have to determine the quality of the work, and it is up to audiences (and critics) to determine how well he did. The actor seemed almost annoyed, or at least concerned, by the question. He remained polite but clearly was not going to praise his own performance.

Asked what being a TIFF gala selection meant for the film, he responded, “a huge deal... It’s a film about the fifth estate, which is about journalists, so they’ll come to it and make their minds up, and that’s the way it should be with this film”.[10] Cumberbatch also appreciated that a broad audience can see the films at this festival. He commended Toronto for hosting what seemed to him to be a very public-friendly event that encouraged everyone, not just critics or those in the film industry, to engage with new movies and the people who make them.

Although The Fifth Estate may have been Cumberbatch’s most impressive acting project showcased at the film festival, he was also interviewed about his supporting roles in August: Osage County and 12 Years a Slave. Whereas the Fifth Estate red-carpet reporters focused on Cumberbatch, he had a lower profile on the carpet for 12 Years a Slave. Brad Pitt, as a star and producer, received far more attention, as did lead actor Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Because Cumberbatch was running a bit late and needed to talk with a long line of reporters before the 12 Years screening began in the Princess of Wales Theatre, he walked past his fans on the way in but promised them he would return. About an hour later, he did just that, and the fans who waited were rewarded when the actor posed with them for selfies or commented on posters they had made for him.

No matter where he went, Cumberbatch made headlines and reached a wide audience of fans, critics, and journalists - as well as a global audience reading TIFF reports or watching the events stream online. During his few days in Toronto, Cumberbatch made the most of being TIFF’s “It” man.

USA Today’s “Year of the Cumberbatch”

Like TIFF’s CityNews reporter, “America’s newspaper,” USA Today, also entitled its recap of the actor’s amazing 2013 the “Year of the Cumberbatch”. Instead of focusing on Cumberbatch’s past achievements, however, the article described the actor’s forthcoming projects as evidence that 2014 also would be another incredible year for the rising star.

When he talked about his upcoming role as Amazon explorer Percy Fawcett in The Lost City of Z, Cumberbatch described his character as a “brilliant, rather lovely Victorian man who just became obsessed with this discovery he made in the Amazon jungle”[11] in the early twentieth century. The actor was clearly enthused about the role, which has been suggested will make him an action hero in the mould of Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones.

Cumberbatch only expressed displeasure when the matter of Alan Turing’s recent royal pardon came up in a conversation about the actor’s role in The Imitation Game. He explained that Turing is the one who more appropriately should have had the opportunity to pardon those responsible for his “appalling” treatment. Cumberbatch hoped that The Imitation Game would highlight this “extraordinary” man and shed light on what the actor described as a shameful part of Britain’s past.[12]

Even his brief comments illustrate how deeply he feels about each role and the amount of research he has done to understand a character’s inner life. As illustrated in the USA Today feature, he may benefit from labels like “Year of the Cumberbatch,” but he is hardly complacent about his career and looks ahead to multiple new roles on the horizon.

BAFTA’s “In Conversation”

“I am thrilled to be kick-starting this series of informal conversations with British talent for BAFTA New York and The Standard team... The association with BAFTA is a great honour”.[13] Cumberbatch’s selection as the first actor to participate in BAFTA New York’s “In Conversation” series perhaps best summarises the type of career the actor is establishing. The calibre of his work and his eloquence in discussing it make him a top choice for special events like “In Conversation,” but they also illustrate the actor’s ability to retain his “Britishness” (through the association with BAFTA) while gaining a greater foothold in the U.S. film industry. Cumberbatch and U.S.-based BAFTA organisations are a perfect match culturally and professionally.

Outdoors, the February snowstorm may not have been inviting, but the audience’s attention and support must have warmed Cumberbatch. Luke Parker Bowles, BAFTA New York’s Chairman of Film and Events, hosted the event, and The Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Feinberg served as moderator. In addition to the standing room only crowd, more than 3,000 people followed the discussion on Twitter via #BAFTANYTalk.[14]

Cumberbatch nervously rubbed at the back of his neck several times while he talked, but he glibly answered all questions and seemed to enjoy the professional stroll down memory lane. The interview was reminiscent of those conducted on theatre stages earlier in his career; he frequently elaborated on a response for more than a minute or two.

When asked about his method, Cumberbatch reiterated that each role is unique and has different requirements; therefore, he does not rely on one specific technique. Nevertheless, there are “certain parameters you have to work in as an actor... Timekeeping is one, and I’m notoriously bad at that, and learning your lines”. Perhaps thinking of his role as Sherlock, who must deliver many long speeches very rapidly, Cumberbatch mentioned that he is all right at learning lines, but sometimes it can become overwhelming. One of the most important lessons from his formal education is the way he deals with a text: “Drama school taught me to be very still and centred, and to have a very measured approach to text,”[15] instead of jumping ahead to rely on intuition when deciding how to approach a scene. Although intuition might lead to one way to play a character, taking more time to gain a greater depth of understanding of the text can lead to a more nuanced performance.

At times Cumberbatch worried that one of his comments might contradict another, to the point that he joked that the audience was getting to see inside his head, because as soon as he made one statement, he could see where another perspective also could be true. If there is one recent interview that harkens to Cumberbatch the pure actor, not the celebrity or embodiment of one of his famous roles, it is this one.

Time’s Most Influential People in the World

When Time created its list of the world’s one hundred most influential people, it categorised them by their sphere of influence. Cumberbatch earned a place among the arts’ elite. Actor Colin Firth wrote the tribute to Cumberbatch, who Time called “the alarmingly talented English star”.

Firth recalled working with Wanda Ventham and Timothy Carlton and wrote that their son seems to have inherited his parents’ generosity of spirit and immense acting talent. Firth noted that it is “rare to the point of outlandish to find so many variables in one actor... vulnerability, a sense of danger, a clear intellect, honesty, courage - and a rather alarming energy”. Readers could almost see Firth’s deadpan expression when they read his conclusion: “He must be stopped”.[16] Firth wrote the line in jest, but to actors who, unlike Firth, do not yet have their Oscar or BAFTA, the request might not seem as professionally silly - the apparently unstoppable Cumberbatch does seem to be getting an exceptional number of job offers and professional accolades.

BAFTA’s British Artist of the Year

As the BAFTA LA website explains, the Britannia Awards are the organisation’s highest level of recognition of those individuals or companies that advance the entertainment arts. Each year BAFTA LA celebrates the achievements of honourees who meet their criteria for excellence.[17] Presented on November 9, in the midst of the hoopla for films released in 2013 in which Cumberbatch has a role, the award represented a milestone in the actor’s achievements and recognition not only of his fine work but his international acclaim and celebrity.

BAFTA LA Chair Gary Dartnall underscored the many reasons why this actor was chosen for the award. Not only did Cumberbatch have a “remarkable year,” but

as one of the U.K.’s leading talents he truly exemplifies the continued respect that British talents have garnered around the globe... [He is being honoured for] [m]asterfully performing in TV, film and theatre and never failing to astound us with his talent and versatility.[18]

The award was presented by two actors who had worked with him on recent films, Alice Eve (Star Trek: Into Darkness) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave). Even though Cumberbatch knew well in advance that he would receive this award, he nonetheless visibly took a deep breath, exclaimed “oh, goodness me,” and rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand (one of the actor’s now well-recognised nervous mannerisms) as he waited for the applause to die down.

In a humble acceptance speech - anathema to the glowing introduction by his friends and a brief clip reel illustrating his skill as an actor - Cumberbatch proclaimed that “Not only is my job a privilege, because I love it [and] the people I get to work with, the inspiring, inspiring people I get to work with, many whom are in front of me, and many who were on the screen behind me just now, and on stage with me”.[19] Cumberbatch interrupted himself with praise for Ejiofor and his work in 12 Years a Slave and disbelief that he, not Ejiofor, was named British Artist of the Year.

Cumberbatch then thanked the crew for their work and attributed his ability to do his job well to the support provided by cast and crew members. More specifically, he thanked U.S. agent Billy Lazarus of UTA and U.K. agent John Grant of Conway, Van Gelder, and Grant - as well as, by name, their staff members. Finally, he expressed his gratitude to his sister, niece, and parents; he never fails to mention them during interviews or to somehow bring them into his work. Not surprisingly, Cumberbatch was most eloquent when talking about his family.

Throughout 2014, the media continually referred to Cumberbatch’s star status. Headlines listed both him and movie icon Johnny Depp when discussing the Whitey Bulger movie. The media noted Elbow’s (and fans’) disappointment when Cumberbatch could not make a surprise appearance on stage with the band at the Glastonbury Festival because the gig conflicted with his filming schedule, but he still received a great deal of publicity when the media learned of the proposed appearance. He was one of the most popular celebrities at San Diego Comic-Con. Seemingly everyone wants Cumberbatch, and his schedule now is being planned more than a year in advance to accommodate his many projects. Not surprisingly, everything he does becomes the subject of media headlines.

Whether he is steering his career into new territory, as producer or commentator, or building on the solid foundation of roles in television, film, radio, or theatre, Benedict Cumberbatch is no longer in the “transition” to stardom, with its international acclaim for his acting, an abundance of proffered roles, and the celebrity benefits and frustrations that accompany fame.

As will be analysed in later chapters, 2013 may end up being the most important year of Cumberbatch’s professional life, as far as the number of projects and media fascination with them and him, but, even if it becomes only one of several key years in a long-term career in the public eye, 2013 will be seen as the year of Cumberbatch’s arrival as one of the most in-demand actors working today and the media’s and fandom’s crowning of him as the actor/celebrity to watch.

1 James Mottram. “’It’s Not Like I’ve Completely Conquered Everything’: Benedict Cumberbatch Interview.” Independent. 4 Oct. 2013.

2 Stephen Galloway. “The Confessions of Benedict Cumberbatch.” Hollywood Reporter. 20 Sep. 2013.

3 Bill Condon. Toronto International Film Festival. 5 Sep. 2013.

4 Scott Feinberg. “Toronto: Awards Prospects Limited for Fest Opener, The Fifth Estate (Analysis).” Hollywood Reporter. 5 Sep. 2013.

5 Betsy Sharkey. “TIFF: A Bounty of Benedict Cumberbatch Performances.” Los Angeles Times. 10 Sep. 2013.

6 Elanie Lui. “TIFF Party Report: Wait, What Do They Call Benedict Cumberbatch Superfans?” Globe and Mail. 6 Sep. 2013.

7 CityNews Toronto. The Fifth Estate Red Carpet at TIFF. LiveStream. 5 Sep. 2013.

8 Ibid.

9 Ibid.

10 Ibid.

11 Bill Keveney. “Benedict Cumberbatch’s Very Big Year.”

12 Ibid.

13 Richard Horgan. “Benedict Cumberbatch Guarantees the BAFTA New York ‘Fun.’” MediaBistro. 11 Feb. 2014.

14 BAFTA, New York. “In Conversation with Benedict Cumberbatch.” 20 Feb. 2014.

15 Ibid.

16 Colin Firth. “Benedict Cumberbatch.” Time. 27 Apr. 2014.

17 BAFTA LA. “The Britannia Awards: Benedict Cumberbatch.” 4 Sep. 2013.

18 Ibid.

19 The BAFTA Los Angeles Jaguar Britannia Awards. BBC America. Dir. Russell Norman. 10 Nov. 2013.

Chapter 2

Star Trek’s Khan Games

Khan: I am better.

Kirk: At what?

Khan: Everything.[20]

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Many critics and fans agree with Khan’s assessment - especially as it pertains to Cumberbatch’s performance as Khan in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek: Into Darkness.[21] After the first trailer featuring Cumberbatch arrived in cinemas in December 2012, one reviewer wrote that Cumberbatch’s “creepy voiceover and broody presence is the clear highlight of the short clip”. That was months before filmgoers witnessed not only Khan’s but Cumberbatch’s takeover of a summer blockbuster. In complimenting the actor on “doing a great job of establishing menace,” one critic suggested that the role might even take the actor to the Oscars.[22]

Cumberbatch did land on stage at the 2014 Oscars, but as an award presenter and, at the end of the evening, cast member in Best Motion Picture winner 12 Years a Slave. Star Trek: Into Darkness certainly gained the actor a much larger global audience - and, more important, a mainstream audience of blockbuster-lovers worldwide, which helped lead to his becoming an Academy Awards presenter. Star Trek, however, is not the type of film that traditionally wins Oscars. When BAFTA or Academy Award season rolled around, Star Trek, while receiving kudos for technical achievements, unsurprisingly did not garner acting nominations. Sci-fi or fantasy movies do not tend to receive Oscars for acting or directing, or as best picture, no matter how much money they make at the box office or how much media attention they generate. (Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, with best picture and directing Oscars among its eleven, is a big exception in Academy history.)

Khan did win Cumberbatch a nomination in the Best Villain category at the MTV Awards, but the actor lost to Mila Kunis, who portrayed the Wicked Witch in Oz the Great and Powerful.

Of course, only hindsight will tell where Star Trek ultimately ranks in Cumberbatch’s list of career-changing films. It successfully showcased Cumberbatch (whose name takes up the width of the screen credits), but the role only received so much attention because Cumberbatch did his job well first.

Even the first teaser trailer signalled a major shift in the way the film industry perceives Cumberbatch and tipped the scale toward his being recognised globally as a movie star. Its release in December 2012 was carefully timed to coincide with a peak movie-going time of year. The film’s first official publicity included a poster, media PR event in Tokyo, and nine-minute trailer distributed to select IMAX cinemas, many that, in the U.S., were showing The Hobbit. The addition of the trailer thus provided the actor with cross-promotion.

In Japan in early December, Cumberbatch publicised Star Trek with Chris Pine (playing James T. Kirk). Paramount paired Cumberbatch - the lead villain generating most of the buzz about the next instalment of the Star Trek franchise - with the film’s and franchise’s de facto hero, Kirk.[23] The good guy-bad guy dichotomy made for intriguing speculation about the film, but it also marked the first time that Cumberbatch stood out from the rest of the cast in publicity. Cumberbatch was placed firmly in the spotlight as a Hollywood blockbuster star with this first Star Trek promotional junket.

Another interesting shift in the media’s perception of Cumberbatch’s career occurred in December 2012. For the first time since becoming popular for playing Sherlock Holmes, the actor was identified as “Star Trek’s Cumberbatch” instead of the previously common “Sherlock’s Cumberbatch”. The shift was not lost on the actor’s management, who, according to Cumberbatch, “was just wetting themselves” when the early trailer generated immediate interest. On his way home from Japan, he stopped in Los Angeles and attended the Children’s Defense Fund Beat the Odds gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. He told one reporter that his talent agency “were ringing me up and sending me emails. It’s really exciting”.[24]

That Star Trek marked another level in his career was duly noted about a year earlier, when Cumberbatch was “pleased when I got the offer. But I know the second [Abrams’ Star Trek film] would become far-bigger scale, so I felt terror instantly”.[25] A year later, the actor began enjoying the results of his stellar performance and its appeal not only to audiences, which gained him fans within another genre (science fiction) and a broader international fanbase, but to Hollywood insiders who can see him as a bankable actor for much higher-profile films.

Prominent media magazines such as U.K. film specialist Empire and U.S. pop culture favourite Entertainment Weekly featured Cumberbatch in his Star Trek role on the covers of February 2013 issues, months before the film’s release. That trend continued through the movie’s debut, with Cumberbatch’s Khan next to Pine’s Kirk or Zachary Quinto’s Spock on many magazine covers worldwide.

During the first press interviews for this film, long before its release, the actor described his as-yet-unrevealed character as “very ruthless... not a clearly good or evil character. He is a villain but the actions he takes [have] intent and reason. He is a complicated character”.[26] Cumberbatch acknowledged that such characters are the hallmark of Abrams’ work, and he felt challenged as an actor to play the role.

Once the film was released worldwide, Cumberbatch frequently was singled out for praise and for raising the level of acting among his colleagues. He was mobbed everywhere he went to promote the film during summer 2013, including in Japan in mid-July. At the Narita airport a casually dressed Cumberbatch seemed overwhelmed to see hundreds of fans awaiting his arrival, but he graciously thanked them.

In contrast to his less formal attire, lack of makeup, and naturally tousled hair when he got off the plane in Japan, Cumberbatch’s “movie star” appearance generated plenty of international commentary when he later appeared for an interview on Japanese television. The actor’s heavy stage makeup and curls laden with product made some reporters question his “Hollywood” look.[27] Such a difference perhaps best exemplifies the shift between Cumberbatch being himself - or at least the public persona he chooses to present to his fans - and the “manufactured” look of a movie star. The dichotomy also illustrates the transitional phase between actor and celebrity/star, when the “real” and the “movie star” styles still can be easily differentiated.

Cumberbatch’s high-profile role in Star Trek made a mainstream movie-going audience aware of him and his acting excellence in reinventing a classic sci-fi character. The actor proved his credibility as an action star, and, equally important, his Star Trek character contrasts his roles in dramatic films that made the rounds of festivals later that year. Star Trek became the first of a series of films released in 2013 that helped prove to even more critics and a broader international audience that Cumberbatch consistently conveys a watchable character and provides layers of characterisation, no matter the size of the role. When he is on screen, audiences automatically want to watch him.

Courting Controversy with Khan

The character-development and marketing history of director Abrams’ Star Trek: Into Darkness, the second movie in the rebooted franchise featuring a new, younger cast playing the iconic characters from “classic Trek,” the 1966-69 NBC television series, received nearly as much publicity as the film itself. In the script, Abrams exchanged “traditional” Khan for a new model of terrorist, then promoted (and had the cast obfuscate about the identity of) “John Harrison” as the villain, only to reveal that the character is indeed Khan. Although many fans suspected the real identity of “John Harrison” long before the film was released, the official word - to which Cumberbatch adhered - was that he played a character named Harrison.

The controversy over the role Cumberbatch would play in the film and the resulting backlash against Into Darkness as a result of the “Khan games” Star Trek fans felt were perpetuated during filming had a surprising effect on Cumberbatch’s celebrity image as well as critics’ and audiences’ perception of him in this role.

Initially, Benicio Del Toro seemed set to play the role but walked away apparently because of failed salary negotiations. A December 2011 article about Del Toro’s departure noted that fans would be “excited to see a new take on Khan, and Del Toro seemed oddly perfect for the role. With him out, Abrams has a lot of work to do in filling that character role, especially with Star Trek 2 scheduled to begin filming in a matter of weeks”.[28]

During late-December holidays, Cumberbatch, with the aid of friends late one night, delivered an iPhone audition that won him the role.[29] While Cumberbatch fans celebrated the casting news, some Star Trek fans grumbled about the whitewashing of Khan, but others posted comments to ameliorate the discontent. One fan defended the casting choice as a matter of circumstance more than an intentional whitewash. After negotiations with Del Toro fell through,

they were still looking for a Latino actor. But with such a short amount of time before the start of production, it seems it was difficult finding an available Indian or Latino actor... and they gave Benedict Cumberbatch the opportunity to audition. Apparently, he blew everyone away.[30]

By choosing basically to remake Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan as Star Trek: Into Darkness and to reintroduce Khan as a key villain in his newly “re-imagined” Trek universe, Abrams decided both to court long-time fans by bringing back a favourite and to entice new audiences with a character who could be ruthless and fearsome but nuanced. Abrams planned not only to surprise audiences with Khan, but, with the casting of Cumberbatch, ultimately switched classic Asian Khan Noonien Singh with European Khan.

What turned out to be surprising - and fortunate for Cumberbatch - was the lack of unified fan outrage against the shift in the character’s race or cultural background. Although some Star Trek fans have continued to criticise Cumberbatch’s casting, their ire was not directed toward the actor but an often-followed principal of casting white actors to play roles written for people of colour. Racebending.com raised the most objections on-line while admitting that Paramount’s Star Trek: Into Darkness was too big a movie to effectively boycott - too many fans waited too long to see it, and most of those fans likely are happy that the Enterprise crew includes men and women of colour in key roles, a holdover from Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a utopian future.

To accompany the article discussing the white-washing of Khan, the website paired a photo of Cumberbatch with light hair from his time filming Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy with a photo of dark-skinned Khan (as played by makeup-darkened Ricardo Montalban) in the Star Trek television episode, “Space Seed”. The site clearly stated its problem with Cumberbatch’s casting, especially in light of the secrecy about the character he would portray. The combination of secrecy and casting a white British actor as Khan turns

what seems like a casting move that would typically be defended by cries of “best actor for the job, not racism” [into] something more cunning, more malicious. [It] creates intrigue around and interest in the role, but it also prevents advocacy groups... from building campaigns to protest the white-washing.[31]

Nevertheless, this key change in the character seemed to be accepted by the majority of critics and fans. “New Khan,” like Enterprise crew members in Abrams’ reboot, had a new face, updated backstory, and plenty of action scenes designed to attract the next generation of the venerable franchise’s fans. Little dissent about Khan was actually heard once the film premiered; most critics found Cumberbatch very good in the role.

The most effusive review of Cumberbatch’s performance (with a backhanded compliment to the film) was published in The Spectator, where cinema critic David Blackburn called the actor “brilliant” as Khan. He

follows the Richard Burton School of Acting in Trash and approaches the film as if it were serious. He delivers even the most cartoonish lines as if Christopher Marlowe had written them.... His baddie is a demonic über-warrior, a genetically modified hulk of testosterone and savagery.[32]

This critic, who also provided yet another backhanded compliment to Cumberbatch as the actor behind such a fantastic villain, made a rather disparaging comparison between the performer’s on- and off-camera sound and manner. He noted that, in the role of Khan, Cumberbatch’s voice is much smoother and deeper than his natural “rasp”. Furthermore, although the actor may be “geeky” in real life, he knows how to turn himself into a superb villain.

Through Khan, Abrams also repackaged a famous Star Trek character as another American movie-making stereotype, the British villain. Rising star Cumberbatch, with his classic British theatrical training and fame playing quintessential British literary icon Sherlock Holmes, faced the same fate as many a deep-voiced Brit before him - relegation as the embodiment of evil in an American film. Khan even became linked to London; Cumberbatch’s character bombs London before attacking San Francisco.

From the get-go, however, Cumberbatch emphasised that his character is a new type of terrorist, “not your usual two-dimensional, cookie-cutter villain” that the actor said he hoped would make audiences “sympathise with the reasons for what he’s doing, not necessarily the means and the destruction he causes”.[33] Cumberbatch’s character was not meant to mimic Montalban’s, but to be more complex and more subtly acted.

Khan: The Role

The role Cumberbatch plays is vastly different from the one scripted for Montalban in the 1982 movie, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. That character seeks to avenge the death of his wife and beloved friends after being exiled by Kirk, then abandoned, on what becomes a barren planet. Khan’s motive is simple: revenge. He has a very personal grudge against Kirk. The superman, thanks to genetic engineering, awakened in cinemas in 2013’s Star Trek: Into Darkness has much more of a motivational problem; he becomes a terrorist working against the Federation, presumably because his crew is being held hostage, and sabotaging Starfleet is his best way to free his friends.

Cumberbatch makes audiences believe that rather awkward backstory and assumes the role of a prime villain. Khan’s emotional range (which, for the movie’s “heavy,” is surprisingly wide and deep), physical grace and power, and voice effectively provide gravitas to what otherwise could have been a silly blockbuster movie villain.

Kirk hunts down Khan, who then surprisingly surrenders to him after saving the Captain and his away team from death by Klingon. Back on the Enterprise, when Kirk angrily addresses the incarcerated Khan, Cumberbatch lets the moment build before Khan responds. During this pause, Khan drags his eyes slowly up the Captain until he makes unblinking eye contact. Instead of Kirk being in charge of his prisoner, Khan assesses Kirk and decides best how to talk with him. It is a subtle power shift, but it works beautifully to illustrate that Khan is hardly incapacitated. Khan’s serpent-like eyes in this scene provide a mesmerising quality to his gaze. Without moving, Cumberbatch-as-Khan exudes menace and seems all-seeing.

Khan also cries for his comrades. Most villains never show the emotional “weakness” of shedding even the quietest tears, and, if they do, their emotion is highly suspect because, after all, they are villains who are supposed to lie to other characters (and the audience); they are not meant to engender empathy. When Khan becomes emotional about his crew, he turns his back to his captors, but the audience can clearly see his eyes fill. A single drop overflows and runs down his cheek.

If audiences believe that Khan genuinely loves his crew and will do anything to get them back, then they can accept his motive for everything from destroying swaths of major cities to surrendering to Kirk to manipulating others to get what he wants. Khan can become a multidimensional character only if audiences accept that he is more than just a bad guy who mindlessly seeks the Federation’s destruction. Cumberbatch sells that pivotal scene. He quietly manipulates audiences’ perception of Khan and makes him human, not just a killing machine.

Similarly, every simple action has precise character meaning. After Doctor McCoy takes a blood sample from Khan, Cumberbatch has the villain holding his arm as he watches and waits to see what will happen. When it becomes apparent Kirk is going to talk with him, Khan immediately drops the “weak” stance of holding his arm and instead positions his arms slightly out to his sides. The pose emphasises his bulk and indicates that he is ready for anything. Even such slight, deliberate movement illustrates the thought behind the performance.

When Khan takes over a Federation ship, Cumberbatch again could play the scene way over the top, but, although looking every inch the Big Bad as Khan crushes a skull with his bare hands, he never trips over that fine line into silliness.

Cumberbatch’s performance is so different from Montalban’s that the new, three-dimensional Khan created for IMAX 3D positively separates Cumberbatch from the prior interpretation of Khan. By the end of the year, Khan was listed as number five among the Top 10 Movie Villains of 2013, as compiled by Entertainment.ie. The website lauded Cumberbatch’s Khan as “a morally complex character” for whom audiences “might’ve felt some compassion... had he not kerb-stomped on Alice Eve [Carol Marcus], and then squashed her father’s skull in his hands in front of her”.[34]

Promotional Appearances for Star Trek

The saga of Abrams’ “Khan games” perpetuated on the audience and Cumberbatch’s elevated media profile can be traced through a series of promotional television appearances at home and abroad. The actor was talking about his privacy in light of so much media attention when he commented that “You can’t control perceptions any more”.[35] The intense interest in everything he does, whether in front of the camera or behind closed doors, typically results in dozens of online and in-print articles every day. Everyone nowadays seems to form and share opinions about what a star really is like - the person behind the public persona - based on photos snapped anytime, anywhere. Whereas, during Hollywood’s bygone Golden Age, a star’s image could be controlled by zealous publicists, agents, or studios who ensured an actor looked as nearly perfect as possible at a public event like a red carpet or during an interview, today’s prevalence of social media and anyone’s ability to immediately share photos or videos largely has done away with the actor/celebrity’s ability to constantly manage his image.

One of the few places where an actor/celebrity can do so today is the talk show. In this setting, hosts do not want to antagonise their guests, or no one will want to grace their couch. Depending upon the host, the format is usually well established, so that host and guest - and the audience - know what will be asked or answered during a show. Few surprises take place, unless the guest decides to do something out of the ordinary or say something indiscreet or provocative. Most of the time, the guest determines how the conversation will go or how to react to the host’s sometimes silly but usually innocuous requests. In short, as much as possible in a public forum recorded and replayed for millions, the talk show is a setting where the guest can control perceptions far more easily than while being photographed, for example, eating lunch, walking with friends from a cinema, or carrying luggage through an airport - all settings where Cumberbatch has been photographed and everything from his attire to attitude critiqued in headlines.

Media frenzy was especially apparent during the double whammy of Sherlock filming and national premieres of Star Trek: Into Darkness, and Cumberbatch was booked on talk shows in the U.K. and U.S. to promote Into Darkness around the schedule for filming Sherlock episodes. In the U.S., Cumberbatch primarily had been featured in entertainment news, ranging from media reports that touted his heavy work load (like those in Variety or The Hollywood Reporter) or television interviews broadcast from red carpets to cable networks like MTV or E!. Star Trek publicity in the States afforded him a wider mainstream audience who might not yet be familiar with Sherlock or Cumberbatch’s previous television or film roles. For the first time, Cumberbatch was invited onto the talk-show couches of David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon, as well as popular morning news-and-entertainment show Today.

Although most Cumberbatch fans undoubtedly had already found a way to watch the actor on The Graham Norton Show recorded soon after the London Star Trek premiere, the episode was first broadcast in the U.S. on BBC America at the start of what proved to be a very busy few days for talk show-following American fans. Cumberbatch fielded questions on NBC’s Today (in the 10-11 a.m. EDT time slot) and CBS’ Late Show with David Letterman (11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. EDT) on May 9 and was a guest on May 10 on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (12:35-1:35 a.m. EDT).

These shows reached different audience demographics. Ratings published for the week of May 6-10 showed that Letterman averaged 2.7 million viewers, and Fallon was watched by 1.7 million, winning its time slot.[36] Fallon’s audience typically skews younger than Letterman’s, but the combination provided Cumberbatch with a much wider demographic who could get to know him - or develop an opinion about his public persona - based on these appearances.

Cumberbatch briefly (sometimes within only a few seconds) had to make a positive impression via mainstream U.S. entertainment media that reached millions of potential moviegoers (and new fans). His wardrobe, demeanour, and body language were just as important as his words.

The Graham Norton Show

Cumberbatch’s appearance on The Graham Norton Show[37] is a good indicator of his budding-movie-star persona. Immaculate in a dark suit, the actor looked formal and professional, his demeanour relaxed to the point that, late in the show, he lounged (as much as someone with good posture can slouch on the couch). When host Norton teased him about the name of his fans, Cumberbatch “acted” embarrassed with obvious mannerisms at the term “Cumberbitches” and suggested an alternative: “The Cumber Collective”. He has made similar comments before, and during much of the show he gave safe, expected responses to Norton’s questions.

For example, he retold the Star Trek story that had already been shared on the Internet after a previous media interview. Cumberbatch’s castmates played a prank by telling him to wear dots of “neutron cream” on his face to protect himself from low-dose radiation in the facility where they were filming. Of course, there is no such item as neutron cream (and there was no radiation requiring safety precautions). Nevertheless, Cumberbatch believed his co-workers and dutifully shielded his face, to their great delight. The story allowed Cumberbatch to seem much less observational than Sherlock, but also more human and approachable as a celebrity.

During one segment, Norton asked fans how far they had travelled to be in the studio audience. When a few who journeyed hours by bus or plane to see Cumberbatch identified themselves, the actor bounded up the stairs to bestow hugs and buss cheeks - a move guaranteed to endear him to fans. It also encouraged fellow Star Trek actor Chris Pine to do the same for those “Pine Nuts” who likewise travelled a long way. The activity seemed unscripted, spontaneous fun, but it also reinforced the image of Cumberbatch as a man who publicly thanks his fans for their support.

The Graham Norton Show also provided an opportunity for Cumberbatch to initiate an interaction with fans in a controlled environment (i.e., he was not going to be mobbed on camera). This has become the reality of Cumberbatch’s new level of fame. He must balance communicating directly with fans and safety for himself and others.

Unlike in some television interviews, in which Cumberbatch displayed nervous mannerisms (e.g., the thigh rub/pat, hand-brush over his head), with Norton the actor’s gestures were far more controlled, his speaking pace conversationally slower, and his tone evenly warm and inviting. In short, Cumberbatch came across as friendly, humble, humorous, and appreciative - everything the public could want from a star.

Late Show with David Letterman

In contrast to Cumberbatch’s easy familiarity with Norton, the actor had possibly the most awkward interview of his career on Late Show with David Letterman.[38] Cumberbatch was forced to comment on his facial expressions compared to those of otters and watched a humorous fake clip before the real Star Trek scene was shown.

Like many viewers worldwide who later watched the interview online, Cumberbatch did not quite know what to make of some of the host’s comments. Letterman referred to Star Wars instead of Star Trek (long before rumours about Star Wars casting involved Cumberbatch). Whereas long-time Late Show fans recognised the host was “just being Dave,” Cumberbatch fans criticised Letterman and wondered if he was the reason why the actor seemed so nervous. However, Cumberbatch won over Letterman with the quality of his Star Trek acting. The host complimented the actor after watching a brief clip: “No offense to the rest of the cast, but you really don’t need much more than you”.

Fans around the world discussed this interview more than any of Cumberbatch’s other Star Trek promotional appearances, whether because Cumberbatch came on after a segment with zoo animals, seemed nervous (or simply tired) when talking with Letterman, or put up with his zany, seemingly uninformed comments.

Despite criticism about Letterman’s style, the interview provided insightful information for Americans who, like Letterman, knew very little about the actor or his career. Cumberbatch described an early audition, his teaching duties in Tibet during his gap year, and Khan. He alerted potential new fans to a previous role in War Horse and came across as intelligent, thoughtful, and well spoken.

With Letterman, Cumberbatch’s formal “Britishness” was also on display. Not only did he admit he overdressed for the occasion, but his audition story was about playing James Bond. When first introduced, he quietly asked the host where he should sit and later to which monitor to direct his attention. He looked like a Letterman newbie (which he was), but this is not criticism. Cumberbatch differed from the glib, flamboyant, often supremely outgoing (usually American) guests sitting in the interview chair; he was memorable because his interview had some substance amid the filler.

Today

Cumberbatch’s brief appearance on Today[39] was polished and relaxed. Dressed more casually than he was for Graham Norton or Letterman, the actor seemed more laid back. His sound bite-sized answers in the ninety seconds allotted to his interview gave audiences the neutron cream story and a brief introduction to his role in Star Trek. He mentioned previous roles as scientists Stephen Hawking and Werner Heisenberg that Americans just getting to know him may not have seen or even known about; he listed roles from television and radio, as well as the film he was promoting. Cumberbatch was succinct, well spoken, well dressed, confident, still humble, and sexily deep voiced. He exuded star power.

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Late night audiences saw a very different Cumberbatch on the evening following the Letterman visit. With Letterman, the actor was a good sport when teased about photos comparing his expressions to those of an otter. With Fallon, Cumberbatch carried on a conversation and helped determine the direction the interview would take. Of course, Fallon helped set the tone for the five-minute segment by enthusiastically praising the actor’s work on Sherlock and giving Cumberbatch a chance to mention his joy in doing the series. When Fallon provided an obvious introduction to a game that Cumberbatch said he and co-star Martin Freeman play during downtime on the Sherlock set, the actor showed off his ability to do impressions. He also turned the tables on Fallon by having him do an impression as well.[40]

The only problem with this interview is one that critics of Sherlock bring up as well - the speed of Cumberbatch’s speech. He and Fallon set an “off to the races” pace as soon as the actor sat down, which was helpful in allowing them to cover several topics in the short time allotted for the segment, but Cumberbatch also stuttered occasionally or nervously rubbed his face while explaining the impressions game.

As most U.S. hosts have done, Fallon marched over ground previously traversed by so many other interviewers that fans could probably recite the answers to the questions posed to Cumberbatch. “Cumberbitches” always seems worthy of discussion by the host and remorse, on the basis of feminism, by Cumberbatch. A viewing of Sherlock-inspired fan art led to a funny story of Cumberbatch’s fan moment with his idol, Harrison Ford.

By the time Fallon was ready to show the Star Trek clip, the pace of the conversation seemed less frantic and more genuine, especially when Fallon mentioned that he had read that Cumberbatch teared up for a moment on the red carpet during Star Trek’s London premiere. Cumberbatch admitted that he had, adding that he had tried to brush off a fan’s concern by pretending the wind had made his eyes water. It took all of four minutes to get to this point, but Cumberbatch seemed less celebrity and more “one of us” as the interview continued. The host and guest seemed to hit it off, and, not surprisingly, when Cumberbatch had another film to promote later in the year, Fallon invited him back.

Of three interviews within twenty-four hours shown on U.S. television, the ones from The Graham Norton Show and Today are by far the better as far as development of that movie star persona. Cumberbatch looked suave, confident, yet still approachable from those reach-out-and-hug moments with fans or his perfectly timed responses to Today’s questions. His voice was lower and sexier, and he looked like a man in charge of his destiny, reaping the public benefits of some very hard work. However, the Letterman interview presented a self-effacing yet still confident actor who, even when thrown into some unexpectedly silly situations, gamely dealt with them.

Abrams and the Infamous Khan Shower Scene

When Cumberbatch began receiving immense critical praise for his acting in Star Trek, he became an even more effective marketing device to be used on U.K. or U.S. talk shows to promote the film. Abrams generated far more publicity for Cumberbatch - and with far-reaching impact on his celebrity image - than anyone initially would have suspected when the director promoted Star Trek on Conan a few days after Cumberbatch’s U.S. interviews had been broadcast.

Abrams faced backlash about a gratuitous “male-gaze” underwear shot of Alice Eve’s character, Carol Marcus. In one scene, Marcus asks Kirk to turn his back while she changes clothes for an away mission. He peeks, and the camera focuses on Marcus, arms held away from her body so that the camera can “gaze” upon her lingerie-clad form. The camera tilts up to fill the frame with Marcus’ body and “put her on a pedestal” with the shot. Thus, it becomes a lingering “male-gaze” camera shot idealising a woman’s body so that, presumably, male viewers can enjoy the view.

On late night talk show Conan, instead of effectively apologising to offended fans, as many Trekkers and feminists expected, Abrams presented a deleted “female-gaze” shower scene of Khan.[41] This scene had been cut from the film, which immediately placed it in a different category from the “male-gaze” shot. However, its removal from the final cut made the scene exclusive to Conan (until it was shared online and took on a life of its own). In the “female-gaze” scene, the camera slowly pans up Khan’s body, from roughly waist level to his face. The camera lingers on Khan’s glistening chest.

The shift in focus from male- to female-gaze cinematography did little to endear Abrams to Trek fans in general and caused social critics to wonder at the director’s decision simply to switch the sexual emphasis to a male character. Host Conan O’Brien predictably heightened the clip’s sex appeal by adding “brown cow” or “porn” music, much to the audience’s and Abrams’ amusement.

During Cumberbatch’s interview with O’Brien in December 2013, while the actor promoted his role as Smaug in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, he was forced to revisit the Khan shower clip, which Conan showed yet again (and resulted in yet more online media linking to it throughout the next few days).[42] Cumberbatch, who likely had been warned that O’Brien would bring up the clip, explained that a friend informed him that he had been seen “half naked” on Conan. His initial reaction to Abrams’ decision to show the shower scene was “Damn the man. He’s just sort of thrown me out there, under the bus”.

Even during the December interview Cumberbatch seemed embarrassed by the scene, although he poked fun at his expression in it and emphasised that he was only teasing Abrams with his criticism. His “oh, God” as the clip began and pained expressions immediately before and after it was shown indicate his feelings about the publicity given to a clip shown out of context and playing up beefcake instead of his dramatic chops.

Nevertheless, Cumberbatch’s reputation was not under the bus. Cumberbatch, trying to be a good sport when the clip was broadcast not once but twice on Conan, seemed to be the victim of a prank. He has never traded on his appearance or tried to gain fame as a sex symbol, although many fans find him incredibly attractive and regularly rate him highly on “sexiest men” lists. If anything, the actor has downplayed or made fun of his looks. However, because he has been embarrassed by Abrams’ interview but only commented about it in a joking way or explained that directors routinely decide how to showcase a performance without the actor’s input, Cumberbatch benefitted even from this stunt. He remains a “good employee” who tries to do what is best for the movie, whether that means “months of white lies, and I’m going straight to hell for that man”[43] or not firing off negative comments about his director showing a shower scene without his knowledge.

Abrams, on the other hand, faced average or even negative film reviews, in addition to backlash from long-time Trek fans. Once the initial fervour over a new Trek movie diminished after an opening weekend of “just” $84 million box office,[44] the film’s plot was picked apart and found lacking in substance.

By December 2013, Abrams admitted during an MTV interview that keeping Khan a secret maybe was not the smartest marketing move. The director said, “it probably would have been smarter just to say upfront ‘This is who it is.’ It was only trying to preserve the fun of it”.[45] Abrams further explained the dilemma in marketing the film in light of the “Khan question”. The studio felt it was important not only to attract Star Trek fans but to reach out to a wider audience. Mentioning Khan was in the film, the studio feared, would make it seem like moviegoers already had to know Star Trek in order to enjoy the film. Abrams admitted that he could understand the studio’s position, but he also wondered “if it would have seemed a little bit less like an attempt at deception if we had just come out with it”.[46]

With the publication of these and similar statements, Cumberbatch was again metaphorically hung out to dry, even without a sexy shower scene. While he should have been promoting The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, interviewers often brought up Abrams’ recently announced regret at keeping Khan a secret. The actor was asked to comment about misleading journalists until Into Darkness debuted and being extremely vague in his answers to interviewers’ questions.

Cumberbatch is usually an excellent interview because he provides detailed insights into his character’s development and significance. Being unable to do so (or feeling compelled to lie about the character) during the early press junkets for Into Darkness could have damaged his reputation with journalists or provided a less positive image of the actor among those just getting to know him. Instead of seeming upset about Abrams’ second-guessing the effectiveness of keeping Khan a secret, Cumberbatch reported that being in a cinema and hearing the audience respond positively (and enthusiastically) to the character saying his real name is Khan “made all the lying worthwhile”.[47]

Perhaps a not-so-unexpected “benefit” to being seen “half naked” on television was having fans appropriate the clip, turn it into an animated .gif, and post it to numerous Tumblr and other fan sites across the Internet. The image of Khan’s body slowly turning in the shower is now digitally immortalised as a testament to Cumberbatch’s beefed up body, the result of many hours of training and careful nutrition prior to taking on the role of Khan. Cumberbatch’s - not Khan’s - sex appeal on screen has been promoted and his reputation as a sex symbol (which is not an image the actor courts) has increased because of fan promotion of clips or stills from the shower scene.

Whereas 2013 seemed to be Cumberbatch’s year, and his Star Trek performance and its global publicity brought him more attention than ever, the film franchise and Abrams received a great deal of criticism. During Creation Entertainment’s annual Star Trek megaconvention in Las Vegas, fans voted Into Darkness as the worst Trek film of all time,[48] in large part because of the way the sequel’s plot relied heavily on the fan-voted best film, Wrath of Khan, instead of boldly going where no one had gone before with the franchise.

Cumberbatch and Future Khan

Cumberbatch’s influence on the Star Trek franchise includes more than the actor’s role in the movie. Cumberbatch-as-Khan is increasingly becoming part of Star Trek canon. In Alan Dean Foster’s novelisation of Star Trek: Into Darkness, Khan’s physical and vocal descriptions match Cumberbatch’s performance and appearance. Additionally, Cumberbatch’s face is featured in photographs and artists’ drawings of Khan in the IDW limited-run comic book series, Star Trek: Khan.

Foster’s Novelisation and Cumberbatch’s Performance

Foster’s novelisation of Star Trek: Into Darkness gives readers insights into the film’s script, the actors’ performances, and the author’s own development of iconic characters. In particular, this novelisation offers a slightly different interpretation of Khan even from the screen version - one much closer to Cumberbatch’s description of his character during the many press interviews surrounding the film’s many international premieres.

As Foster mentioned during an interview with StarTrek.com,[49] he wrote this novelisation at a time when e-publishing permits changes to be made nearly to the last minute before official publication, which gave him the ability to merge the script and information gleaned during filming and post-production with his view of the story. In particular, characters could be significantly expanded in print - a film audience usually is not privy to a character’s innermost thoughts or interior monologue.

As Cumberbatch restated during publicity for Star Trek but perhaps said best in a Rolling Stone interview,[50] “one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter”. Putting his character in a more favourable light, the actor noted that “The care he has for his people, his crew and his family is a complete parallel to Kirk”.

In his novel, Foster expanded upon this idea, not only in descriptions that go beyond script direction or elements of Cumberbatch’s performance. At eight separate points in the novel, the author refers to Harrison/ Khan as a saviour, whether his actions save a child or a Captain. Instead of making Khan only a villain, the novelisation supports Cumberbatch’s interpretation that Khan is capable of doing great harm, but he also can use his considerable learned skills, as well as his genetically enhanced body, to save others.

The novel, much more than the film, explains the Spock-Khan chess match late in the film that determines where Khan’s crew ends up. The author’s license to explain actions and motivations in greater detail is a benefit to Khan’s character development. Once the Enterprise is (temporarily) safe, Doctor McCoy’s page-length speech elaborates on Khan’s decision to beam his crew aboard the appropriately named USS Vengeance. This monologue provides a great deal of insight into Khan’s reasoning, actions, and time frame for decision making, all which would have slowed the movie’s pace as it built momentum toward the final fight scenes. In the novelisation, Khan errs and eventually is captured primarily because he is in a hurry; in the film, this mastermind seems suddenly less intelligent in underestimating Spock.

Foster, as readers might expect from such a masterful author, excels at precise word choice. Khan’s is the voice “heard” forcefully throughout the novel. As in the memorable trailer that introduced audiences to Cumberbatch’s character, readers “hear” his voice before they read a physical description. What Cumberbatch termed Khan’s “scalpel precision” of thought and speech is personified through Foster’s careful selection of descriptors, with verbs like snarl and roar and tones that, at different emotional high points in a scene, are pitying, condescending, firm, sharp, relentless, matter-of-fact, unshakably confident. As Foster illustrated through a crew member’s dialogue, “Listen to him too long, and he’ll have you believing anything”.[51]

Foster’s novelisation underscores the nuances that make Cumberbatch’s portrayal of a blockbuster villain more than just the typical psycho or megalomaniac. Throughout the novel and film Khan is a man with a plan, one that only hints at the depths of his focus and determination to mould the world according to his personal vision.

What is particularly interesting about this novelisation is its close connection not only to the finished film but to specific aspects of Cumberbatch’s performance. The novelisation was written during the film’s production and post-production, and specific aspects of Cumberbatch’s portrayal of Khan, from physical appearance (“His face was narrow, his eyes remarkably penetrating”[52]) to performance (“the tear that ran down his right cheek”[53]), have been included.

Wherever the character of Khan goes next in the Trekverse, this novelisation clearly blends Cumberbatch’s performance with the scripted characterisation, as well as Foster’s own insight into Khan. In fact, given Foster’s description of writing a novelisation as “work for hire,” far fewer of his original ideas make it into this type of writing than in one of his original works. Thus, Cumberbatch’s performance gains even more weight in this print adaptation.

Cumberbatch as the Model for Comic-book Khan

Cumberbatch-as-Khan not only has become part of Trek’s history but also its future beyond the film. When, in late 2013, IDW published another comic book series based on Khan, the first since its 2011 reprint of the Star Trek: Khan, Ruling in Hell comics, Khan of the present (and presumably future) no longer looks like Wrath of Khan’s Montalban but Into Darkness’ Cumberbatch.

Every cover features Cumberbatch’s image, usually in close-up, whether in a drawing or a still from the movie. The exclusive covers sent to the comic book series’ subscribers show a photograph of Cumberbatch (sometimes looking more like the actor than Khan standing on the Enterprise set); these limited editions seem especially designed for Cumberbatch fans who would enjoy a previously unpublished still of the actor from his role in the movie. Although the artists working on this series have a variety of styles, each renders Khan recognisable as the Cumberbatch portrayal. Four of the five “regular” covers provide a drawing of Khan’s face as the focal point, and some covers also include a smaller full-body drawing of Khan in an action pose. There is no doubt that readers identify current Khan as a character looking very much like Cumberbatch does in the film.

The series’ plot revolves around Khan’s trial for crimes committed since his awakening by Admiral Marcus (played by Peter Weller in the movie). When Kirk asks why current Khan no longer looks Indian, the story - told in flashbacks - explains how the Montalban model becomes Cumberbatch Khan. The entire purpose of this series (beyond sales to Star Trek or Cumberbatch fans) is to position Cumberbatch’s interpretation as the once and future Khan. Although the 2013-14 Khan comic series only lasted five issues, it nonetheless further establishes Cumberbatch’s likeness as Khan, and, indeed, the actor is Khan for a new generation of movie-going Trek fans.

In autumn 2013, photographs of the morphed images of original Star Trek cast members and the Into Darkness cast made the rounds of online sci-fi websites. Included in the mix was the blended image of Cumberbatch and Montalban,[54] truly a strange combination of features, like a hybrid child born of these two actors. Perhaps that is what Khan has become, a morphed creation that grows up to increasingly resemble Cumberbatch.

As a result of Abrams’ and Paramount’s marketing tactics, Cumberbatch, more than Into Darkness or the rebooted Star Trek franchise, benefitted from the additional media scrutiny and largely remained above fan dissatisfaction. His talk-show appearances gained the interest, in particular, of a wider U.S. demographic (who might not all go to a Star Trek movie) and allowed them to learn about Benedict Cumberbatch. The worldwide spotlight on Into Darkness during its premieres became focused primarily on Cumberbatch, who proved that he can be convincing in an action film and play an iconic villain - aspects of his range that many people had not previously seen. In the marketing “Khan games” surrounding Into Darkness, Cumberbatch, not the Star Trek franchise, is the clear winner.

20 Star Trek: Into Darkness. Dir. J.J. Abrams. Paramount. 2013.

21 Star Trek: Into Darkness teaser. Paramount. Dec. 2012.

22 “Next Stop the Oscars for Star Trek’s Benedict Cumberbatch?” Contactmusic. 7 Dec. 2012.

23 Andrew Sims. “Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Pine Promote ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ at First Publicity Event, First Trailer Out Thursday.” Hypable. 4 Dec. 2012.

24 Marc Malkin. “Star Trek Sequel Trailer: Why Co-star Zoe Saldana Made Benedict Cumberbatch Blush Over It.” E!online. 7 Dec. 2012.

25 Simon Brew. “Benedict Cumberbatch on Star Trek: Into Darkness.” Den of Geek. 5 Dec. 2012.

26 Ibid.

27 “Benedict Cumberbatch: ‘Star Trek: Into the Darkness’ Star, Wears Makeup in Japan After Rock Star Welcome (PICTURES).” Huffington Press UK. 16 July 2013.

28 Rob Keyes. “Benicio Del Toro Passes on Playing Star Trek 2’s Khan.” Screen Rant. 10 Feb. 2012.

29 Dave Itzkoff. “How an iPhone Audition Got Benedict Cumberbatch into the Star Trek Sequel.” New York Times. 26 Apr. 2012; Anthony Pascale. “Exclusive: Sherlock Star Benedict Cumberbatch Cast As Star Trek Sequel Villain.” TrekMovie. 4 Jan. 2012.

30 Johnny. Comment 347. Pascale, Anthony. “Major Star Trek Spoilers.” Trek-Movie. 30 Apr. 2012.

31 Marissa Sammy. “Star Trek: Into Whiteness.” Racebending. 9 May 2013.

32 David Blackburn. “Benedict Cumberbatch is Brilliant in Star Trek: Into Darkness.” The Spectator. 11 May 2013.

33 “Benedict Cumberbatch: I’m Not Playing Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness.” Access Hollywood. 13 Dec. 2012.

34 Rory Cashin. “Top 10 Movie Villains of 2013.” Entertainmentwise. 9 Dec. 2013.

35 Deepika Rajani. “Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch ‘Understands Why People Are Obsessed’ With His Personal Life.” Entertainmentwise. 9 May 2013.

36 “Late Night TV Ratings For May 6-10, 2013. TVbytheNumbers. 16 May 2013.

37 The Graham Norton Show. BBC America. Dir. Steve Smith. 9 May 2013.

38 The Late Show with David Letterman. CBS. Dir. Jerry Foley. 9 May 2013.

39 Today. NBC. Dir. Joe Michaels. 9 May 2013.

40 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. NBC. Dir. Dan Opsal. 10 May 2013.

41 Conan. TNT. 23 May 2013.

42 Conan. TNT. 12 Dec. 2013.

43 Jimmy Kimmel Live. ABC. 5 Dec. 2013.

44 Scott Mendelson. “Weekend Box Office: ‘Star Trek’ Opens with ‘Just’ $84 Million.” Forbes. 19 May 2013.

45 Kevin P. Sullivan. “J.J. Abrams Shares One ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ Regret That Might Surprise You.” MTV. 3 Dec. 2013.

46 Ibid.

47 Jimmy Kimmel Live. 5 Dec. 2013.

48 Graeme McMillan. “Fans Name ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ as the Worst ‘Trek’ Movie Ever.” Hollywood Reporter. 13 Aug. 2013.

49 “Exclusive Interview: STID Novelisation Author Alan Dean Foster, Part 1.” StarTrek. 21 May 2013.

50 Katie Van Syckle. “Q&A: Benedict Cumberbatch on ‘Star Trek,’ ‘Sherlock,’ and Julian Assange.” Rolling Stone. 15 May 2013.

51 Alan Dean Foster. Star Trek:Into Darkness. New York: Pocket Books, p. 243.

52 Ibid., p. 36.

53 Ibid., p. 93.

54 Paula Ersly. “Check Out These Mind-blowing ‘Star Trek’ Face Morphs.” BuzzFeed. 24 Sep. 2013.

Chapter 3

Controversy and Credibility: The Fifth Estate

“I can take a hit.... I’ve had good hits as well, but [box office] isn’t why I do the work.... [O]f course there’s a concern actors have about being bankable, but it hasn’t seemed to affect the industry’s interest in me or the offers I’ve had since”. [55]

Benedict Cumberbatch

When the WikiLeaks website published more than 75,000 U.S. military papers, called the Afghan War Diary, in July 2010, the world changed in light of the largest leak of government information in history. The title of the Cumberbatch-starring film about the creation of WikiLeaks, The Fifth Estate,[56] suggests that public involvement in providing information about corrupt or dangerous people, whether they are individuals, corporations, or governments, is key to a free, well-informed global society. In 2010, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange suddenly became an important name in the cause of social justice, although the entities whose information was leaked consider him an international traitor setting a dangerous precedent. In the ensuing years, versions of the WikiLeaks story have been published in two books. One, Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange at the World’s Most Dangerous Website (2011), written by Daniel Domscheit-Berg, became a source for The Fifth Estate’s script.

Cumberbatch tends to choose an interesting variety of projects. The script for The Fifth Estate must have been particularly appealing. Among the film’s selling points were these:

- A lead role in major studio DreamWorks’ mainstream film

- An enigmatic, controversial living person to portray

- Subject matter taken from recent news that raises intriguing questions about personal responsibility, national or corporate security, and the public’s right to information

- Director Bill Condon (among his many credits, director of another serious biopic, Kinsey, plus more recent teen thrillers in The Twilight Saga series, as well as critically acclaimed, award-nominated Dreamgirls)

The pedigree for The Fifth Estate was excellent, and this type of film seemed well suited for the serious side of actor Cumberbatch.

By the time The Fifth Estate was ready for its big debut as the gala opening film at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), WikiLeaks did not seem to be quite the cutting-edge website it had once been, and its name was seldom in the news. Perhaps fortunately for the film’s promotion, however, whistleblowing once more became a hot topic during summer 2013. Chelsea (née Bradley) Manning’s sentencing still made headlines, as did National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower, Edward Snowden, whose story was still prominent when The Fifth Estate went into wide release in mid-October. Media interest in these high-profile stories provided the film with free publicity regarding the relevance of a story about whistleblowers.

The real Assange kept the film in the news, too, throughout 2012 and 2013, from the time the movie began filming through its highly publicised premiere and release. He leaked an early version of the script and frequently complained to the media that the film would be highly biased against him.[57] The Hollywood Reporter, among other newspapers, noted that Cumberbatch contacted Assange before filming began,[58] a story that the actor later clarified during countless interviews at TIFF. He emailed Assange, who refused to see him. Closer to the film’s release, Assange published a letter he wrote to Cumberbatch, begging the actor not to take the role.[59] In the letter, Assange emphasises the connection “between an actor and a living subject,” adding that “we will forever be correlated in the public imagination”. After praising Cumberbatch as a good person and talented actor, Assange warns that “I believe you are well intentioned... By meeting with you, I would validate this wretched film, and endorse the talented, but debauched, performance that the script will force you to give”. Such communiques with the media only served to keep Assange and the film in the spotlight just when The Fifth Estate received its greatest promotion at TIFF in September and just prior to its October release, a prime time when serious films - and those seriously considered for later awards - are distributed.

Beginning with TIFF and continuing throughout the film’s general release, reviewers compared The Fifth Estate with The Social Network (2010), a movie about the creation of Facebook and the personal fallout between the friends who founded it. Perhaps an even more salient comparison is with Margin Call (2011), which deals with the then-recent impending financial crisis and the investment bank insiders who belatedly tried to contain the damage. The sense of urgency depicted in Margin Call is similar to that in The Fifth Estate, and both films cover topics that may not automatically attract a mainstream movie audience looking purely for escapist entertainment.

At the time Cumberbatch filmed scenes in Europe, bouncing among Iceland, Belgium, and Germany, the movie’s release date was more than a year away, and no one could predict that The Fifth Estate would provide a stark contrast to his Star Trek role in a blockbuster released only a few months earlier. Although several other films in which Cumberbatch has a role were released soon after The Fifth Estate, these are smaller parts within an ensemble cast. Even when he had two roles in the same film (briefly as the Necromancer and more extensively as Smaug the dragon in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug), the actor could not be seen behind the CGI. The characters may have incorporated his voice and mo-cap movements, but they do not look like the actor. To many film critics and industry executives, Star Trek and The Fifth Estate may be the roles seen in 2013 that best define Cumberbatch’s ability to carry a movie or bring an audience into the cinema just to see him.

Although The Fifth Estate seemed ideally suited to Cumberbatch and the direction his career should next take as a leading man, the film turned out to be a bit lacklustre, even though it should not permanently tarnish his big-film career. The Fifth Estate did not meet critics’ high expectations, and the box office receipts disappointed. As a vehicle to propel Cumberbatch’s Hollywood career, the film provided quite a bit of mileage at film festivals and in media controversy leading up to the movie’s wide release, but it quickly ran out of gas on opening weekend.

Acting as Assange

Among the five 2013 films in which Cumberbatch has a role, The Fifth Estate by far gives him the most screen time. Furthermore, the role plays up Cumberbatch as an intelligent actor who often portrays smart characters. Sherlock and Khan, for example, both match that description, but they are flashy fictitious characters. Assange is a real person, not a modernised literary icon or a sci-fi supervillain. Whereas Cumberbatch’s best-known screen roles to date - as Sherlock and Khan - require running, leaping, or fighting, The Fifth Estate’s Assange mainly types or talks. Assange’s intelligence, leading to the creation of WikiLeaks, relies on words far more than on-screen action.

Assange and collaborator Daniel Berg (Daniel Brühl) are often shown typing on a keyboard, looking at a computer screen, or watching instant messages scroll. The “action” in The Fifth Estate is the analysis of determining what should be leaked, when, and by whom; “chase” scenes are usually electronic, as WikiLeaks is shut down, only to pop up on mirror sites.

Many visual effects were not created during post-production but instead were incorporated during filming. Images of the words representing Assange’s or Berg’s thoughts were projected onto the actors’ faces and the walls behind them as a scene was filmed. Cumberbatch and Brühl typed messages in real time and learned which keys to press in order to activate a special effect. Because of the use of in-camera graphics, the actors reacted to real computer information.[60]

When Assange is not busy online, his activities include walking, public speaking, or staring moodily at the landscape. His greatest “stunt” is opening a bottle with his teeth. This film shows how good Cumberbatch can be even when the performance relies heavily on dialogue and minute variations in body language. The character’s smiles, for instance, tell a lot about his mood and thoughts. Assange’s tight smile is a mask of forced civility, but when he comes on to a beautiful woman, his smile looks genuine before turning predatory. Cumberbatch always has an expressive face, but in The Fifth Estate his body language and line interpretation are even more important in getting the audience to understand Assange.

Director Condon insisted that viewers make up their own minds about the WikiLeaks founder, which resulted in a film that tries too hard to balance Assange’s point of view with both that of Berg and the U.S. government, whose documents were leaked through the website. “If you want the truth, you have to seek it out for yourself,” Assange says directly to the camera in the closing scene. “It’s all about you,” he adds in what could have been a motivational speech before he smiles, “and a little bit about me, too”. Cumberbatch’s coy delivery makes such insights believable as a theme for the film. It might have been designed to be about “the fifth estate” of public journalists or watchdogs, but it seemed to be far more about Assange.

The actor had the difficult task of making Assange seem aloof and manipulative, yet also charismatic and passionate. In the film, Assange’s cool appraisal of those who fail to recognise his brilliance can turn into vindictive verbal evisceration. By alienating those who would be close to him, Assange sometimes finds himself perilously vulnerable.

Cumberbatch’s subtly layered performance stands out in one scene contrasting Assange’s bravado in “selling” his public image with his fear of being caught by CIA or Russian operatives. Assange gives a highly publicised speech at the SKUP conference for investigative journalism and afterwards celebrates with a drink at a hotel bar. When The Guardian’s Nick Davies (David Thewlis) alerts Assange to the presence of agents keeping tabs on him, he begins to quietly panic. After Davies suggests a meeting place from which Assange may escape, the journalist leaves.

Assange sits alone, in full view of his enemies. As he nervously sips his drink, his demeanour quickly changes from braggadocio to fright, but he strives to act normally. His hand, however, gives him away; it shakes minutely. In this moment, the audience can empathise with Assange at his most vulnerable, no matter that he is largely responsible for getting into such a predicament without a great deal more backup. Such is the strength of Cumberbatch’s performance.

Katie

U.S. publicity for the film helped market it to a niche audience. Although already well known to many potential moviegoers internationally, Cumberbatch was nonetheless “introduced” to a new audience in the U.S. The film needed to tap the over-18 segment of the film-going public, which was especially important because many of Cumberbatch’s fans are under 18 and could not see R-rated The Fifth Estate (or other then-forthcoming films like 12 Years a Slave and August: Osage County) without a guardian. Katie,[61] an afternoon talk show hosted by former NBC Today news anchor Katie Couric, attracted a primary demographic of young to middle-aged women. The show seemed the perfect venue to introduce Cumberbatch and the film a few days before its U.S. wide release.

The interview segment was prefaced with a film clip, but during the ten-minute interview, host Couric checked off the “must-know” items about the actor. First, she commented on his “patrician” name, allowing Cumberbatch to use the “fart in the bath” description of what his full name sounds like, which he had first shared during a Chatty Man interview a few years earlier. Couric giggled and mimicked the actor’s British accent as she repeated the description, which encouraged him to say the line again in an American accent.

Katie soon mentioned George Clooney’s advice to Cumberbatch about handling his current level of success, which led to a discussion of Cumberbatch’s work in the past decade, especially his role in Steven Spielberg’s War Horse. The Clooney inclusion further served to segue into the topic of Cumberbatch’s sex appeal, because both Clooney and Cumberbatch have been named the winners of numerous Sexiest Men polls.

Every time the topic changed, so did the selection of photographs projected on a screen at the back of the set. When Cumberbatch looked behind and saw a group of larger-than-life photos of him in a variety of smiling, “sexy” shots, he joked about the visual evidence of his sex appeal. Although humorous in context, the actor’s comment astutely underscored the bullet-point nature of the conversation as, one after another, the salient biographical information about Cumberbatch was supported by background visuals.

This preliminary biography eventually led to Couric’s praise for The Fifth Estate. Cumberbatch made an excellent “first impression” on a new audience and, at the same time, promoted the film. This interview was not designed for Cumberbatch converts, who had already heard this biographical information in several other interviews. Instead, this talk-show appearance was geared toward women previously unfamiliar with Cumberbatch’s name, face, and resume who perhaps could be motivated to see The Fifth Estate. They would perceive Cumberbatch as self-effacing, well spoken, gentlemanly, and talented. They had been presented itemised reasons why they should remember him and see his film(s): he is a respected actor working with Hollywood’s finest (e.g., the Spielberg and Clooney references), he is sexy but not conceited, and audiences will be seeing a lot more of him in upcoming films.

Although the interview’s obvious structure limited Cumberbatch’s or Couric’s spontaneity, Katie provided a relaxed setting to cover several topics in enough detail to make Cumberbatch memorable. As such, this talk-show appearance was one of his best in the U.S. and, although the interview was timed to promote The Fifth Estate, it ended up being a more effective promotion of its star.

Box Office Fallout

The Huffington Post’s headline, “’The Fifth Estate’ Flops with Year’s Worst Opening Weekend,”[62] did not mince words. Entertainment Weekly, which has been highly supportive of Cumberbatch and his career, concurred that The Fifth Estate was a “box office disaster”.[63] Worse yet, their headline placed responsibility on the actor, calling the film “Benedict Cumberbatch’s ‘The Fifth Estate’”. However, despite dire first-week ticket sales, The Fifth Estate ended up 161 out of 686 films released in the U.S. during 2013 and ranked by U.S. domestic gross.[64] Forbes agreed that the film’s pedigree should have led to success, but the box office receipts relegated the film to Forbes’ top turkey of 2013. The international box office only totalled $6 million (U.S. dollars). After all receipts had been tallied, given the publicity for the film (which could add another $25 million to the film’s $28 million production budget), the studio likely only made back about $3 million.[65]

Reviews of Cumberbatch’s Performance

Reviewers criticised the film as being too “safe” for a biopic about Assange or a thriller about leaking government secrets, yet they described Cumberbatch’s performance in far more positive terms:

In the hands of a supremely creepy Benedict Cumberbatch, [Assange] has mystified the world at large and entranced a few key followers in particular... But despite Cumberbatch’s formidable presence, [he] remains elusive, a white-haired ghost - more of an idea than a fully fleshed-out and complicated man.[66]

Cumberbatch... nails the essence of Assange’s voice and nervous energy, and is able to transmogrify his own charisma into the real man’s hypnotic pull.[67]

Not everyone was won over, however. Screen Rant complained that Cumberbatch’s performance is not “commendable” and furthermore is

an odd combination (Cumberbatch’s unorthodox looks and offbeat delivery) that never really escapes the level of an SNL parody sketch. Every time the story comes close to tapping into Cumberbatch’s more subtle talents as an actor, we’re pulled right out again.[68]

Yet this critic admitted that Cumberbatch is hampered as an actor because the film’s design never permits the audience to get to know Assange intimately.

These and similar reviews indicate most critics’ general satisfaction with Cumberbatch’s performance but dissatisfaction with the film’s insight into Assange. Even some critics who did not like this performance still see Cumberbatch as a good actor, just not in this film. No matter how much or often Cumberbatch’s film characters differ from Sherlock Holmes, however, at least one or two reviews inevitably linked the actor to Sherlock as the epitome of his work.

In hindsight, The Fifth Estate does not carry the weight of an “important” film that changes the industry or makes its mark politically or socially. It also turned out not to be a successful commercial film. These criticisms, however, should not damage Cumberbatch’s future bankability. Many of his supporters like the fact that he does not always gravitate to a role simply because it will be popular or lucrative.

Cumberbatch did not seem unduly worried about the film’s receipts: “Whether the film has a big box office or not, the response to how I have performed has done me huge favours. You know, it’s the first lead role I’ve had and it’s caused this much attention”.[69]

55 Emma Dibdin. “Benedict Cumberbatch on Fifth Estate Flop: ‘I’m Very Proud of the Film.’” Digital Spy. 9 Dec. 2013.

56 The Fifth Estate. Dir. Bill Condon. DreamWorks. 2013.

57 Julie Miller. “WikiLeaks Leaks The Fifth Estate Script Along With Important Julian Assange Hair-Dying Clarification.” Vanity Fair. 20 Sep. 2013.

58 Marie Ginsberg & Gary Baum. “Benedict Cumberbatch Wants to Meet WikiLeaks Founder He’ll Portray Onscreen.” Hollywood Reporter. 24 Jan. 2013.

59 “First Letter from Julian Assange to Benedict Cumberbatch Over The Fifth Estate.” WikiLeaks. Dated 15 Jan. 2013. Pub. 9 Oct. 2013.

60 The Fifth Estate. DVD. “In-Camera Graphics.” Touchstone Home Entertainment, 2014.

61 Katie. NBC. 16 Oct. 2013.

62 Christopher Rosen. “’The Fifth Estate’ Flops with Year’s Worst Opening Weekend.” Huffington Press. 21 Oct. 2013.

63 Grady Smith. “Box Office Disaster: Benedict Cumberbatch’s ‘The Fifth Estate’ Has Worst Debut of 2013.” Entertainment Weekly. 20 Oct. 2013.

64 Box Office Mojo. “2013 Domestic Grosses.” 12 May 2014.

65 Dorothy Pomerantz. “2013’s Biggest Turkeys: The Films That Flopped.” Forbes. 11 Nov. 2013.

66 Christy Lemire. “The Fifth Estate: Review.” RogerEbert. 18 Oct. 2013.

67 Bryan Bishop. “’The Fifth Estate’ Review: Truth is More Interesting Than Fiction.” Verge. 15 Oct. 2013.

68 Kofi Outlaw. “’The Fifth Estate’ Review.” Screen Rant. 25 Oct. 2013.

69 “Cumberbatch Knew ‘The Fifth Estate’ Was a Flop.” BreakingNews. 7 Dec. 2013.

Chapter 4

Standing Out in an Ensemble: 12 Years a Slave and August: Osage County

“In an ensemble there are pure actors,... actors who love it”. [70]

Meryl Streep

By 2013, Cumberbatch’s roles and successes helped to market him more specifically to audiences beyond U.K. borders, but, to many critics, he still is most closely associated with British characters and productions instead of commercial Hollywood films. Two roles in U.S.-made movies provided him with further association with big names in Hollywood, such as Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and Julia Roberts, and offered international audiences and critics the opportunity to see something different than Sherlock, Khan, or Smaug - the roles that the general public most likely associated with Cumberbatch.

During the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) premieres, Cumberbatch was seen on the red carpet not only for the gala opening night Fifth Estate in which he starred but with Pitt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, and other cast members from 12 Years a Slave. Cumberbatch answered nearly as many questions about the films in which he played a small role as for his star turn as Assange.

At the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards and Oscar ceremony, Cumberbatch was linked to two major award contenders, which created the enviable dilemma of deciding with whom he would sit. At the SAG Awards, he told a reporter prior to the ceremony that he would spend time at both films’ tables, but on television he was shown sitting with the 12 Years a Slave cast. On Oscar night he was seated in the row with 12 Years producer/ actor Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, effectively placing him within view of the cameras panning the audience during the broadcast.

In such elite acting company, how does Cumberbatch stand out, whether in the movie or during publicity and awards ceremonies? As a celebrity, he found a few unique ways to make his face memorable at awards shows, including photobombing U2 on the Oscars red carpet, which led to a viral video making headlines that evening and for the next several days. As an actor, the quality of his work makes audiences pay attention when he is on screen, even when his scenes are brief. On set, Cumberbatch continues to make a good impression as a reliable, talented professional, whether he is a leading or supporting actor.

12 Years a Slave

Many critics informally named 12 Years a Slave Best Motion Picture long before awards season rolled around. As predicted, it became the big award winner at the Oscars. In the film, wearing period garb once more, Cumberbatch convincingly portrays Ford, a Southern U.S. plantation owner.

The actor did his homework for this role (as well as others), something that impressed an interviewer meeting with Cumberbatch in Covent Garden one day before the movie began filming. The reporter wrote that Cumberbatch “arrives with a canvas bag full of books, like a student heading to lectures”. The tomes covered world wars (part of the actor’s preparation for Parade’s End) as well as slavery. Two very different views on the latter topic, Cultivation and Culture and We Lived in a Little Cabin in the Yard, helped Cumberbatch prepare for his role as a “very paternal slave owner”.[71] The homework once again paid off in helping the actor create a “sympathetic” slave owner, if such a character can exist.

In this large ensemble, Cumberbatch’s character stands out as a “good man,” even though he is a slave owner who plays a pivotal role in the future torture of lead character Platt (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Cumberbatch makes Ford’s moral contradictions obvious. Because he is a Christian, Ford feels compelled to read the Bible to his slaves on Sunday and, in a moment of what many slaveholders would call “weakness,” listens to Platt’s engineering advice and praises the slave when he proves his idea is sound. However, for all the “humane” treatment of his slaves, Ford is still a man with debts and must make a profit from his plantation, including its human “property”. When Platt’s knowledge leads to a horrific encounter with a jealous overseer, Ford decides he can no longer keep this slave in the relative “safety” of his plantation and sells him to a much less “civilised” slave-holder.[72]

Perhaps what is important to Cumberbatch’s career is not so much this performance, which is note (or accent) perfect, but the fact that Cumberbatch is featured in such an important film. Although a small role in 12 Years a Slave will not erase Hollywood’s memory about The Fifth Estate’s poor box office, the latter flopped commercially, as many critics also pointed out, because of script problems. It is unfortunate that his first lead in a major motion picture, one that kicked off TIFF, received so much negative press, but Cumberbatch, as an actor and interviewee throughout the festival, made a positive impact and earned a great deal of media attention for his work and his words to the press.

Reviews of the Work, But Also the Actor’s Ancestry

When Cumberbatch became associated with 12 Years a Slave, articles revisited his ancestry, and his family tree includes plantation owners in Barbados about seven generations back. Some reviewers tried to establish a link between the actor’s talent for playing the role of a slave owner and his ancestors’ plantation management.

12 Years is the most graphic and realistic depiction of slavery in the U.S. on film to date, and it illustrates a historic past with which Americans have not yet come to terms. The subject of slavery - past or present - is controversial and emotionally challenging to discuss. Cumberbatch did not make apologies for his ancestors while filming or promoting the movie. Years ago, when discussing playing William Pitt the Younger, the actor suggested that the role was a “sort of apology” for his family’s Caribbean plantation. 12 Years reviewers sometimes seemed more interested on forcing Cumberbatch’s fans to come to terms with the actor’s family history rather than discussing his role in the film.

An article in the Daily Mail, for example, rationalised in its headline that “Benedict Cumberbatch’s Family Made a Fortune from Slavery (And... His Roles in Films Like 12 Years a Slave are a Bid to Atone for Their Sins)”.[73] This article, the most blatant among those linking the Cumberbatch family history in Barbados to the roles that Benedict Cumberbatch plays, would not have generated nearly as much interest if the public were not invested in him as a celebrity.

The Guardian asked whether Cumberbatch should apologise for his ancestors’ deeds and republished information that the actor had previously acknowledged that plantation owners were in his family lineage. The article noted that the actor once had “revealed” that his mother suggested that he use a different name professionally because of the potential for Cumberbatch to become targeted for “reparations claims by the descendants of slaves”.[74] Although many reporters picked up on this theme simply to attract readers to an article about Cumberbatch, the Guardian dealt with a few of the complexities of countries taking social responsibility for the aftermath of slavery: “The answer is not about being individually responsible, through our genes, but collectively accountable for the structural inequalities that have passed down through generations to shape today’s world”.[75] This article acknowledged that the continuing social, psychological, political, and economic issues surrounding slavery are more complex than they have been discussed in entertainment news that focused more on a celebrity than on slavery.

Reviews of Cumberbatch’s Performance

Not all reviews or news articles linking Cumberbatch to 12 Years emphasised his family’s past. Some critics looked only to the work at hand - his performance as Ford, which was far less controversial. Several reviews published in the U.K. included a publicity photo of Ford handing a violin to Platt, showcasing two of Britain’s leading actors (Cumberbatch and Ejiofor) in their roles in this film. Because Sherlock excels at the violin, the fact that, in his role as Ford, Cumberbatch handed a violin to Platt probably encouraged the use of this photo.

In one interview, Ejiofor even discussed advice received from Cumberbatch about playing the violin on camera, because both had learned to play the instrument for roles. Ejiofor noted that Cumberbatch worries that he “always looks like he can’t play [as Sherlock] because they cut him in a strange way or they just don’t let it run with the same music he’s been learning, so he’s always like: ‘I could play that by now but it looks like I can’t’“.[76] Comments like these reinforce public perception of Cumberbatch’s perfectionism. He puts in the work to learn a new skill but then expects that his efforts will be accurately portrayed on screen. Whether he is doing as much of a stunt as a production company’s insurer and safety regulations will allow or playing the violin (or organ, as he does in August: Osage County), Cumberbatch’s comments indicate his interest in having the audience know exactly what he has done in a role.

Among all reviews and comments, The Huffington Post review most extensively commended Cumberbatch for his performance. After praising the leads for outstanding work, the critic then discussed his impressions of the supporting cast: “[O]n second viewing, however, it was Benedict Cumberbatch who made the biggest impact among the supporting players”. Furthermore, among Cumberbatch’s many roles released in 2013, 12 Years a Slave “really shows what Cumberbatch is capable of doing... [Ford is] a nuanced and complicated character, and Cumberbatch gets into his crack with little fuss or flourish”.[77] Ford is a striking, shocking character because he is so normal among his peers. A performance like this, even if it is a small role within an ensemble, shows why Cumberbatch looked at home standing on stage when 12 Years won the Oscar as Best Motion Picture.

The BAFTA Tea Party

Throughout the “Oscar weekend” of Hollywood celebrations, Cumberbatch made the circuit of parties and special events, where he was duly photographed. The actor is now part of the A-list crowd, as evidenced by his inclusion in the many media photographs and headlines from the prestigious BAFTA tea party preceding the Academy Awards celebrations. Cumberbatch’s name appeared alongside Academy Award nominees Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks, and the actor’s style choice of a grey blazer, white shirt, and black trousers was called “dapper” and debonair.

Although Cumberbatch may be the man many celebrities want to meet, he is not above feeling a bit fanboy when he sees an actor he admires. At the tea party he “bumped into Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston... I know about the dry mouth and not knowing what to say”.[78] Such comments underplay the actor’s celebrity status by making him seem as much a fan of other actors as his fans are of him.

At the Oscars

Although Cumberbatch was not nominated for his role in either 12 Years a Slave or August: Osage County, he supported, often quite emotionally, his castmates who were. Sitting with the 12 Years cast, he especially was moved when Lupita Nyong’o’s name was announced. He held his hand to his mouth and looked close to tears after she stepped to the stage as Best Supporting Actress and delivered a moving speech. Fans tweeted the screen capture of Cumberbatch and their renewed adoration at his openly expressed emotion. When Ejiofor was named Best Actor and Fassbender Best Supporting Actor, Cumberbatch applauded enthusiastically.

At the end of the ceremony, when 12 Years won the Best Motion Picture award, Cumberbatch hugged Jolie as he headed for the stage. Grinning and joyfully congratulating his colleagues, he celebrated with the ecstatic cast.[79] Almost immediately, photographs and video of the award-winning film’s cast on stage while Pitt and director Steve McQueen accepted the award were splashed across the Internet and print entertainment news, and Cumberbatch was in every cast photo.

At one point during the awards show, host Ellen Degeneres took a selfie of as many famous people as could be possibly crammed in frame in what turned out to be a successful attempt to break the record for the most retweeted image. Ejiofor tried but could not fit into the photo that overwhelmed Twitter. A few minutes later, Degeneres asked Ejiofor if he had been in the photo, and when he explained it had been too crowded, she took a second selfie with him. Cumberbatch and Pitt, seated in the row behind Ejiofor, eagerly leaned forward to get in the shot. Cumberbatch’s grin may not have made it in the Twit pic that crashed Twitter, but his second photobomb of the evening was seen around the world on the live television broadcast.[80]

By taking the initiative to scoot forward and smile, he got into frame for the worldwide television audience, the first time he was caught on camera during the ceremony’s broadcast. For the rest of the evening, the camera captured Cumberbatch several times when cutting to the 12 Years cast, giving him more “face time” with the global audience.

At least he got involved in Degeneres’ photo from the audience. He missed her pizza run a little earlier in the show because he had to get ready to present a design award with Jennifer Garner. (Nevertheless, when, an hour later, Degeneres passed the hat to pay for the pizza, Cumberbatch reached for his wallet.)

Backstage, Cumberbatch almost literally ran into Degeneres, who was dressed in a wide-skirted pink fairy costume as part of a joke during the next segment. Struggling to let the host by, he teased that he had been “trapped by a massive fairy,” leading Degeneres to quip that he should not act like it was the first time. So the evening went, with Cumberbatch quotes and clips turning up online everywhere after the Oscars. Degeneres’ encounter with him, for example, was added to the online scrapbook of The Ellen Degeneres Show.[81]

When Cumberbatch donned his “professional actor” persona for presenting the award for Achievement in Production Design, once more he was serious. Looking stylish in his tuxedo, he walked out on stage and offered his arm to Garner, who took it for their brief stroll to the mic. If he was nervous, it did not outwardly show, although he had a bad habit of keeping his hands in his pockets or clasped behind his back while he and Garner introduced the nominees. Cumberbatch read his lines confidently and precisely, kissed winning production designer Catherine Martin on both cheeks as she received the award, stepped back to applaud, and gracefully made his exit in the proper direction.[82]

Even this small presentation is important, because Cumberbatch was included among Hollywood stars to present an award at the worldwide broadcast of the Academy Awards, the best known of all awards shows and one that, although always increasing the number of international films and actors considered for and receiving the Oscar, still is viewed as primarily an American event. Hollywood maintains its reputation as the place to be recognised among the film industry’s elite.

For Cumberbatch the actor, being included on stage as part of the cast of the year’s Best Motion Picture and having his name listed among the presenters are ample proof that his talent is welcomed and applauded and his celebrity increasingly acknowledged. Prior to the broadcast, Oscar producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron released the statement that they were “very excited that the Hollywood community will be turning out in force for [the] Oscar ceremony... We sought to include a tremendous diversity of stars to represent not only this year’s nominees, but the legacy of the motion picture business as well”.[83] As noted by his inclusion in this group, Cumberbatch has become an actor of importance, and seeing producers and directors and being seen by them at such an event undoubtedly underscores the fact that he should be considered for even more of their movies.

More than at previous Hollywood events, Cumberbatch the celebrity came out to play at the Oscars, and his photobombs and frequent appearance on camera showed a different persona than the formal British gentleman often described in the media. He clearly enjoyed himself, whether enthusiastically providing useful sound bites on the red carpet, posing next to a giant Oscar statuette, or leaping into U2’s photo. With two well-timed jumps, Cumberbatch leapt into the entertainment news of the day and started a lot of buzz. It was a perfectly executed stunt, and it got a lot of media attention. Thus, in one Oscar broadcast, Cumberbatch showed off both public personas, as accomplished actor-turned-presenter and goofy guy having fun at the awards, and he earned a great deal of publicity for each. Cumberbatch may not have brought home an Oscar himself, but he had a win-win night.

August: Osage County

Another highly anticipated film in 2013 was August: Osage County, for which Tulsa, Oklahoma, native Tracy Letts adapted his award-winning play about the dark humour amid the turmoil within the dysfunctional Weston family. Meryl Streep summarised the plot as being “about a family that comes together, and all the old resentments and jokes are revived, like most family reunions”.[84]

Matriarch Violet (Streep) rules the family with vitriolic glee, and she only gets along with her supportive (enabling) sister Mattie Fae (Margo Martindale). Most of the time she antagonises her three daughters, as well as anyone who dares interrupt or correct her. Chris Cooper excels as mild-mannered Charlie Aiken, Mattie Fae’s long-suffering husband and comforter/nurturer to son Little Charles, which is Cumberbatch’s role.

Streep wanted to have her “family” of castmates nearby so that they could bond, instead of each leaving after work to go his or her own way. With the help of director John Wells, the majority of the ensemble cast moved into a block of condominiums in autumn 2012, where they met to begin filming on location in Osage County, Oklahoma. Living in close proximity seemed to work for many of the cast, who, during media interviews and press panels, uniformly thanked Streep for becoming the “matriarch” of their ensemble.

Although Streep praised Cumberbatch’s audition recording, discussed acting with him, and expressed her enjoyment of his work on Sherlock, she also sweetly criticised him for not joining the “family” living near each other for the duration of the shoot. During a Jimmy Kimmel Live appearance to promote the film, Streep explained her “idea that we all live together in a condo village behind the Toyota dealership,... [which] went over really well with some of the members of the cast,” including Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Dermot Mulroney, and Margo Martindale. “Actually Benedict Cumberbatch was in a special hotel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, which is in the center of Bartlesville”. Kimmel joked that “when your name’s Benedict Cumberbatch, you can’t stay in a condominium”. Streep had the last word: “You can’t cumberbatch down to where we are, no”.[85]

Cumberbatch did not respond to the media replays of Streep’s talk-show appearance and multiple articles touting Streep “throwing shade” at him. If the comments or tone suggested that Cumberbatch was not a “team player,” other reports - such as one of him dancing or having selfies made with locals at the wrap party[86] - reinforced his image as being friendly and polite on location.

Filming Little Charles’ Scenes

Local residents had a chance to watch Cumberbatch in action during a scene featuring Little Charles arriving home late for his uncle’s funeral, which is the catalyst for reuniting the Weston clan for the drama that ensues. On September 28, 2012, in downtown Pawhuska, Cooper and Cumberbatch filmed the father-son meeting at a “bus station” created for the film. Although Wells also filmed a scene of Cumberbatch riding on the bus, his expression revealing Little Charles’ anxiety, the director later cut it as unnecessary for telling this character’s story.[87] The first time audiences see Little Charles is when he steps off the bus and immediately begins apologising to his father. Onlookers watched the actors go through the scene for more than twenty takes until all the camera angles had been covered.[88]

The scene is particularly emotional. Little Charles frets that he missed the funeral, which distresses him not only because he loved his uncle but because he knows he has given his family more ammunition against him. Head bowed, he tears up, taking Charlie’s handkerchief to blot his eyes and finally finding comfort in his father’s hug.[89] Little Charles’ innocence and openly revealed pain immediately illustrate this character’s childlike vulnerability.

Julia Roberts (Barbara Weston) noted “That was my favourite scene in the play, and it was my favourite scene when I read the screenplay. To watch the way that [Cumberbatch and Cooper] did that, it’s heartbreaking”.[90] Roberts’ co-stars concurred. “This English kid walked in and absolutely fit into our family in the most touching way,” Streep marvelled, and Juliette Lewis, playing middle Weston daughter Karen, added that “Benedict is so beautiful and sweet as Little Charles. And when I say beautiful, I mean there’s this heartbreak in it”.[91]

One reviewer singled out this scene as especially moving:

[J]ust as [Little Charles] struggles to speak at all, it is a struggle to find the right words to describe how beautiful the scene between them is when father and son declare their love for each other... Cumberbatch in what is a small role is entirely awesome.[92]

This critic further noted that even the moniker “Little Charles” indicates that the character has never been allowed to grow up and has trouble coping with the world. Cumberbatch further described Little Charles as a 37-year-old man “who has not found his purpose, and time is running out”.[93]

The role is more of a stretch in characterisation (even with the need for Cumberbatch to try an Oklahoman accent) than audiences might expect. After all, it is a small part in few scenes; often this character is part of the crowd, sitting around a dining room table for a post-funeral meal, for example. Furthermore, because Little Charles is a pure soul who does not enjoy baiting relatives, he is a quiet outsider who could come across as simple-minded. Little Charles does not stand out in his family, but the actor’s job is to make him appropriately visible on screen. Cumberbatch makes the character memorable by showing audiences honest emotion. The actor does not clutter the performance with excessive gestures or bits of business.

Perhaps the most striking part of Cumberbatch’s performance as Little Charles is a scene in which the shy, often browbeaten man plays a song he has written for the woman he loves. Like Little Charles, the song is straightforward with no emotional artifice. It is a pure expression of adoration. Cumberbatch, who often plays complicated characters with complex motives, lets audiences see who Little Charles can be when he is free to be himself.

One bit of dialogue, just before Little Charles plays his composition, summarises his directness. When cousin Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) enters the living room and sees Little Charles by himself, intently watching a programme, she conversationally asks what he is doing. He replies, “Watching television”. He does not elaborate on this obvious statement or say it sarcastically. He directly answers the question he has been asked and sees no need to say more. The line could have made Little Charles seem unintelligent; by this time in the story his mother already has berated him for his inability to keep a job, and he often seems to miss subtle conversational cues. Little Charles does not seek to mislead or wound others with his words or tone but is refreshingly uncomplicated.

Similarly, the music he composes consists of simple chords to accompany his singing, and the lyrics lack poetic imagery or layered meanings. Through music, he can admit that he does not use many words but wants to express his overwhelming feelings for Ivy. The song, “Can’t Keep It Inside,”[94] lasts barely more than a minute of screen time but is immortalised on the soundtrack CD.

To prepare, Cumberbatch took piano lessons from Lee GrothOlson, the general manager of the Bartlesville Symphony Orchestra. Like her other piano students, Cumberbatch visited her home for the lessons. Getting ready for the scene required about ten lessons, lasting as long as ninety minutes each, over the course of two weeks. GrothOlson and Cumberbatch worked on two songs, with the director choosing the one to be included in the film. Cumberbatch, who had prior experience playing the piano (for example, for his National Theatre role in After the Dance), required little correction during their lessons. GrothOlson reported that “There was only once that I had to say anything to him, because he was that good”.[95]

Something that on screen seems as uncomplicated as this short song required several takes (not because of Cumberbatch’s musical talent) and involved a shift from piano to split-keyboard organ. The actor played the song and scene seven times so the camera could shoot over the shoulder of Nicholson (Ivy) to capture his expression; then the song and scene were repeated for seven more takes so that Ivy’s reaction could be filmed. GrothOlson was impressed with Cumberbatch’s performance: “That’s just him [singing and playing on film], and it’s really gorgeous. He can sing”.[96]

The Reviews

Not all reviewers thought Cumberbatch right for the role, although the majority seemed to find his work commendable, if not exemplary. Veteran film critic Rex Reed, who found much to criticise about August: Osage County, wrote that “England’s Benedict Cumberbatch [is] again miscast and trying on a Southern accent for size”.[97] The New York Daily News also labelled him “painfully miscast”.[98]

Pure Film Creative writer James Killough went further by questioning whether Cumberbatch, who plays men of great intelligence so well, can be convincing as a character like Little Charles: “If you want to see the limits of a talented actor’s self-awareness, you need look no further than this performance”. The critic admitted that Cumberbatch had been limited by John Wells’ direction, which led to problems among the cast finding the right pitch for their performances, but Killough then deems Cumberbatch’s performance “painful”. His primary concern seems to be that “[t]here is no amount of acting that can turn Cumberbatch into a simpleton. He plays geniuses so perfectly because he looks like one. The wrongness of Cumberbatch’s casting and his wretched performance,” fortunately, according to this critic, will be forgotten and forgiven as merely a “mistake”.[99]

This review begs several questions pertinent to Cumberbatch’s career. If a performance does not come across well to critics and audiences, is it the fault of the casting agent, the actor, the director, the actor’s management? Cumberbatch seems to be in charge of deciding which roles he wants to pursue or accept, but if a role is not deemed a success by critics, was it otherwise worthwhile for the actor? How many “mistakes” is an actor allowed at this stage of his career?

With few exceptions, Cumberbatch’s work has positively impressed even those critics who dislike a film, and not all critics agree on the quality of a single performance. Whereas Killough, for example, found Cumberbatch wrong for Little Charles, other critics enjoyed his performance. In one of the film’s first reviews from TIFF, Variety described Cumberbatch as “very touching as the clumsy, unemployed young man”.[100]

Later reviews from cast members (such as the previously mentioned comment by Roberts) and the director support the idea that Cumberbatch gives a meaningful performance. Although critics usually disagree about some aspects of a film or performance, unless they unite to blast an actor, both thumbs-up and thumbs-down reviews might be expected without undue consequences to the public perception of an actor’s talent or marketability.

More troubling is the perception voiced by Killough that Cumberbatch is inherently unsuitable for American roles. His accent, for example, in August: Osage County or 12 Years a Slave has been criticised by some as uneven or improbable, yet he has been offered other parts as American characters (e.g., The Yellow Birds) since the release of both 2013 films for which he learned distinctly American regional dialects. Killough also questions Cumberbatch’s look as a determinant whether he is right for a role; it seems like the critic relegates Cumberbatch to roles like Sherlock Holmes or Alan Turing because the actor looks intelligent.

These criticisms, while in the minority of reviews, recur and hint at typecasting Cumberbatch as English or intellectual - similar to the comments made a few years ago in the U.K. by those who prefer the actor playing only posh. Cumberbatch, like all actors, may have limits to the roles he can play, but so far he has worked very hard at taking on a broad range of roles and striving for critics and casting directors to see him as far more than Sherlock or stiff upper-lipped men in period pieces. The question about his suitability for parts outside critics’ comfort zone, however, likely will come up again when Cumberbatch tackles roles quite different from what audiences expect.

Learning from Meryl Streep

Whereas Cumberbatch’s many talents readily lent themselves to this film, he also used the opportunity to learn more about his profession by studying Streep’s performance. As might be expected when an actor works with Streep, Cumberbatch wanted to pick her brain about acting. He admitted that he was “gauche” in going about asking his questions and approached Streep directly to inquire about her process. Her reply, “It changes, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it change for you?” reassured Cumberbatch. (In an interview in which he recalled this exchange, he broke out in a grin at the memory of this revelation.) “That’s a real relief. Because I know I don’t walk in and impose a working method on people.... [It’s] ... mightily impressive to see someone who’s that flexible still, who’s not tied in to a particular way of working”.[101]

Long-Term Benefits of Small Roles in Big Films

Small roles in major motion pictures can pay big long-term benefits to Cumberbatch because of his high-quality work, as well as industry and fan interest in seeing him promote films as well as act in them. A few of the long-term benefits are these:

1. Directors like his work.

John Wells, who directed August: Osage County, did not know Cumberbatch’s work prior to receiving his audition video. He complimented the actor on that audition, even if it was “recorded on an iPhone - and he must have filmed it himself because you could see that it was behind held at arm’s length, like a selfie... I was really taken with his talent”. Although other actors also auditioned for the role of Little Charles, none “had the warmth and humanity of Benedict in the part”.[102]

Cumberbatch has worked with many of the industry’s leading directors, most recently including Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave), Peter Jackson (The Hobbit), Steven Spielberg (War Horse), Bill Condon (The Fifth Estate), and J.J. Abrams (Star Trek: Into Darkness). Co-stars who also direct, such as Gary Oldman, compliment his work and want him for films they plan to direct. Whether they already know his work or view an audition, these and other directors are now aware of what Cumberbatch can do. Even his ability to keep a secret, such as the nature of his role in Star Trek, has a bearing on the way directors perceive Cumberbatch. Word about an actor’s professionalism gets around, and Cumberbatch is continuing to develop a reputation for his excellent work ethic, high-quality performances, and on-set reliability.

2. He makes connections with producers like George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

As Cumberbatch has mentioned several times, he looks to the careers of Clooney and Pitt as a potential template for his own. Both stars work as much with their production companies as act for others; as producers, or as actors who have a role in their own films (as Clooney did in The Monuments Men and Pitt did in 12 Years a Slave), they have more control over the projects dear to them and the clout to make the films they want.

With the creation of production company SunnyMarch, Cumberbatch has the potential to someday join their ranks. He gained experience as a producer by working on Little Favour, but he does not have the industry clout yet. With continued success in the film industry and the increasing ability to get financing beyond that from fan-supported crowd funding, SunnyMarch may influence his career direction.

3. He becomes more closely associated with the Hollywood A-list.

When actors are newly “hot” after starring in a well-publicised film, they often receive multiple film offers to capitalise on their popularity. After winning a prestigious award, for example, actors might expect a bump in pay and number of film offers to match the increased public and industry interest in an award winner currently in the news.

A blockbuster or critically acclaimed film can do the same for someone “new” on the scene, even if that person has been a working actor for years. The Hollywood Reporter cover for the “new Hollywood A-list” issue featuring Cumberbatch helped establish him in the public eye as arriving at a new level of film stardom. 2013 became Cumberbatch’s “hot” year as his varied roles in multiple movies brought him to the attention of more people, whether they saw Cumberbatch as a villain in sci-fi or fantasy, a leading man, a supporting player, or a television star on the big screen. Cumberbatch’s association with A-list directors, BAFTA- and Academy Award-nominated films (the A-list of motion pictures), and A-list actors like Meryl Streep build his visibility and credibility.

4. He is associated in the media and on screen with award-nominated and -winning films.

Although August: Osage County did not receive as much love from the critics as 12 Years a Slave, it earned a high number of nominations worldwide. Streep, Roberts, or both were nominated for acting awards, providing plenty of attention for the film at the Oscars and SAG, Australian Film Institute, Broadcast Film Critics Association, Prism, and Satellite Awards, as well as numerous ceremonies hosted by critics’ associations in major U.S. cities.

For Cumberbatch, the most professionally important awards ceremonies for August: Osage County were the SAG Awards, where he was part of the ensemble nominated as Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture; the Capri Awards in Hollywood, which presented the cast with the Capri Ensemble Cast Award; and the Hollywood Film Festival’s award to the cast as Ensemble of the Year.

12 Years a Slave, after being screened at the Telluride Film Festival in August 2013, immediately had that all-important buzz, especially after TIFF, where it took the People’s Choice Award. The film won three Oscars, including Best Motion Picture and was nominated for six other major awards; it also was named Best Film (or received a similarly titled award) by, among many others, the British Academy Film Awards, Broadcast Film Critics Association, Golden Globes, Independent Spirit Awards, London Film Critics’ Circle, and Producers Guild of America. The first review at the Telluride Film Festival pronounced the film “[m]ore than a powerful elegy,... a mesmerizing triumph of art and polemics,”[103] and the reviews and awards ceremonies following that August 2013 review supported the consensus that 12 Years a Slave will be long remembered.

Sitting at the much-photographed tables at the SAG awards and getting on stage as part of the Best Motion Picture cast at the Oscars gave Cumberbatch greater visibility to the general movie-going public in 2013. Although he had similar red carpet and awards opportunities with Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and War Horse in 2011, those films did not win as many awards, especially in the U.S. Although named Outstanding British Film at the 2012 BAFTA awards, Tinker, Tailor did not have the same popularity in the U.S. The 2013 films, especially 12 Years, were internationally recognised as being culturally and cinematically important, and whenever they are shown in the future, Cumberbatch’s scenes will be part of those films.

5. He develops new skills and learns from his “homework” for these films.

Of course, the actor could learn and has learned much from independent films and projects in other media - roles in ensemble casts are not the only opportunity for Cumberbatch to add more lines to his CV or more knowledge about history or literature. Nevertheless, ensemble film roles have helped him develop or improve upon skills and given him a reason to conduct his own research.

For August: Osage County, for example, he learned an Oklahoma dialect and brushed up on his piano skills. Taking on yet another U.S. dialect was part of his work for 12 Years. Before he led a cavalry charge on screen in War Horse, he vastly improved his riding skills. He has performed stunts, learned choreography for fights, and donned a mo-cap suit for roles in which he is not the star. He also has taken control of long-distance auditions by, more than once, performing in front of his iPhone in less than optimal filming conditions in order to get a role within a big-budget film with a large cast. Every experience to audition for, research, and understand a role broadens his professional skill base and enhances his life education, both imperative for an actor’s growth; the roles in these ensembles have provided opportunities for many of those growth experiences. As well, these films show those in the film industry what he can do beyond “playing a British intellectual”.

6. He learns from A-list actors with more Hollywood experience.

Although Cumberbatch undoubtedly learns from and studies his colleagues’ work every time he acts, his smaller roles within a large ensemble cast grant him the chance to work with A-list actors with whom he had not previously performed. When Clooney gave Cumberbatch career advice at the BAFTA Britannia Awards, Cumberbatch listened and learned. When the actor worked with Meryl Streep, he asked about her process. When Cumberbatch worked with Gary Oldman, who has become a mentor, the older actor not only talked up his younger co-star’s talent but wanted to work more with him. Although Cumberbatch already knows a great deal, he is open to learning from his colleagues who are more experienced in Hollywood.

7. He receives more personal publicity when he helps promote major motion pictures.

More people get to see him and know him through television appearances, streamed interviews from red carpets, entertainment news, and media panels when he has a role in “big” movies, especially those hyped by Hollywood. With a film in which Cumberbatch played a larger role, such as Smaug in The Hobbit, Khan in Star Trek, or Julian Assange in The Fifth Estate, he became in demand on talk shows around the world. Star Trek, for example, brought him television interview time in Asia and North America, as well as in the U.K.

Increasing audience awareness of Cumberbatch and raising his TV and movie quotient (a measure of the average person’s awareness of an actor’s name or face) help ameliorate the perception that Cumberbatch’s fame is based more on Internet-based fandom than the general public’s recognition of his star power or that his celebrity is country specific.

Cumberbatch’s filmography includes an already-long list of performances in ensembles, in which he may not have a large role but makes the most of his scenes. More important, he is memorable in those scenes, and his work not only stands out on screen but, contrary to some critics’ perceptions of August: Osage County, should stand the test of time. As he has become a film star, he has moved into increasingly highly touted and well-promoted big-budget films from major studios. This trajectory, in addition to the quality of his performances, indicates Cumberbatch as a rising star. He is being sought for roles in mainstream films that allow him to work with London’s or Hollywood’s brightest stars - and even being reflected in the glow of major stars helps ensure that he will keep moving up the A-list.

70 A Special Evening with Meryl Streep on August: Osage County. Lifetime. 1 Jan. 2014.

71 James Mottram. “’It’s Not Like I’ve Completely Conquered Everything’: Benedict Cumberbatch Interview.”

72 12 Years a Slave. Dir. Steve McQueen. 20th Century Fox (worldwide). 2013.

73 Guy Adams. “How Benedict Cumberbatch’s Family Made a Fortune from Slavery (And Why His Roles in Films Like 12 Years a Slave are a Bid to Atone for Their Sins). Mail Online. 31 Jan. 2014.

74 Natalie Hanman. “Should Benedict Cumberbatch Say Sorry for the Slave Owners in His Family?” Guardian. 2 Feb. 2014.

75 Ibid.

76 “Chiwetel Ejiofor Learned Violin.” Xpose Entertainment. 25 Jan. 2014.

77 Christopher Rosen. “Here’s What Happened After a Second Viewing of ‘12 Years a Slave.’” The Huffington Post. 1 Mar. 2014.

78 Jessica Gelt. “TCA: The Curious Case of Benedict Cumberbatch and His Rabid Fans.” Los Angeles Times. 20 Jan. 2014.

79 The 86th Academy Awards. ABC. Dir. Hamish Hamilton. 2 Mar. 2014.

80 Ibid.

81 The Ellen Degeneres Show. Scrapbook. 5 Mar. 2014.

82 The 86th Academy Awards. 2 Mar. 2014.

83 Larry Ong. “Oscars 2014: Benedict Cumberbatch, Harrison Ford, Jennifer Lawrence Among Presenters.” Epoch Times. 24 Feb. 2014.

84 A Special Evening with Meryl Streep. 1 Jan. 2014.

85 Jimmy Kimmel Live. ABC. 15 Jan. 2014.

86 Michael Smith. “’August’ Star Benedict Cumberbatch Gives Bartlesville Women 2 Unique Experiences.” Tulsa World. 2 Jan. 2014.

87 August: Osage County. DVD. Anchor Bay. 2014.

88 “August: Osage County Filming Underway in Bartlesville and Osage County Itself.” Osage News. 9 Oct. 2012.

89 August: Osage County. Dir. John Wells. The Weinstein Co., 2013.

90 Michael Smith. “August: Osage County Stars Talk About Filming in Oklahoma.” Tulsa World. 12 Sep. 2013.

91 A Special Evening with Meryl Streep. 1 Jan. 2014.

92 Carolyn McDowall. “August: Osage County - The Dysfunctional Family from Hell.” Culture Concept Circle. 10 Jan. 2014.

93 “August: Osage County: Benedict Cumberbatch ‘Little Charles Aiken.’” ScreenSlam. YouTube. 23 Nov. 2013.

94 August: Osage County. CD. Columbia. 2013.

95 Michael Smith. “’August’ Star Benedict Cumberbatch Gives Bartlesville Women 2 Unique Experiences.”

96 Ibid.

97 Rex Reed. “A Death in the Family: August: Osage County Stumbles on the Silver Screen.” New York Observer. 17 Dec. 2013.

98 Elizabeth Weitzman. “’August: Osage County’ movie review: Adaptation Doesn’t Match Power of Pulitzer-winning Play.” New York Daily News. 26 Dec. 2013.

99 James Killough. “Benedict Cumberbatch: Can a Character Actor Be a Leading Man?” Pure Film Creative. 24 Jan. 2014.

100 Scott Foundas. “Toronto Film Review: ‘August: Osage County.’” Variety. 10 Sep. 2013.

101 “August: Osage County: Benedict Cumberbatch ‘Little Charles Aiken.’” YouTube. 23 Nov. 2013.

102 Emily Hewitt. “Benedict Cumberbatch iPhone Selfie Landed Him Meryl Streep Movie August: Osage County.” Metro. 21 Dec. 2013.

103 Eric Kohn. “Telluride Film Festival Review; Steve McQueen’s ‘12 Years a Slave,’ Anchored by Brilliant Chiwetel Ejiofor, Is a Slavery Movie for the Ages.” Indiewire. 31 Aug. 2013.

Chapter 5

From Dragon - The Hobbit’s Smaug

“Smaug is such a rich character, so vainglorious, decrepit. It’s ancient, powerful, and yet vulnerable... and very human in his greed and his covetousness”.[104]

Benedict Cumberbatch

When his son Benedict was a young boy, Timothy Carlton read The Hobbit to him as a bedtime story. Because Carlton is an actor, he played all the parts, including that of fearsome dragon Smaug. About thirty years later, the son took the initiative in getting the role of Smaug in Peter Jackson’s mammoth undertaking of a Hobbit trilogy. Cumberbatch sent Jackson an audition tape, which earned him the role.[105] In January 2012 the actor made his first trip to New Zealand to record his performance as Smaug. Although the dragon may be the showier role, the Necromancer also owes his backward-spoken dialogue (to create a creepier audio effect) and shadowy body to Cumberbatch.

In addition to bedtime stories fuelling his imagination, young Cumberbatch may have been destined to play Smaug. He was born during the year of the fire dragon, and although his time in New Zealand took place during another year of the dragon, this time it was a water dragon. Fire and water create steam, perhaps a reason why Cumberbatch was later teased about his “steamy” depiction of Smaug enjoying the sensual nature of his lair.

Nearly as much as Cumberbatch, director Jackson is enthusiastic about the dragon and his casting. At The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug[106] premiere held at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre, Jackson told the media that “Smaug has to be more than just a voice... You want an actor who can bring a lot of intelligence, a lot of character to it” because “the dragon [must be] smarter than Bilbo... Bilbo was up against a very formidable foe”. Jackson later called Smaug “the Hannibal Lecter of the dragon world”.[107]

The director could not say enough about Cumberbatch’s performance as Smaug, even if he also could not resist teasing audiences that the actor rolled around naked on a bearskin rug to get “in the mood” to portray Smaug in his comfy lair within the Lonely Mountain. (Cumberbatch told the LA press, “Peter loves to exaggerate” but joked that, when stretched out in a mo-cap suit atop materials simulating the dragon’s hoard, so that he could enact the dragon’s sensual enjoyment of all that warm gold, he thought “there’s going to be a little bit of dragon porn up here! But I didn’t strip off, despite what Peter says”.[108] More seriously, Jackson praised Cumberbatch’s “great voice” paired with his “great, sharp mind”[109] that made the actor’s contribution to the character’s development so impressive.

Cumberbatch’s understanding of Smaug easily meshed with Jackson’s:

People should be attracted to Smaug’s power, because he is awe-inspiring, but there is also a caveat. Dragons are symbols of power and objects of awe, true, but they are also talismans warning us of the destructive force that power brings... Power is to be respected and harnessed toward an express purpose that has benefit beyond the self.[110]

Smaug, unfortunately, prefers to think only of himself, which ultimately leads to his demise (but not in Jackson’s second film in The Hobbit trilogy). J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit, based Smaug on the type of dragon described in literature like Beowulf. Such a dragon differs from later depictions in popular culture, like the movie dragons in Disney’s partially animated Pete’s Dragon (1977), the more dramatic DragonHeart (1996), DreamWorks’ animated How to Train Your Dragon (2011), or the John Hurt-voiced dragon in the BBC’s television series Merlin (2008-12). Many popular versions are pet-like or cuddly, but even the crankier dragons usually end up helping humans. Smaug is like none of these.

As Felicia Jean Steele explained in a 2006 Mythlore article, Tolkien interpreted Beowulf’s “dragon as beast, with an awareness of his own bestiality”. He is a “wyrm,” an ancient beast, but he also is self-aware and sentient. Tolkien’s Smaug dreams and is not easily awakened from his slumber.[111] Jackson’s Desolation of Smaug depicts movie Smaug similar to Tolkien’s drawings of the red dragon but more importantly includes some of Tolkien’s dialogue. Smaug knows his own power and is proud of it. Like Tolkien’s and Beowulf’s dragons, movie Smaug relies on an excellent sense of smell and, as soon as he fully awakens, tries to identify Bilbo first by scent. He remembers encounters with other beings in Middle-earth and compares his impressions of Bilbo to that catalogue of species he has met.

Cumberbatch’s voice and mo-cap performance from which Smaug is created on screen capture the essence of Tolkien’s ancient dragon. The actor’s voice cajoles and caresses Bilbo as Smaug toys with the hobbit; the dragon’s eyes narrow in displeasure as he spits “thief” to accuse Bilbo of entering the lair to abscond with the dragon’s gold. Smaug enjoys trading riddles with Bilbo but shows none of the childlike glee of Gollum with a potential “playmate”. The dragon is completely confident and masterful; any “games” are on his terms.

Smaug is yet another highly intelligent character played by Cumberbatch, as well as another movie villain. Because Smaug is an enormous, fiery dragon, however, the actor could have had little input in the way Smaug finally looks or sounds on screen. An animated or CGI-designed character might mute the actor’s performance when the character’s voice becomes a synthesised blend of the actor’s sound sweetened or, in Smaug’s case, deepened by technology. Similarly, the dragon might not have been based on the actor’s movements in a mo-cap suit. Technology, however, enhanced, rather than inhibited, Cumberbatch’s performance.

The actor insisted on wearing a mo-cap suit so he could influence Smaug’s expression and physicality as he spoke Smaug’s words. The actor lowered his voice a couple of octaves to the depths of his range, so much so that at the end of a long recording session, his vocal cords bled.[112] Smaug’s voice ultimately is the result of Cumberbatch’s voice as he acts the role and technology to get the “fire-breathing” aspects that cannot be found in a human voice. The actor elaborated that Smaug’s sound “was all my own voice until the last session where we used this [device] which drops it a couple of octaves so that you can flesh [it] out with a bit more colour and character”.[113]

A Weta Workshop video shows how the design artists matched Cumberbatch’s mo-cap performance with Smaug’s motion. Because actor and dragon have very different physiologies, the “translation of performance from Benedict to Smaug wasn’t a one-to-one match like you’d get from a humanoid creature”. Thus, animators “had to transpose the elements of Benedict’s performance that were critical to the shot, such as head nuances and facial expressions”.[114]

The video, quickly shared online, helped disabuse critics of the notion that Cumberbatch only voiced the dragon. In an interview with Louise Brealey, perhaps best known to television audiences as Sherlock’s Molly Hooper, Cumberbatch vented his discontent when a U.S. publicist inaccurately

released this thing saying that I was voicing Smaug and it’s followed me around everywhere. I’m doing the movements! I worked for two days solid doing the motion capture for those scenes... and I did the motion capture for the Necromancer as well.[115]

One aspect of filming that relied solely on movie magic was Cumberbatch acting with Martin Freeman during Smaug’s encounter with Bilbo. Although Freeman and Cumberbatch separately filmed and recorded dialogue for their scenes “together,” they knew each other’s style and working rhythms from acting together on Sherlock. Cumberbatch recorded his dialogue before Freeman returned to New Zealand, but responding to his co-star’s performance was not unduly difficult for “Bilbo”. Freeman explained that “I’m familiar with Ben’s voice and Peter [Jackson] had played me his read. So I had Ben’s voice in my head” while reacting to the dialogue being read extremely loudly by the film’s dialect coach.[116]

Despite some articles touting the “reunion” of the Sherlock stars, the performances could not be further from those on the BBC series, not only because their characters are very different, but because the roles involve different approaches. Cumberbatch in particular found the role “freeing” because he could play a reptile and approach the physical presence of his character very differently than he would if he were playing a human.

He was widely quoted as saying he did initial research at the Regent Park zoo, where he studied reptiles. During the mo-cap sequences, he curled his fingers to resemble claws and held his legs together to better slither. The dragon’s facial features on screen are easier to recognise as Cumberbatch related; the actor has narrowed his eyes in other roles, and the expression translates well to Smaug’s glowing, slitted eyes. Cumberbatch could spot aspects of his mo-cap performance in the finished version of Smaug: “I can sort of see bits of that in those close-ups when he’s one on one with Bilbo and with Thorin at the end; it’s vague but I can see underneath all those scales, the eyebrow movements and the mouth”.[117] The voice, however, captivates audiences because its sinuous sibilance perfects a reptilian sound and captures Smaug’s deceptively alluring presence. Although the trilogy is entitled The Hobbit, most moviegoers came to The Desolation of Smaug to see the dragon, and neither Weta nor Cumberbatch disappointed them.

Reviews Revelling in Smaug

Empire concluded that “We’ve seen many a dragon on screen before, but nothing with this much personality: Smaug is a startlingly well-executed creation, toggling between arrogance, indolence and rage as he uses his wyrm-tongue to try to draw out Bilbo”.[118] Entertainment.ie concurred, placing Cumberbatch’s mo-cap and vocal interpretation of Smaug at number three in its list of top five movie dragons. Smaug earned this designation because the actor “voiced [him] with deliciously evil intent”.[119]

As much as critics and moviegoers revelled in Smaug, Cumberbatch seemed to do the same. His red carpet appearances in Los Angeles and Berlin became memorable to fans not only because Cumberbatch was widely praised for Smaug but because the actor seemed in a playful mood during the events. For the LA premiere, Cumberbatch specifically chose to wear a “Smaug-coloured” deep red velvet smoking jacket in homage to his character. Evangeline Lily (Tauriel) teased him, and he blushed charmingly. While Martin Freeman was being interviewed live in LA, Cumberbatch pinched his co-star as he walked behind Freeman, who stopped midsentence to see who had accosted him.[120] The good-natured ribbing may be what fans remember from the LA press at the premiere, more so than the interesting but increasingly repetitive answers to similar questions posed on every red carpet or in press junkets. Cumberbatch also endeared himself to a few fans lucky enough to get autographs or pose for selfies with the actor, who ran across the street to greet fans after walking the media gauntlet.

In Berlin, while standing in the spotlight with Freeman and other cast members at the European premiere, Cumberbatch took photos of the crowd and cast, then talked with his father on the phone. He held his mobile toward the cheering fans so his dad could hear the noise level and finally passed the phone to Freeman so that “Bilbo” could speak with Carlton.[121]

The conversation was a lovely way for the son to include his father in the joy and sense of accomplishment during such a premiere (and do so by having the film’s lead take a moment to talk to his colleague’s father). It also brought The Hobbit full circle in the father-son relationship. Carlton introduced his child to the book, and the adult son thanked him by sharing a moment from the Hobbit’s European premiere featuring Cumberbatch’s performance as one of Tolkien’s most famous characters. It was perhaps a strange but an emotionally appropriate way for Carlton to participate in this celebration of the film’s release and his part in bringing Smaug to the cinema.

104 VISO Trailers. “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug - Interview with Benedict Cumberbatch/Smaug.” YouTube. 4 Dec. 2013.

105 Gina McIntyre. “’Hobbit’ Star Benedict Cumberbatch on Smaug, His ‘Porn Star’ Dragon.” Los Angeles Times. 16 Dec. 2013.

106 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Dir. Peter Jackson. MGM, New Line Cinema. 2013.

107 Andrea Mandell. “Why was Cumberbatch chosen for ‘Hobbit’s’ Smaug?” USA Today. 3 Dec. 2013.

108 Peter Howlitt. “Benedict Cumberbatch Sees Smaug as Sexy.” Star. 12 Dec. 2012.

109 Ibid.

110 Benedict Cumberbatch.. Smaug: Unleashing the Dragon. London: HarperCollins, 2014, p. 5.

111 Felicia Jean Steele. “Dreaming of Dragons: Tolkien’s Impact on Heaney’s Beowulf.” Mythlore (25, 1-2). Fall/Winter 2006, p. 141.

112 Howlitt, “Benedict Cumberbatch Sees Smaug as Sexy.”

113 McIntyre, “’Hobbit’ Star Benedict Cumberbatch on Smaug, His ‘Porn Star’ Dragon.”

114 Carolyn Giardina. “Benedict Cumberbatch Performs Mocap ‘Smaug’ in Making-of Video (EXCLUSIVE).” Hollywood Reporter. 21 Feb. 2014.

115 Benedict Cumberbatch. Cheltenham Literary Festival. 6 Oct. 2012.

116 “Hobbit Star Martin Freeman: Benedict Cumberbatch’s Voice Was in My Head Filming Desolation of Smaug.” Radio Times. 25 Oct. 2013.

117 McIntyre, “’Hobbit’ Star Benedict Cumberbatch on Smaug, His ‘Porn Star’ Dragon.”

118 Nick DeSimlyen. “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.” Empire. Dec. 2014.

119 “Dragons Are So Hot Right Now!” Entertainment.ie. 8 July 2014.

120 TheOneRing. “Benedict Pinches Martin.” YouTube. Dec. 2013.

121 LizzyGMusic.. “The Hobbit European Premiere Berlin Desolation of Smaug 09.12.2013 Benedict Cumberbatch.” YouTube. 9 Dec. 2013.

Chapter 6

To Dragon Slayer - Sherlock

Mycroft: He’s not a dragon for you to slay.

Sherlock: A dragonslayer? Is that what you

think of me? [122]

Sherlock, “His Last Vow”

Fans who know that Cumberbatch plays Smaug, the fearsome dragon in The Hobbit, likely consider this dialogue an inside reference to the Sherlock actor’s much-publicised role in The Desolation of Smaug, a film that, at the time “His Last Vow” was broadcast, had been released only weeks earlier. The dragon reference is also appropriate because in the middle film in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy, Sherlock’s Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman face off as Smaug and the titular Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins.

Yet, as will be discussed later in this chapter, Mycroft is right about his little brother: Sherlock Holmes is becoming much more of a dragonslayer - or a saviour figure - in series three, and the change may signal a new direction in the way the iconic consulting detective is portrayed throughout the rest of the BBC’s adaptation. This shift, as well as others brought about by the introduction of new characters and the evolution of familiar ones, gave Cumberbatch new material to play, and play with, in series three. The actor’s celebrity and fan image also shifted as a result of the public’s immense interest in both Sherlock and the man who plays Sherlock Holmes.

The Popularity of Sherlock

Among Cumberbatch’s many big projects released during 2014 is Sherlock, the television series that helped further his already-impressive acting career and is the one that took off just as his accelerating film career propelled him into cinemas around the world. Among the many television (mini)series/movies in which Cumberbatch has starred (including the critically acclaimed Hawking, To the Ends of the Earth, Small Island, and The Last Enemy), Sherlock surely will be remembered at the top of the list decades from now.

In many ways Sherlock set a new standard for BBC television through its limited run of high-quality episodes broadcast approximately every two years. As yet another adaptation of the iconic Sherlock Holmes stories, Sherlock stretched the boundaries of what a modernisation could and should be in order to become accepted, much less beloved, by the public.

Cumberbatch now is permanently associated with the award-winning Sherlock, the BBC, and Sherlock Holmes - and the association apparently will continue until he no longer wishes to play the part. If any role spans Cumberbatch’s transition from respected working actor heading toward international fame to media-fuelled celebrity and critically acclaimed film and television star, it is Sherlock.

On January 1, 2014, the BBC (and, within a few weeks in the U.S., PBS) broadcast the third series of Sherlock. The three-episode story arc was widely promoted, and Sherlock, along with other international favourites such as Doctor Who (broadcast in the U.S. on BBC America) and Downton Abbey (shown on U.S. PBS stations), again was one of the standouts among BBC Worldwide exports. Its high production values and a stellar cast only increased its global visibility over time, and as titular character Sherlock Holmes, Cumberbatch receives the greatest amount of attention during the promotion of a new block of episodes.

In early 2014 publicity included not only plenty of press at home but interviews in Pasadena, California, at the Television Critics Association Press Tour (TCA), where he participated in a Sherlock/Masterpiece panel. If it had not long been a personal quirk of arriving late for appointments, Cumberbatch’s last-minute arrival at the TCA Winter TV Press Tour might have seemed like something a star-diva would pull. Instead, the near-tardiness became just another example of Cumberbatch running late and, as in Toronto at TIFF, not having time to talk with fans before he needed to talk with reporters.

This year’s Sherlock panel felt like a family affair because of the camaraderie among partners Steven Moffat (the showrunner) and Sue Vertue (the producer) and actors Cumberbatch and Amanda Abbington, who all fielded questions and bantered with each other. The chemistry evident on screen among Sherlock characters also could be felt among the panellists. When asked to define chemistry, Cumberbatch described it as “where you feel you’re learning from those around you”.[123] When Moffat teased Cumberbatch about Sherlock’s almost-kiss with Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott), the Sherlock star protested the description, leaving Abbington laughing and warning him that he was only digging himself into a deeper conversational hole the longer he tried to correct Moffat’s impression.[124]

One reporter admitted it was difficult to tweet during the session because of Cumberbatch’s speedy conversation and thoughtful responses amid the typical promotional comments. As he has been wont to do in past interviews before he achieved this level of fame, Cumberbatch used the F-word a few times during the panel but, wrote one journalist, “was self-aware enough to joke about his potty mouth”.[125] At least this way Cumberbatch retains his “gentleman” persona while still not being afraid to be himself; he understands how he should act during a press panel and, when he says something that might not be appropriate for a family-friendly image, he knows how to deflect criticism by finding fault with himself.

Because Cumberbatch was the undisputed star of the TCA press tour, the question naturally arose as to when he would be too big a star to continue the television role. Many actors abandon television in favour of films as long as their movie box-office lasts or until they want to be cast in a cannot-be-missed television project. At least in 2014, Cumberbatch said “I’m going to keep going with [Sherlock]. I love it. I find it very invigorating,” and Moffat “insisted that Sherlock would ‘continue until Benedict gets too famous and he’ll refuse’”.[126] Having variety among the roles he gets to play each year is one reason why Cumberbatch sees no reason not to continue as Sherlock. “I play enough other mad people to vary the palate of what I’m scrabbling around in my head as a storyteller”.[127]

During and after the panel, Cumberbatch sought to acknowledge all his fans - not only those to whom he felt a responsibility to say hello because they waited for him to finish the press interviews. When asked about the group outside hoping to see him, Cumberbatch worried that he rushed past because he was behind schedule, but he planned to return (and did) to greet fans later. He called fandom both “extraordinary” and “a little unnerving” but thinks that “it has to be acknowledged”. Even if briefly talking with those who wait for him “feeds the whole thing,” Cumberbatch feels the need to recognise that his fans are “so devoted and committed, and by and large intelligent and, for the most part, normal”.[128]

The fans who queue for hours to get an autograph or selfie are not the only ones Cumberbatch mentioned to the press. “It also means a lot to me that there aren’t people camped outside who will sit down,... wherever they are in the world” to watch Sherlock. “That Sunday-night feeling, that sort of around-the-television feeling - that’s the audience that I get a kick from”. During the first series, Cumberbatch was thrilled to see sales of Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels dramatically increase.[129] The fact that many viewers, enjoying what they saw on Sherlock, turned to Conan Doyle’s works seems to please him far more than the fact that people now recognise him everywhere he goes or hang on his every word.

During the week of the TCA panels, a head shot of Cumberbatch as Sherlock graced the cover of Entertainment Weekly, one of many covers featuring the actor in the past year. However, this one (as well as a Time international edition and a Hollywood Reporter cover) indicates the change in the actor’s global status, not only because of Sherlock, but certainly helped by the BBC series’ appeal. That Cumberbatch-as-Sherlock was on the cover of a leading entertainment magazine during the week when television critics met with actors and showrunners to discuss new episodes or programs indicates Cumberbatch’s and Sherlock’s marketing and advertising power, along with their perceived entertainment value and audiences’ and critics’ high (perhaps excessively so) expectations.

Because of the long hiatuses between series (only nine episodes between 2010 and 2014), Sherlock is a television event, and Cumberbatch and the series are widely promoted but also especially scrutinised. In fact, fans have been known to share isolated screencaps of his or another character’s facial expression in order to discuss exactly what is going on in a scene. Whereas critics may review the whole performance, fans dissect each scene, line, expression, or movement to debate the plot and characterisation.

Whether within fandom or the television industry, the quality of a series is a double-edged blade. It allows a programme with an exclusive reputation to cut through the competition simply on name recognition alone. Sherlock, for example, is always assumed to be high-quality programming; its past successes increase the expectation that it will continue to be award-winning television. However, a series also can be stabbed in the back if it fails to meet audience or critical expectations.

From the first, PBS realised that Sherlock could help the public television network rebrand its image for a younger audience and still retain viewership of the faithful. Rebecca Eaton, the executive producer of Masterpiece, the PBS umbrella series that includes Sherlock among its many British imports for broadcast in the U.S., wrote in her autobiography that she was immediately drawn to the quality of scripts when deciding whether to broadcast Sherlock. These scripts were “the cleverest and most modern work I’d seen in ages. Eventually, the actual production of them, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the irascible, brilliant Sherlock and Martin Freeman as his flatmate Dr. John Watson, newly returned from the Afghan war, took them up even higher”.[130] Eaton attributes PBS’ ability to attract a younger audience to Sherlock, with its fresh take on characters and, especially, Sherlock’s use of technology. She also claims that Cumberbatch himself is a big draw, because his fans “follow [his] every personal move”.[131]

Perhaps naively, Eaton assumed that Cumberbatch or Sherlock fans would patiently wait for PBS to broadcast series two episodes, no matter that they arrived in the U.S. months after their U.K. broadcast. She wrote of her shock at the Sherlock event held in New York to promote “A Scandal in Belgravia”[132] in 2012. She quickly discovered that the fans already had seen the latest series. Her awareness of “pirates” gave her a new appreciation of U.S. fans’ determination to see Sherlock as soon as episodes become available in the U.K.[133] Although PBS (and many other networks worldwide) were not able to broadcast Sherlock simultaneously with the BBC’s broadcasts, the lag time in the U.S. was greatly reduced for series three.

Yet Eaton’s concerns about fandom also are evident and understandable. Like many who schedule television series, she realises that today’s fans, while just as passionate as earlier generations’, think of television very differently than their parents do. Eaton noted that she was “thrilled” with the fan response to the New York PBS screening of “A Scandal in Belgravia”; fans “were screaming with excitement by the time the episode started. When Benedict, Steven [Moffat], and Sue [Vertue] came out on stage afterward, they went as nuts as their mothers had for the Beatles, or their grannies for Frank Sinatra”.[134] She described the Sherlock fandom at this event as mostly young women from all over the U.S. who lighted up “the blogosphere and Twitterland” with their messages on the day of the screening. What most troubled Eaton is that these fans “had only a vague awareness of Masterpiece, and it’s possible that there wasn’t a television set owner among them”.[135]

Although the image of “public television” differs in the U.S. from the U.K., finding innovative ways to promote Sherlock and increase anticipation for new episodes is a universal marketing concern. The BBC’s teasers leading to the U.K.’s January 2014 premiere of series three cannily showed less of Sherlock than fans wanted or expected. A seven-minute video released on Christmas Eve became a frequently watched holiday gift, for all that it failed to explain what had happened to Sherlock following his fall from St. Bart’s roof. It does show him promising John that “I’ll be seeing you again very soon”.[136]

The teaser gave fans an update on Anderson, Mrs. Hudson, Detective Inspector Lestrade (who shares a Sherlock-made video with John), and John, who needs a drink before he can watch it. Sherlock, as ever, remains mysterious, leaving fans even more eager to see the reunion of Sherlock and John.

Ratings for that first post-fall episode, “The Empty Hearse,” surpassed the previous two series’ first episodes, with 9.2 million viewers in the U.K. (making it the most-watched Sherlock episode to date) and nearly 4 million in the U.S.,[137] despite being aired on a Sunday after Downton Abbey (which should be a ratings plus) but not ending until close to midnight (which should be a minus, given that many viewers have to be up early for jobs or classes on Monday morning).

Yet for all the anticipation leading into series three, new episodes following the post-“Reichenbach Fall” return of Sherlock Holmes did not meet everyone’s expectations. Although the cast’s acting usually was not faulted, the directions their characters took often were. Co-creator Mark Gatiss noted that ending up at Reichenbach (the canon death of Holmes before Conan Doyle was compelled to bring him back years later) at the end of series two could have been problematic; however, “[i]t doesn’t mean that there’s nowhere to go after he’s back, you just have to think of new directions. And the whole of this third season [has] a different feel to it, because it has to”.[138]

The new directions include Sherlock meeting John’s future wife, Mary Morstan (Amanda Abbington); becoming best man at their wedding; revealing a great deal more about his childhood and family; and making an important vow that suggests further evolution of the Sherlock-John-Mary relationship in forthcoming series. Part of the problem is that, with a large international fanbase, Sherlock cannot possibly please everyone. One critic suggested that the series “spend less time on Sherlock’s bromance with Dr. Watson next season and again shift its focus to developing intricate and fascinating cases as it had in the first two seasons,”[139] whereas fans who want more bromance worried that the classic Holmes-Watson friendship would suffer with the introduction of Morstan. Although ratings remained high, British media ran articles with titles like “Sherlock is Terrible, Decide Sherlock Fans”[140] and published tweets from dissatisfied viewers. Nevertheless, the demand for series four and beyond continued unabated, if only to see how the series could “fix” past mistakes or expand the characters in new ways.

Months after series three was first broadcast in the U.K. and U.S., the award nominations started coming in. In the U.S., the Critics’ Choice Television Awards nominated Sherlock as a PBS movie/miniseries in four categories: Best Actor, Cumberbatch; Best Supporting Actor, Freeman; Best Supporting Actress, Abbington; and Best Movie, “His Last Vow”. Only “His Last Vow,” the finale of series three, was considered in the nominations. An interesting point is that Freeman was included in the same Best Actor category as Cumberbatch - but for Fargo, a series that earned five nominations.[141] Unfortunately for the Sherlock team, the awards went to other series, but the nominations were just beginning for “His Last Vow”.

In July 2014 the British TV Choice Awards, voted by the public, nominated Cumberbatch as Best Actor and Sherlock as Best Drama Series. A few days later, the U.S. Emmy nominations were announced; Sherlock earned twelve, including writing, directing, casting, cinematography, costuming, music composition, single-camera picture editing, sound editing, sound mixing, and television movie - all attesting to Sherlock’s continuing status as a high-quality program and, as U.S. newspapers mentioned, the acceptance and, indeed, celebration of British television imports. Cumberbatch and Freeman faced off in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie category, Cumberbatch for Sherlock but Freeman for Fargo. Freeman received a second nomination, Outstanding Supporting Actor for Sherlock.

2014 proved to be Sherlock’s big year at the Emmy awards. Among the statuettes honouring Sherlock was Cumberbatch’s first Emmy, but Freeman must have been consoled from losing to his Sherlock colleague by winning his Emmy as Outstanding Supporting Actor. Unfortunately for the fans who hoped to see them at the awards ceremony, both busy actors were working and could not accept the awards in person.

The Critics’ Choice list was especially praised for truly including worthy performances across networks and suggesting that the nominations were based on the quality of work, not previous popularity of a television series or the network on which a series was broadcast. President of the Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA), the organisation that bestows the Critics’ Choice Awards, noted the high quality of the year’s television offerings: “As television journalists, BTJA members live and breathe TV, and we’re excited to share our top picks from an immensely rich and diverse year of programming”.[142] For Sherlock to receive so many Critics’ Choice or Emmy nominations - and Emmy awards - in the U.S., where it is an import, is an effective indicator that the critics considered “His Last Vow” as an exemplary “movie” and the performances among the best in the 2013-14 television season. Especially in the aftermath of viewer controversy about the directions the stories took, Sherlock benefitted from accolades from those who, as their job title explains, are meant to evaluate work objectively. Most notably for PBS, Sherlock earned four of the network’s five Critics’ Choice nominations (the other going to The Hollow Crown in the Best Miniseries category) and twelve of twenty-four Emmy nominations (the rest going to Downton Abbey). Sherlock’s Emmy awards for best actor, best supporting actor, and outstanding writing in particular validated the quality of series three but also set an even higher bar of excellence to meet or surpass in series four.

Despite the critics’ acclaim, the first responses posted by readers of the Hollywood Reporter’s announcement of Critics’ Choice nominations complained that series three was the worst.[143] On Twitter, however, fans congratulated the cast or Cumberbatch specifically, after nominations and especially following the Emmy wins.

Hours after the U.S. media published the nominations, with headlines only focused on U.S. series, the U.K.’s Radio Times emphasised only the British actors nominated for awards. The Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries category was especially star studded with Brits, but the headline indicates just how much Cumberbatch and Freeman are esteemed at home: “Sherlock Stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman Vie for Best Actor Award”. The photo beneath this headline showed a close-up from “A Scandal in Belgravia” when John chokes Sherlock during a fight the detective instigates for a case. The article’s first four paragraphs are devoted to news about the Sherlock cast’s nominations.[144] Although Sherlock, Cumberbatch, and Freeman may get the majority of media focus at home, they are not yet as widely revered by the U.S. media - but television critics and fans certainly have taken notice and appreciate their work, as the many award nominations and Emmy wins for Cumberbatch and Freeman illustrate.

At home in the U.K., the Sherlock star already had received awards for his most recent work as Holmes. Cumberbatch won the new category of TV Detective at the National Television Awards in January 2014. The public votes for these awards, and Cumberbatch’s popularity in the role gained him the award over David Tennant and Olivia Colman (Broadchurch), Idris Elba (Luther), Bradley Walsh (Law & Order UK), and Suranne Jones (Scott & Bailey).

Cumberbatch’s acceptance speech from LA again combined the best of his two professional personas: glamorous, classy actor and fun-loving “average guy”. At first shown live on camera in a tuxedo while standing in front of a backdrop of the Hollywood sign, Cumberbatch seriously thanked the public, saying “You are the people who have made [Sherlock] the success of what it is, and it’s a real, real, real thrill. I wish I was there to pick up the award in person”. He stuttered through the minute-long speech and admitted he was nervous, but, once again, the sincerity behind his feeling “over the moon” at receiving the award made his vocal stumbles understandable and adorable to his fans.

The jitters also should have telegraphed a prank in the making. “I’ve been working out in Hollywood here,” the actor explained, as the camera was lowered to show him wearing red board shorts. Fans in the London auditorium watching the video screamed their approval at the sight. Feigning annoyance with the camera, Cumberbatch got his tuxedo-jacketed torso back in frame. Like an average guy faced with the opportunity to go swimming in Southern California in January, he rationalised, “The pool is too lovely. I’ve been swimming in it every day”. As if to remind his followers that he has not gone Hollywood, his parting words to the Londoners at the awards ceremony were that he would see them soon.[145]

Cumberbatch’s projects in any medium generate immediate interest. As soon as series three had been broadcast in the U.K., speculation about the next series of Sherlock included hype (and hope) that shooting for series four might begin as early as spring 2014, especially after the start date of Cumberbatch’s film, Blood Mountain, fell through, and his schedule briefly seemed to open up more options for Sherlock filming. Co-star Abbington mentioned in a Radio Times article[146] that partner Freeman truly was a free man post-Fargo filming. However, the window of opportunity slammed shut when both leads quickly found non-television projects: Richard III, on stage at Trafalgar Studios, for Freeman and a range of celebrity appearances for Cumberbatch.

Whereas Sherlock co-creators and showrunners Gatiss and Moffat proclaimed that series four and five already had been plotted,[147] Freeman announced weeks later that Sherlock might return as a one-off special.[148] By the end of May, however, consensus seemed to be that series four might be broadcast in 2016 - after the series’ typical two-year hiatus - but, as Moffat also mentioned several times, Sherlock employs two of the busiest actors on the planet, which always creates scheduling dilemmas. On the BAFTA red carpet in spring 2014, Gatiss assured fans that they had made “significant progress” toward determining shooting dates. He then joked that the efforts involved in coming to an agreement made the process of scheduling Sherlock and announcing the dates seem more like political negotiations than television entertainment.[149]

By summer 2014, the Sherlock schedule included a one-off special, to be filmed in early 2015 for a late-year broadcast, and three more episodes. Series four, planned for broadcast in 2016, would be filmed later, but the special would be a bonus for fans and would help dispel disgruntlement with another long hiatus.

The continuing interest in and even controversy surrounding Sherlock do everything to help Cumberbatch’s career. Public demand ensures that he is encouraged to return to the role between other projects and to be associated with an award-winning television series for several years during its original run and for decades more via recordings and rebroadcasts. Furthermore, Sherlock has the cachet of being not just a run-of-the-mill television series but a high-class production more like a series of movies than a typical television drama; its sales figures for BBC Worldwide illustrate its preeminence among British television exports and its global demand.

Although Sherlock is not the reason for Cumberbatch’s career success - he already was well known in the U.K. entertainment industry and busy fielding calls for film roles by the time Sherlock debuted - nonetheless Sherlock has become a stable focal point around which the actor’s other projects revolve. It offers him a beloved character to portray and the continuing adulation of television fans, a prominent position among the BBC’s “go-to” actors for special projects, and the assurance of a high-profile starring role guaranteed to provide both acting challenges and publicity during a sizeable chunk of the actor’s professional career. Even fan unease with characterisation or dissatisfaction with plot lines in series three did not diminish international interest in the continuation of Sherlock.

If series four of Sherlock would not return Cumberbatch to television in the U.K. - and exported to more than 200 territories[150] - until possibly 2016, then other television dramas would fill in to keep Cumberbatch a constant presence on U.K. television. Like Freeman, Cumberbatch took on the lead in Richard III, but the latter signed on for a movie within the second series of television’s The Hollow Crown. In addition to the Shakespearean drama, which undoubtedly would draw comparisons between the actors’ interpretations and productions, Cumberbatch’s many celebrity roles on television - as interviewee, presenter, or himself in a guest role - kept him on the small screen while fans waited yet again for Sherlock’s return.

Interpreting Sherlock During Series Three

Changes in the direction of Sherlock Holmes’ development startled some fans during series three. These character developments, although well acted by Cumberbatch, also shift audience and critics’ perceptions of Sherlock and the type of character - less canon Holmes and more BBC, ever-evolving modern Sherlock - with which the actor is most often associated. Three “roles” or aspects of Sherlock’s personality, whether delineated in a script or enhanced through fandom, are analysed in the remainder of this chapter:

- Sherlock as a dragonslayer, “god,” or saviour

- Sherlock as his “younger” self, aka William Sherlock Scott Holmes

- Sherlock as a sex object (which, in turn, reflects the public’s/media’s ongoing debate about Cumberbatch’s sex appeal)

Sherlock as Dragonslayer, god, or Saviour

Although the last episode of series three features the “dragonslayer” dialogue, Sherlock has taken on that job at least since the series two finale, “The Reichenbach Fall”.[151] However, this knight errant (or erring, as it seems near the conclusion of “His Last Vow”) is most obviously pitted against a “dragon” in series three.

Even viewers who have no idea that Cumberbatch is the mo-cap originator of movie Smaug’s moves or more obviously as the dragon’s voice come to understand that Sherlock has become far more of a saviour or dragonslayer figure as the series progresses. Before falling from St. Bart’s roof, he proclaims to Moriarty that he is on the side of the angels but is not one of them.[152] That prophetic statement is illustrated nowhere better than by series three episodes. He is a saviour figure believing himself to work for the greater good, but he is not angelic.

Despite all the theories about how Sherlock survives the fall or the hints about what he does during his time “dead” (e.g., being captured, escaping, and returning to be tortured in Serbia), the acts Sherlock commits - and the actions perpetrated upon him - are largely left to the viewer’s imagination. With the exception of the opening scenes in “The Empty Hearse,” which briefly show Sherlock’s recapture and horrific treatment - chained, beaten, sleep deprived - in Serbia, his life prior to his return to London seems shadowy and mysterious. He apparently helps clear up “bad guys” in Europe by infiltrating and manipulating organisations. Mycroft, who uncharacteristically does some “legwork” to retrieve Sherlock from Serbia, seems to be working with his brother. Because the audience typically sees little that John Watson does not see, many of Sherlock’s actions develop a mythic quality as they are mentioned in passing or alluded to, but they are not directly observed by John or the audience.

What is clear, however, is that Sherlock has become a saviour figure - what I term a “dark hero”. He is even more morally ambiguous, for all that he strives to do “good” by John Watson. Sherlock’s actions are based on upholding the vow he makes to John’s family during the Watson wedding. To protect John’s life and future happiness, Sherlock believes he must slay a “dragon,” series three’s “big bad” - Charles Augustus Magnussen.

By the conclusion of his encounter with this villain, Sherlock commits a murder, not what everyone would consider an “angelic” act. Although he may have the good intention to save his closest friends from being blackmailed, humiliated, and injured (and, in the process, saving unknown others from a similar fate), he shoots a man in cold blood. Thus, he fulfils Sally Donovan’s prophesy in the very first episode that “one day we’ll all be standing around a body, and Sherlock Holmes will be the one who put it there”.[153] Even Mycroft, who has been privy to at least some of his brother’s post-fall activities, mournfully asks, “Oh, Sherlock, what have you done?” Sherlock sacrifices himself to ensure John’s and new wife Mary’s safety. By the end of the episode, he flies off (or, godlike, ascends to the heavens) in exile from all he has known and loved and accepts his impending death. However, Sherlock is hardly a martyr because of the act that sets in motion his exile.

The show’s moral premise - as with most television series aside from a show like Breaking Bad - is that the protagonist is assumed to be a hero or to be headed toward the idealised “goodness” of a hero. Sherlock berates John’s attempt early on to put him in that category, saying “Heroes don’t exist, John, and if they did, I wouldn’t be one of them”.[154] Nonetheless, Sherlock’s ability to spar with Moriarty and to sacrifice his life to save three people close to him (John, Mrs. Hudson, Detective Inspector Lestrade), just as he does in “His Last Vow” (this time to save John, Mary, and their unborn daughter), makes him seem heroic despite his protest and to fulfil Lestrade’s hope for him one day to become a “good man,” not simply a great one (i.e., genius).[155] Because Sherlock’s brilliant deductions have thwarted international plots and put away criminals, viewers have come to expect that he will act heroically. His self-sacrifice reinforces this interpretation.

Sherlock also “plays god” with others’ lives by choosing when to save or kill. During series two’s “A Scandal in Belgravia,” Irene Adler is saved from execution.[156] In series three, Janine, who is introduced as Mary’s friend and later shown to be Magnussen’s assistant, and Mary are saved from the dragon Magnussen, who toys with them and knows he can destroy them at any time. John is saved from Magnussen’s blackmail and tortuous ability to keep him in line in order to preserve his family, but he pays the price with the apparent loss of his dearest friend.

In previous episodes, Sherlock has been shown to manipulate events so that “bad people” like Mrs. Hudson’s husband,[157] a Russian killer,[158] and Moriarty[159] die. What is different about the murder Sherlock commits is that it is graphically, emphatically done in front of John, Mycroft, and a host of military witnesses - plus the audience. Previous allusions to characters that Sherlock did not save, such as the reference to his ensuring the execution of Mrs. Hudson’s husband, have been played for laughs. The tone changes in series three to match the initially described deadly serious consequences of Sherlock’s act, which changes the audience’s perception of the series’ “hero”.

Sherlock never shies away from killing or death. In the first episode, John shoots a cabbie in response to an immediate lethal threat.[160] In this episode, John saves Sherlock in the nick of time from taking a likely poison pill or being shot. (John does not know that the cabbie’s gun is not real.) When the Russian killer and Mrs. Hudson’s husband are executed, they die as a result of being convicted of their crimes, even if Sherlock ensures the evidence leads to conviction and death. In “His Last Vow,” Sherlock decides that the dragon must be slain and his “lair” (i.e., mind palace) destroyed.

Sherlock’s action follows a current trend in the adaptations of other iconic characters, as Entertainment Weekly noted, like Superman in Man of Steel. “The Sherlock Holmes played by Benedict Cumberbatch is the most brilliant problem solver on television,” but in “His Last Vow,” Sherlock faces the moral dilemma of “how to neutralise Magnussen’s threat and honour his [vow] without murdering him”. Sherlock, however, ultimately decides the only logical response is to wipe out that threat. Like Superman in Man of Steel, who kills his nemesis because there seems no other way to stop his annihilation of humanity, Sherlock seems to find no other way to neutralise the threat of Magnussen. He cannot solve the problem with his brain; he resorts to using a gun.

Sherlock does not even bring his own weapon; he takes moral compass John’s and thus establishes a new, deadlier “superhero” interpretation of the character. By taking John’s weapon, and, in the process, John’s former responsibility of being the moral centre of the story, Sherlock is no longer merely a consulting detective based in London. He becomes the arbiter of justice who takes vengeance on evildoers.

Entertainment Weekly compared Sherlock to Superman and Batman (with Moriarty as the Joker) but used James Bond terminology to ask whether Sherlock should have a “licence to kill”. Many viewers (including the Entertainment Weekly writer and myself) were left wondering why genius Sherlock could not “have risen to the challenge of the moment... He had the smarts to brainstorm more inspired solutions to the problem of Magnussen, and the seasoning to resist a degrading one”.[161] This denouement for series three potentially leads Sherlock into a much darker direction in future episodes and shifts the characterisation to more of a James Bond-type spy working for the British government and a national saviour who is the only one capable of fighting criminals who increasingly take on the guise of pure evil.

William Sherlock Scott Holmes

Near the end of “The Empty Hearse,”[162] John tells Sherlock, “You’d have to be an idiot not to see that you love it”. Sherlock prepares to face a crowd of reporters awaiting him outside 221B now that the news is out that Holmes is back from the “dead”. “Love what?” he asks. “Being Sherlock Holmes,” John answers. Sherlock frowns before he replies, “I don’t even know what that’s supposed to mean”.

This dialogue explains a lot about series three episodes and some fans’ concern that the Sherlock returned to London seems very different from the one who ends series two. Sherlock has always been brilliant in the Science of Deduction but far less knowledgeable about social interactions and the reasons behind societal rules. From the first episode, Sherlock prefers to think of himself as a “high-functioning sociopath,” and during series three he falls back on using that self-diagnosis to explain his socially aberrant behaviour.

Perhaps Sherlock is correct that, during series three episodes, he does not even know what “being Sherlock Holmes” is supposed to mean. During his hiatus from London, he lacks John’s balancing influence. At least shortly before his return, Sherlock has been imprisoned and tortured. Whether Sherlock intends for audiences to ask if Sherlock, like John returning from war, suffers from PTSD, the man who returns from the “dead” displays a much wider range of emotions and often seems much younger emotionally, less socially experienced, and even less brilliant in making deductions than the Sherlock Holmes who left London. It makes sense that the character with the full name of William Sherlock Scott Holmes (revealed in series three) might provide insights into whom “Sherlock Holmes” was during his childhood and how he became a modern “dragonslayer”.

The actor has said that he asked showrunner Moffat why Sherlock is the way he is. Moffat’s response was that Sherlock Holmes is simply brilliant, but Cumberbatch wanted to know more than that, to understand what in his upbringing helped lead to the adult consulting detective. Cumberbatch understands that “someone isn’t just brilliant, there is something that has happened... So [Sherlock’s backstory] is examined a lot more in this series. After two years away, he is rusty about human relationships, especially with his best friend and with London”.[163] Understandably, Sherlock needs some time in order to return to some semblance of his former life.

William Sherlock Scott Holmes has many non-Work thoughts and is completely devoted to those he loves. He at least tolerates his family: inviting Mycroft to revisit their childhood by playing games with him, putting up with his parents (played by Cumberbatch’s parents) during their visit to London, and even spending Christmas at the family home.

As William Sherlock Scott Holmes, Cumberbatch convincingly plays “younger,” such as being annoyed by his mother’s chatter and literally pushing his parents out the door when John comes to visit[164] (a scene that the actor suggested is very close to his actual interactions with his parents at times) or admitting to Archie, a boy in John’s wedding party, that he has no idea why grownups insist on formal wear, but they both have to dress appropriately for the ceremony.[165] This “younger” Sherlock is eager to please John and even worse (if possible) in reading social cues; he assumes that his best friend will always know how to “read” him, too, and will easily forgive any inappropriate behaviour (even faking his death). This innocence is something that Cumberbatch imbues into the third-series Sherlock in scenes reflecting the man’s upbringing and unease in interacting correctly with others, especially at John’s wedding.

More important than these glimpses into the boy who becomes the consulting detective are several visits to Sherlock’s mind palace, which are the series’ most intriguingly filmed scenes. Inside the elaborately constructed mind palace, Sherlock relies on Mycroft’s advice and admonishments in order to think logically.[166] Molly Hooper provides medical guidance; a beloved pet, emotional security; Moriarty, motivation to survive and protect John.[167] The scenes inside Sherlock’s head not only give Cumberbatch a greater emotional range to play but also some of the most elaborate stunts or effects.

Humour also plays a bigger role in the first two episodes’ scripts. When Sherlock is reunited with the unsuspecting John, who has moved on with his life, he inappropriately jokes about John’s reaction to his return. Cumberbatch broadly plays comedy as Sherlock pretends to be a French waiter who interrupts John just when he is about to propose to Mary. Cumberbatch affects a bad French accent, and every Clouseau-reminiscent action is completed with aplomb. To create a fake moustache (nearly as unattractive and unbelievable as John’s), he takes a pen from the maître d’ and quickly marks his face with a graceful flourish.[168] Cumberbatch plays the scene lightly, each movement quick and assured, physically showing Sherlock’s excitement and confidence that John will be happy to see him alive.

The comedy is tempered by Sherlock’s growing understanding that surprising his friend, especially through humour, may not be a good idea. At the end of the reunion, after being choked and head-butted by John, a dejected Sherlock, daubing blood from his nose, watches his friend leave him behind.

Throughout the third series, Cumberbatch transitions smoothly from comedy (at times almost farce) to drama suffused with sorrow, pain, and loss. He subtly adjusts Sherlock’s body language to fit the mood and dialogue. Cumberbatch makes Sherlock’s admission that he likes to dance, followed by a graceful twirl,[169] seem unself-conscious and in character with a Sherlock who, in the first two series, seems much more emotionally reserved. Emphasising the right beats in a scene to make it believable, especially in light of Sherlock’s wider emotional range, illustrates Cumberbatch’s precise acting skills.

What may concern fans most about William Sherlock Scott Holmes is that he does not seem as inherently brilliant as viewers expect Sherlock to be. He seems to make many mistakes, not only in dealing with Magnussen but in deducing Mary, who tells him that he has been “very slow” in learning about her past.[170] Mycroft seems far more involved with Sherlock’s life and, as examples from their childhood reveal throughout series three, is indeed smarter than his little brother and often takes responsibility for deciding what happens to him.

Although played for laughs, a telling scene about Sherlock’s difficulty in returning to his “job” as a consulting detective in London is set during John’s stag night. Drunk and interrupted playing a game, Sherlock nevertheless allows Mrs. Hudson to bring in a client. When Sherlock and John visit the potential crime scene, the detective makes a mockery of his usual precise observations. His deductions are obvious, his clumsiness appropriate to someone highly inebriated. He vomits when “clueing for looks”.[171] While funny because it is highly unlike Sherlock - and Cumberbatch knows when to exaggerate a movement or widen his eyes without going over the top - the scene is also appalling because Sherlock’s behaviour is so “common”; anyone could act this way. Sherlock Holmes should make brilliant, instantaneous deductions, and John’s best man during the stag night seems far more like William Sherlock Scott Holmes, who desperately wants to keep John’s friendship, than like Britain’s saviour.

As an acting challenge, series three Sherlock opens all kinds of new doors for Cumberbatch. His performance excels in making Sherlock and Sherlock at once familiar and new. Following the broad comedy within “The Sign of Three,” [172] Cumberbatch plays highly dramatic scenes in “His Last Vow” that deal with pain and betrayal. Critics seem to prefer the actor’s dramatic instead of comedic scenes, and Cumberbatch’s nominations for acting awards have resulted from his performance in the series three finale.

A complaint by many fans is that the scripts seem to lack continuity in characterisation. Sherlock, for example, says he is “high” for a case, requiring the actor to seem loose limbed and loopy one moment and completely in physical control after what seems to be too short a time for him to sober up.[173] Similarly, John acts very much like a doctor when he encounters a wounded man in “The Sign of Three” but ineffectually checks Sherlock for wounds in “His Last Vow”. Cumberbatch and Freeman, however, react appropriately “in the moment,” even when scenes in one episode may seem to contradict characters’ actions in previous episodes.

Series three requires Cumberbatch to play Sherlock differently than in previous years: playful to violent, beaten to murderous, less obsessed with the Work and more involved with friends and family. This series’ Sherlock is more touchy feely, less overtly brilliant, and more determined to live up to “his last vow” - and he may not be every viewer’s cup of tea. He is, however, an intriguingly new take on the BBC’s Sherlock and a further testament to Cumberbatch’s immense acting talent.

Sexualising Sherlock

In early 2014, Empire magazine named Cumberbatch the “world’s sexiest man,” an honour that the actor’s fans would accept as his due. Not everyone feels the same way, as illustrated by a comment made during a Graham Norton Show episode (one without Cumberbatch as a guest). Three cast members promoting X-Men: Days of Future Past were asked to guess their ranking in Empire’s list. Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, and James McAvoy humbly estimated their rankings within the top twenty, and host Graham Norton eventually told them their placements. The hierarchy might be somewhat skewed, Norton teased, revealing a photo of Cumberbatch as the magazine’s top choice.[174]

The public or critics may be divided about Cumberbatch’s personal sex appeal, but they seem to agree that the BBC’s Sherlock is a sexy incarnation of the character. In fact, Mark Gatiss claims that Sherlock Holmes has always been attractive because he is uninterested in sex: “He can’t be tamed... Those are the people we’re attracted to, the ones that aren’t interested”. Furthermore, the BBC’s current Sherlock is sexy because of Cumberbatch and the character’s styling on the series: “the combination of the Byronic looks that Benedict has - and the coat! - that’s made him into, possibly, the first sexy Sherlock Holmes”.[175]

Ironically, BBC executives did not share this vision when Cumberbatch was first cast. Similar to when Steven Moffat cast David Tennant in Casanova and was told that the actor was not sexy enough for the role, the showrunner has said “With Benedict Cumberbatch, we were told the same thing. ‘You promised us a sexy Sherlock, not him’“.[176] Yet in the years since Sherlock premiered, the character and actor have been inextricably linked to a sexy image, and the character and images of the actor have been increasingly sexualised by the media and fans.

One aspect of working on Sherlock that Cumberbatch cannot control is the sexualisation of Sherlock. Ever since Irene Adler proclaimed that “brainy is the new sexy,”[177] that line has been used to describe the actor as often as the character. However, the role of sex symbol is one that Cumberbatch did not willingly undertake.

In many ways, Cumberbatch is an atypical actor and celebrity. In an Independent article in 2011, for example, Cumberbatch was described as “the thinking woman’s crumpet,” and “’weirdly fanciable’ is the phrase most often associated with his physique - he doesn’t possess the obvious, symmetrical looks of a star”.[178] He is best known for his acting talent and his ability to play a wide range of roles. Cumberbatch the serious actor often shows up impeccably dressed on red carpets or at photo shoots. At formal public events, he accepts the female gaze as a well-dressed, classy actor, someone who can play the modern sexy Sherlock Holmes. When Cumberbatch playfully relaxes that image while in the public eye, he chooses to be seen as a sometimes silly “average guy” overwhelmed in his own fan moment - such as when he does a Wookiee impression in front of Harrison Ford or photobombs U2 at the Oscars. This is not the typical Hollywood sex symbol, and the image Cumberbatch crafts for himself is not deliberately sexualised.

Cumberbatch’s public persona is the opposite of what many Cumberbatch or Sherlock fans have recently done to focus the female gaze on the actor’s body by taking an image out of context, offering it on Tumblr in particular as evidence of Cumberbatch’s sex appeal, and deliberately and repeatedly inviting the female gaze.

Many of these images suggest or show nudity. The slippery sheet revealing a cheeky Sherlock (“A Scandal in Belgravia”) has joined the collection of animated .gifs and stills from Cumberbatch’s pre-Sherlock roles in which a character he plays is nude. Long-time fans have had several opportunities to see the actor completely or partially unclothed on screen, and images from To the Ends of the Earth and The Last Enemy, years before Sherlock brought the actor to such a high level of international fame, can still be found online. Once Cumberbatch became a television celebrity, however, the more recent scenes that show far less of either Sherlock’s or the actor’s body have become the best known and most often distributed clips.

If nudity is not the way the actor would have chosen to promote himself, its use in conjunction with his cultivated classy image keeps him in the public eye as a noteworthy actor while simultaneously within fans’ gaze as a sexy celebrity. In this chapter “female gaze” is defined as a single or multiple camera shots designed to provide a sexual emphasis on a male body, as well as still shots edited from a video to focus on a portion of the male anatomy. Of course, men also can appreciate and want to gaze upon a male body, but the simplified definition in this chapter limits the gaze to heterosexual females who follow the camera lens to focus on objects of sexual interest or desire. The camera thus encourages female viewers to objectify the male body.

This definition follows along the lines of many texts that describe the male gaze in similar ways. Author Isabelle Fol, for example, wrote that “In film practice, this objectification results in close-ups of different, fragmented female body parts... In their visual perfection, women become beautiful and mystic cinematic spectacles”.[179] Fol cited Laura Mulvey’s earlier definition of this image masquerading “’as the perfect to-be-looked-at image’“.[180] For the purposes of a brief discussion in this chapter, I exchange “female” for “male” in the definition, although a discussion of “female gaze” should be more complex.

As Graeme Burton noted in Media and Society, “readings of fan magazines and discussion with female fans makes it clear that there is a female gaze of desire”.[181] Although Burton was discussing the film The Full Monty, some fan websites, forums, and social-media communities make it clear that the images procured for and shared among these sites also indicate a “female gaze of desire”.

Just as important as the ways Cumberbatch’s image has been used online as a reflection of his celebrity, his nudity has been used to “balance” nude or nearly nude scenes in which female co-stars (i.e., Lara Pulver in Sherlock, Alice Eve in Star Trek) are placed in a much more sexually explicit context that generated audience complaints about the way their characters are portrayed. (See Chapter 2 for a discussion of Khan’s shower scene.) Perhaps, in part, Cumberbatch’s nudity is considered acceptable and worthy of fan promotion not only because he is male but because his (and his characters’) sex appeal is primarily linked to intelligence instead of conventional handsomeness or specifically beefcake.

Sherlock’s brief hint of nudity is greatly overshadowed later in “A Scandal in Belgravia” by the more controversial nudity of Pulver, playing dominatrix Irene Adler,[182] but, as Pulver mentioned in an interview, “You saw more of Benedict [Cumberbatch] when his sheet fell down than you did of me”.[183]

In “A Scandal in Belgravia,” the nudity is an inherent part of the characterisation and integral to the scene. It is not gratuitous, much less prurient, but the BBC received about a hundred complaints about inappropriate watershed content.[184] Sherlock’s brief almost-nudity - a swath of pale chest and hint of cheekiness - is appropriate in the context of this episode as yet another way to illustrate that Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler are equals. They see each other as they truly are, and they eventually become “bared” to each other - but not in a sexual way. “We like our nudity plot-driven, and Lara Pulver’s starkers entrance as dominatrix Irene Adler has no more to do with exploitation than Cumberbatch’s nudity at the palace,” Digital Spy[185] reported, and several critics agreed. Although the actors may not have been clothed during filming, the television audience watching this episode most often thinks of the characters, not the actors, as being in the nude.

In Sherlock, the limited nudity of the male lead character does not equal the carefully filmed total nudity of a female guest character; however, at least the lead male actor is briefly glimpsed in a way that thrilled female fans - a tease of a female gaze - although the more extensive nudity of a female character was really not designed to invite the male gaze and, despite viewer complaints to the BBC about inappropriate watershed content,[186] was not unduly sexualised. Seeing the normally suit-clad Sherlock in a sheet that slipped enough to tease a derriere shot provided fodder for some Sherlock fans to fantasise about what they glimpsed all too briefly and seemed outside the “normal” depiction of Sherlock provided during previous episodes.

In the context provided by the episode, the nudity is not Cumberbatch’s but Sherlock’s. The role requires professional, “actorly” nudity, which invites audiences to view the actor’s body. Those who created an animated .gif of Sherlock, however, have taken the image out of context and sexualised it far more than the episode does. As a result of Sherlock’s popularity and Cumberbatch’s celebrity, such an effect might be expected from fans eager to share an image within a context specifically to encourage the female gaze. When taken out of context and displayed on Cumberbatch fan sites, the image seems far less about Sherlock Holmes and far more about the actor who portrays him. The nudity becomes, in this perception, Cumberbatch’s as much as, if not more than, Sherlock’s. Interestingly enough, Cumberbatch’s nudity, not Pulver’s, has been the focus of more fan blogging and photo manipulation.

One YouTube video,[187] for example, reduces the much longer “Scandal in Belgravia” scene into a 16-second clip that has received more than 692,000 hits since the episode’s U.K. broadcast in January 2012, generated more than 31,000 subscriptions, and tabulated 5,223 thumbs-up (Likes) and 19 thumbs-down (Dislikes). Among the 1,384 comments, many which reference the actor instead of the character, are statements like these: “I am now addicted to Cumbercrack”.

As Kevin Goddard noted in The Journal of Men’s Studies, “the gazer is... as much influenced by the act of the gaze as is the subject of the gaze”.[188] That certainly seems to be the case with these fan-displayed images isolated from a television scene, cropped to highlight body parts for primarily female fan viewing, and posted and reposted online for maximum visibility in the Cumberbatch fan community. In this case, the subject of the gaze may end up being professionally affected by the gazers, who may keep promoting the actor as a sex symbol, but he publicly ignores fan works unless specifically asked about them.

Although the Sherlock episode touts the phrase, “brainy is the new sexy,” “brainy” may not be what attracts fans looking at Tumblr sites like the Benedict Cumberbatch Wank Bank.[189] Among other semi-clad images of a Cumberbatch character in various stages of undress are three animated .gifs from “A Scandal in Belgravia”. The first, and largest, image shows the camera slowly closing in on Sherlock’s bare chest, the second shows Sherlock’s bare back while John delivers a line of dialogue, and the third provides the clip of Mycroft stepping on Sherlock’s sheet, which then slides down and away from his body.

Among the eighty-four notes about these images are comments like “God, that body!... I’m dead! Oh, Benedict, what you do to me!” A very short clip has been turned into a prolonged female-gaze shot by slowing it down and emphasising bared flesh through looped animation so that the image is constantly displayed on screen, the camera focusing on Sherlock’s chest, back, or downward slipping sheet. The clip can be found on YouTube, individual fan websites, Live Journal sites, and WeHeartIt.com’s “No Sheet Sherlock” page,[190] which includes close-up stills of Sherlock’s chest, with his face and the background cropped so that his torso takes up most of the frame.

Of course, not all fans participate in the creation, viewing, or sharing of these images. As a whole, however, the actor’s fandom has become well known for their vociferous promotion of Cumberbatch. They regularly vote for him in popularity polls like Time’s 100 Most Influential People and publicise his every move. However, as Vulture magazine explained, “Cumberbatch only has a 10 percent awareness rating in America, according to the market research firm E-Score, which provided data for Vulture’s Most Valuable Stars equation. Put bluntly: He is an enormous star on the Internet - outside of that, not so much”.[191] Online, discussions and depictions of Cumberbatch’s sexiness are disproportionate to analysis of his acting or career. Whether sexy images of Sherlock (or Khan) eventually lead to higher Sherlock ratings or more tickets sold to Cumberbatch’s films or plays is unknown or, within this context, irrelevant. The female gaze directed by fans as part of a shared fan experience is done for love or lust, not money, and the use of Sherlock’s or other characters’ sexualised images is one of the best online markers to track Cumberbatch’s celebrity.

Sherlock has helped shape Cumberbatch’s recent career as much as the actor’s performance has shaped audience perceptions of the way a modern Sherlock Holmes should be. Although fandom and the series may sometimes have an uneasy relationship, especially regarding the directions characters have taken or will take, audiences around the world support Sherlock and the actor who portrays him.

What has not changed is Cumberbatch’s flair in the role and his drive to get the character right. Like co-star Freeman, Cumberbatch tends to bring something fresh to each take and to keep finding interesting ways to interpret the character.

Rupert Graves (Lestrade) admires Cumberbatch, who has to “learn three pages of speeches which are like verbal car chases... He has to work hugely long hours, but even when he’s doing night scenes after working all day, he’ll still be spinning around the room. It’s incredible. It’s like watching fireworks go off,”[192] an apt description of a man whose career has skyrocketed in popular culture.

Ruminating in 2014 about his decision to take the role more than four years earlier, Cumberbatch remembered at first worrying that yet another Sherlock Holmes remake would be “a bit cheap and cheesy” - but that was before he read the pilot script and saw the high quality of the writing. The role, he expected, could be “really exposing, in a good way, because there would be a lot of focus on it”.[193] That statement, it turns out, may be the understatement of Cumberbatch’s career.

122 Sherlock. “His Last Vow.” BBC. Dir. Nick Hurran. 12 Jan. 2014.

123 Bill Brioux. “Benedict Cumberbatch, TCA Superstar.” Brious.TV. 20 Jan. 2014.

124 Lianne Bonin Star. “Press Tour: Benedict Cumberbatch Talks Fans, ‘Sherlock,’ Kissing Moriarty.” Hitfix. 21 Jan. 2014.

125 Ibid.

126 Clark Collis. “’Sherlock’: Benedict Cumberbatch Talks Fans, His Future on the Show, and ‘Elementary’ at TCA Panel.” Entertainment Weekly. 21 Jan. 2014.

127 Denise Martin. “Benedict Cumberbatch Says Sherlock’s Moriarty Kiss was Like Fistbumping.” Vulture. 1 Jan. 2014.

128 Gelt, “TCA: The Curious Case of Benedict Cumberbatch and His Rabid Fans.”

129 Dave Walker. “’Sherlock,’ Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Returns to Growing Audience.” Times-Picayune. 21 Jan. 2014.

130 Rebecca Eaton. Making Masterpiece: 25 Years Behind the Scenes at Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! on PBS. New York: Viking, 2013, p. 228.

131 Ibid., p. 229.

132 Sherlock. “A Scandal in Belgravia.” BBC. Dir. Paul McGuigan. 1 Jan. 2012.

133 Eaton, pp. 273-4.

134 Ibid., p. 274.

135 Ibid.

136 Kayla Epstein. “BBC Releases Sherlock Preview for Fans Celebrating Hearth and Holmes.” Guardian. 24 Dec. 2013.

137 Lisa De Moraes. “UPDATE: Benedict Cumberbatch Sentimental about ‘Sherlock’ But Mum About More Seasons After Series 3 Premiere Scores in Ratings.” Deadline Hollywood. 20 Jan. 2014.

138 “Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss Talk Sherlock Series 3.” Empire. Dec. 2013.

139 Dylan Cannon. “4 Iconic Movie Roles Played by Different Actors.” OK. 20 May 2014.

140 “Sherlock is Terrible, Decide Sherlock Fans.” Metro. 6 Jan. 2014.

141 Philiana Ng. “Critics’ Choice TV Nominations: ‘Big Bang Theory,’ ‘Good Wife’ Lead with Five Nods Each.” Hollywood Reporter. 25 May 2014.

142 Sara Bibel. “Nominations Announced for Fourth Annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards.” TV By the Numbers. 28 May 2014.

143 Posts in response to Ng, “Critics’ Choice TV Nominations,” Hollywood Reporter.

144 Ben Dowell. “Sherlock Stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman Vie for Best Actor Award.” Radio Times. 29 May 2014.

145 National Television Awards. “NTA 2014 - Benedict Cumberbatch Acceptance Speech.” YouTube. 24 Jan. 2014.

146 Paul Jones. “Sherlock Season 4 Could Come Sooner than Expected: ‘We’re Working on Dates’ says Producer.” Radio Times. 9 Jan. 2014.

147 Alex Fletcher. “Sherlock Series 4 and 5 Already ‘Plotted Out,’ Says Steven Moffat.” Digital Spy. 9 Jan. 2014.

148 Tom Eames. “Martin Freeman: ‘Sherlock’ Might Return as a One-off Special.” Digital Spy. 24 Apr. 2014.

149 Susanna Lazarus. “Mark Gatiss on Sherlock Series 4 Filming Dates - Exclusive Video.” Radio Times. 19 May 2014.

150 Ian Youngs. “Steven Moffat on the World of Doctor Who and Sherlock.” BBC News. 26 Feb. 2014.

151 Sherlock. “The Reichenbach Fall.” Dir. Toby Haynes. 15 Jan. 2012.

152 Ibid.

153 Sherlock. “A Study in Pink.” BBC. Dir. Paul McGuigan. BBC. 25 July 2010.

154 Sherlock. “The Blind Banker.” Dir. Euros Lyn. BBC. 1 Aug. 2010.

155 Sherlock, “A Study in Pink.”

156 Sherlock. “A Scandal in Belgravia.”

157 Sherlock. “A Study in Pink.”

158 Sherlock. “The Great Game.” BBC. Dir. Paul McGuigan. 8 Aug. 2010.

159 Sherlock, “The Reichenbach Fall.”

160 Sherlock, “A Study in Pink.”

161 Jeff Jensen. “’Sherlock’ Goes ‘Man of Steel’ Should Heroes Have a License to Kill?” Entertainment Weekly. 3 Feb. 2014.

162 Sherlock. “The Empty Hearse.” BBC. Dir. Jeremy Lovering. 1 Jan. 2014.

163 Adrian Lobb. “Benedict Cumberbatch Interview: ‘I Went to Public School, But I’m Not a Public School Boy.’” Big Issue. 9 Jan. 2014.

164 Sherlock. “The Empty Hearse.”

165 Sherlock. “His Last Vow.”

166 Sherlock. “The Sign of Three.” BBC. Dir. Colm McCarthy. 5 Jan. 2014.

167 Sherlock. “His Last Vow.”

168 Sherlock. “The Empty Hearse.”

169 Sherlock. “The Sign of Three.”

170 Sherlock. “His Last Vow.”

171 Sherlock. “The Sign of Three.”.

172 Ibid.

173 Sherlock. “His Last Vow.”

174 The Graham Norton Show. Series 15, Episode 5. BBC. 6 May 2014.

175 Jess Denham. “Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch ‘First Sexy Holmes,’ Says Mark Gatiss.” Independent. 7 Mar. 2014.

176 Ben Beaumont-Thomas. “Steven Moffat: BBC Thought Tennant and Cumberbatch Weren’t Sexy Enough.” Guardian. 27 May 2014.

177 Sherlock. “A Scandal in Belgravia.”

178 Alice-Azania Jarvis. “Benedict Cumberbatch: Success? It’s Elementary.” Independent. 29 Jan. 2011.

179 Isabelle Fol. The Dominance of the Male Gaze in Hollywood Films: Patriarchal Hollywood Images at the Turn of the Millennium. Diplomarbeiten Agentur, 2006, p. 27. eBook.

180 Laura Mulvey. Visual and Other Pleasures. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1989. Cited in Fol, 2006, p. 27.

181 Graeme Burton. Media and Society: Critical Perspectives. McGraw-Hill International, 2004, p. 194. eBook.

182 Sherlock. “A Scandal in Belgravia.”

183 Alice Jones. “The Naked Truth About Lara Pulver.” Independent. 30 Apr. 2013.

184 Tara Conlan. “Sherlock is Cheeky Entertainment, Insists BBC After Nudity Complaints.” Guardian, 11 Jan. 2012.

185 Emma Dibdin. “Sherlock: 15 Best Moments from Benedict Cumberbatch’s BBC Holmes.” Digital Spy. 18 Dec. 2013.

186 Conlan, “Sherlock is Cheeky Entertainment, Insists BBC After Nudity Complaints.”

187 Among others: MsSherLocked. “Sherlock BBC - Get Off My Sheet!” 6. Jan. 2012. YouTube.

188 Kevin Goddard. “’Looks Maketh the Man’: The Female Gaze and the Construction of Masculinity.” Journal of Men’s Studies, 9(1), Fall 2000, p. 24.

189 Benedict Cumberbatch Wank Bank. Tumblr. 2012.

190 WeHeartIt.com. “No Sheet Sherlock” tag’s page.

191 Amanda Dobbins. “The Most Valuable Stars’ Disconnect Between Twitter and Mass Fame.” Vulture. 23 Oct. 2013.

192 Rupert Graves. “’I Wish They’d Let Me Play Holmes!’ By the Man Who Plays Bungling Inspector Lestrade.” Daily Mail. 17 Jan. 2014.

193 Jess Denham. “Sherlock Star Benedict Cumberbatch Almost Turned Down ‘Cheap and Cheesy’ Role.” Independent. 14 Feb. 2014.

Chapter 7

Television at Home and Abroad

“When we talk now about success in television, it’s about ‘territories’ - the number of countries airing a programme - and the degree of interest in China, TV’s new frontier. For Sherlock, the BBC’s poster-boy, that’s 200 countries, and obsessive”.[194]

James Medd, New Statesman

As Medd indicates, Sherlock may be Cumberbatch’s most prominent television role, and the one on which his current television celebrity has been built. After all, the reported viewing audience in China for the first episode was “absurd”: the download site Youku Tudou listed 49 million hits for “The Empty Hearse”.[195] Nevertheless, several other performances broadcast, streamed, or announced in 2013-14 illustrate not only how much he is in demand as an actor but how his name can “make” an event. As Cumberbatch takes on new roles, his celebrity ensures that he has an eagerly awaiting audience.

Even when he is not officially on a television episode, his name can make news. An early March 2014 episode of Waterloo Road saw a character compared to Cumberbatch: “You know, he’s not exactly Benedict Cumberbatch himself”. The throwaway line caught so many viewers’ attention - especially those who then tweeted about the reference - that the media picked up the Twitter “explosion,” claiming that those on Twitter during the episode would “be forgiven for thinking [Cumberbatch] was the star of the show”.[196] Non-Sherlock appearances, or even the mere mention of Cumberbatch’s name, lead to more media publicity for the actor, but the articles inevitably link Cumberbatch with his role as Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock is far from all that Cumberbatch is known for, but it is the easiest popular culture reference by which to identify him.

As a result of Cumberbatch’s extreme publicity for 2013’s well-promoted films, the third series of Sherlock, and popular radio projects like Cabin Pressure and Neverwhere, Cumberbatch received a wide variety of offers for one-off roles on television to appear as himself as well as to act as a character.

Although some of his many talk-show appearances have been analysed in other chapters, they helped viewers just beginning to recognise his name to form an opinion about the man and his work. This chapter emphasises a few examples of other types of television appearances, such as those on Sesame Street and Top Gear. Even more intriguing than these celebrity guest appearances is Cumberbatch’s work as an emcee, commentator, or “journalist” at sporting or other special televised events. These experiences offer the actor an off shoot to his established acting career and put him in the public eye in a very different work role - as someone who interviews professionals in another field or offers insights into topics other than acting.

However, Cumberbatch’s forte is acting, and forthcoming television productions also received a great deal of publicity long before they were filmed, much less broadcast. Cumberbatch’s casting in The Hollow Crown series of three Shakespearean plays was first announced in May 2014. From that time onward, the production frequently was mentioned in entertainment news, and each time a new cast member was added or a broadcast date announced, articles prominently listed Cumberbatch’s name. Television, although only one medium in which this proficient actor works, effectively employs and promotes both the actor and the celebrity, and the range of projects shortly after Cumberbatch’s transition to stardom was completed celebrates both the professional and the popular Cumberbatch.

Sesame Street

Even when Cumberbatch is not playing Sherlock, he is expected to seem Sherlockian. Nowhere was that truer than on Sesame Street on PBS’ YouTube channel. Although the episode officially was not on television, it was inexorably linked to the popular children’s television show and affiliated with it. The episode’s title, “Benedict Cumberbatch and the Sign of Four (Or Is It Three?),” refers not only to the canon story “The Sign of Four” but the Sherlock series three episode, “The Sign of Three”.

Like contemporaries such as Tom Hiddleston, Cumberbatch appeared on the children’s programme, but his celebrity appeal crossed generations. More parents or grandparents than children likely knew of Cumberbatch at the time this segment came online. The association between Sherlock Holmes and Cumberbatch defined his interaction with the Muppets and gave Sesame Street writers a chance to insert many clever allusions to Sherlock and Sherlock Holmes canon.

In the video,[197] viewed more than 4.6 million times within four months after its debut, Cumberbatch confronts Murray-arty, the Muppet version of Moriarty, and must solve a mystery involving a comparison of apples and oranges. After explaining that he is an actor and not the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes, Cumberbatch relies on Sesame Street’s Count to help him solve the puzzle.

Like many who want to permanently link Sherlock with the man who plays him, Murray-arty has trouble understanding Cumberbatch’s gently emphatic “I’m just an actor”.[198] The best Murray-arty can do is conflate the character and actor as “Benedict Sherlock”. Fortunately, by the end of the episode, the apples and oranges have been counted and their numbers compared, and viewers who had not previously made the connection learned that Cumberbatch plays Sherlock Holmes on PBS.

The public broadcaster also anticipated that a Cumberbatch-starring video would go viral. Hashtag #counterbatch promoted it, and PBSTV on Twitter later thanked the 3.5 million people who tweeted it. PBS’ official Tumblr shared behind-the-scenes photographs of Cumberbatch, script in hand, laughing at Murray Monster’s antics.[199] The actor received plenty of media publicity for appearing in the barely more than two-minute video, but the PBS websites benefited far more when Cumberbatch’s presence drew millions of viewers to this Sesame Street video.

Top Gear

Along with Doctor Who, the television institution that is Top Gear is a perennial best-selling export for BBC Worldwide and, in the U.S., a staple of BBC America’s programming. (Sherlock and Downton Abbey also are two of the BBC’s most lucrative exports, but in the U.S. they are part of a collaboration with PBS Masterpiece.) When Cumberbatch got behind the wheel of the reasonably priced car and took it for a spin, he not only got a great deal of attention in the U.K. but in the U.S. (when the episode was broadcast a few weeks later) and, since then, in the frequently rerun Top Gear episodes broadcast around the world.

Fans who wondered about Cumberbatch’s first car, in light of the black Jaguar or motorbike he favoured later in life, learned that it was his mother’s Mini. That was followed by a Mitsubishi Colt circa 1982 that he fondly termed “a rust bucket”.[200] The revelation added credibility to Cumberbatch’s “average guy” persona while harkening to a time before he was famous.

Today he is, however, a famous actor and, a few minutes after discussing his first car, he taught host Jeremy Clarkson how a movie fight is choreographed for the camera. Cumberbatch’s comfort with both the typical “average guy” and atypical movie star aspects of his life makes him seem well grounded and accessible, especially in the Top Gear episode.

As the Star in the Reasonably Priced Car, Cumberbatch completed more test laps than any other guest to that point in the series. Upon hearing Clarkson’s pronouncement, Cumberbatch groaned, “That’s so shaming”. Nevertheless, footage of him driving his best lap and talking himself through the curves proved he had a respectable time of 1:47.8, but it was down a ways from the top of the leader board. What he lacked as a driver he more than made up for with an entertaining appearance on Top Gear and the goodwill of Clarkson and the studio audience.

Clarkson started the conversation by asking about Sherlock’s demise and resurrection but soon turned to Cumberbatch’s role as “a damn good baddie” in Star Trek. The host asked why Americans cast Brits, never Americans, as the baddies in any film. Cumberbatch’s “hippie, mad, out in left field” theory is that Americans “do vowels which are sort of warm and loving and feeling, and we do consonants which are sharp and intelligent and thinking”. Clarkson summarised the actor’s assessment as British audiences are more intelligent than American viewers. “Maybe so,” Cumberbatch agreed, “and maybe that’s scary for them”. While the audience and the actor shared a laugh, he ruefully announced the “end of my U.S. career”.[201]

While U.S. fans may not find the joke quite as funny, there is some truth to Cumberbatch’s analysis. The way that Sherlock enunciates final consonants as he makes a point is a very British vocalisation, for example, and his Britishness is one reason why he is so appealing to American audiences. This interview, coupled with Cumberbatch’s ease and humour throughout the episode, also goes a long way toward reminding U.K. fans that, despite the occasional worry that the actor will “go Hollywood” and permanently leave home, he seems most “himself” during U.K. television interviews when he is surrounded by people familiar with his body of work.

Career Expansion as a “Commentator”

If 2013 was Cumberbatch’s most profitable, promotable year as an actor (at least, to date), then it also precipitated a huge increase in the number of purely celebrity events that earn him nearly as much publicity as an opening night or a red-carpet premiere. Mid-2013 to mid-2014 largely became categorised as the “celebrity year,” and Cumberbatch was invited to serve as a “journalist,” interviewer, or commentator at high-profile, entertainment-related events unrelated to acting.

The Laureus Sports Awards

In March 2014, Cumberbatch emceed the world-renowned Laureus Sports Awards, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Although he is an admitted sports fan and kept up with the Who’s Who nominated for awards, his performance at the Laureus Sports Awards seemed “stiff,” and not in the sexual way he suggested in making what one fan site called a “filthy joke” regarding his enthusiasm for being next to Olympian and Sportswoman of the Year Missy Franklin.[202] No public reviews lambasted his performance as the event’s host, but Cumberbatch likely would be better at conducting interviews or making emcee-type jokes in a setting closer to the area of the entertainment industry he knows first hand much better than sports.

When Cumberbatch ventured into the audience to briefly interview Tony Hawk, the commentary became more about the actor than the skateboarder. To relate to his subject and the sports audience, Cumberbatch mentioned that he had done some snowboarding and had attempted skateboarding, but added in air quotes that he is a “’middle-age’ boarder, and when I fall over it hurts, man, it really hurts”.[203]

As the actor asked some typical questions and provided the requisite banter, he pulled the microphone toward himself each time he commented on Hawk’s answers - unconsciously shifting the audience’s focus to him instead of leaving the mic on Hawk so that the audience could hear his every word. The back-and-forth movement of the mic not only was distracting to television audiences, but it inadvertently kept the audio focus as much on Cumberbatch as on Hawk. A well-seasoned host or journalist knows to keep the focus on the star - in this setting, the athletes and award winners - and to keep the interview moving along. At times during Cumberbatch’s emceeing duties, his jests fell flat, or an awkward pause slowed the show’s momentum.

Although Cumberbatch, who prides himself on being the consummate professional actor, should improve with more experience as a host, being the emcee of such a prestigious event, and one with which he might not automatically be associated, led to an awkward performance. The fact that this was a first-time hosting job may not be lost on his fans, but to viewers more interested in sports than Sherlock, the choice of this actor as emcee may have seemed startling or strange.

The Grand Prix Circuit

On March 30, 2014, the day after he hosted the Laureus Awards, Cumberbatch took on the role of “sports journalist” by interviewing Formula One drivers on the podium after the race. The actor looked cool and professional in his light jacket and open-necked white shirt, and he brought a friendly smile and handshake to initiate his interview with Malaysia Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton. Nevertheless, one reporter called the after-race interview “a rather bizarre sight” because the British driver was interviewed by “Sherlock and Hollywood actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who had been seen trackside at the Sepang International Circuit throughout the weekend”.[204] Cumberbatch’s interview style lacked crisp precision, but then, many fans thought Cumberbatch likely got the job because of his hosting duties the previous day - more a case of “right place, right time,” rather than a new direction for his career or the result of journalistic credentials to get him the job. For his part, Cumberbatch told BBC News that Formula One’s CEO, Bernie Ecclestone, asked him to conduct interviews and that “you really can’t turn that man down”.[205]

When he conducted post-race interviews for Sky in late May 2014, however, The Telegraph offered pointed criticism. Among the “five things we learned at Monaco” during the Grand Prix, according to Formula One racing correspondent Daniel Johnson, is “Sherlock Stay Home”. Johnson covered the racing news first in his article but then felt compelled to include a scathing criticism of the Sherlock actor. Although sporting events increasingly have become as much about entertainment as sport, inviting actors who have not directly participated in the sport to interview athletes smacks of ratings bait. Hiring an actor who is qualified as a journalist to interview athletes would not be nearly as distracting as bringing on board a television or film star who likely will increase ratings or publicity by making the sporting event noteworthy to the actor’s fans, but who also may not be a natural interviewer.

Johnson criticised not only Cumberbatch but those who hired him. He acknowledged that Formula One racing broadcasts are entertainment, but sometimes the sport’s promoters have made “imprudent decisions. None more so than the decision to have Benedict Cumberbatch, aka Sherlock, conduct the podium interviews”.[206] After faintly praising his “humble, enthusiastic approach” as somewhat refreshing, the journalist added that Cumberbatch is “emphatically not a journalist” and racing “fans do not want to see some actor stumble through the questions, preventing us from hearing what we really want the drivers to talk about”.[207]

Cumberbatch fans, if they are not also Formula One aficionados, may have tuned into Sky simply to see the actor, but they are a secondary audience for the race and its television coverage. Placing Cumberbatch in a situation that turns out to be awkward for racing audiences can do little to enhance his credibility as an interviewer, if that becomes a direction he wants to pursue more diligently (not as a celebrity perk).

Another website, for example, described Cumberbatch’s rather awkward interviewing style (asking Lewis Hamilton, who had just lost the race to teammate Nico Rosberg, “How are things with your teammate, I think people want to know”[208]), but it more positively illustrated his degree of celebrity by entitling the article “Benedict Cumberbatch Bonds with a Surly Lewis Hamilton”. Cumberbatch’s name, not driver Hamilton’s, is the emphasis of the headline, only one illustration among many of the entertainment media’s, as opposed to sports journalists’, focus on the Grand Prix. Unfortunately, this site presented a mixed message about Cumberbatch’s role at the Grand Prix. The headline suggested news and likely photographs about the celebrity, but the video clip included with the prose gave a sample of his less successful role as an interviewer.

Whereas a journalist specialising in sports may encourage president and CEO of Formula One Management Bernie Ecclestone to keep Cumberbatch away from the platform interviews, a Montreal reporter published an article taking the opposite view - asking Ecclestone to specifically invite Cumberbatch to participate. Asking whether Ecclestone might send the “Sherlock, Star Trek, Fifth Estate, (etc.) actor Benedict Cumberbatch to these parts, to interview the winners as he did in Malaysia and Monaco,” the reporter added that “many of us would be happy to see him! Not to mention, a visit here would keep the alliteration going - Malaysia, Monaco, Montreal!”[209]

The number of exclamation points emphasises the fact that Cumberbatch the actor is in demand, and fans want to see him in person, no matter what reason brings him to their hometown. The Montreal reporter likely wrote on behalf of many Canadian fans who would tune in to the Grand Prix race or go to the event only to see Cumberbatch. His role as an interviewer seems to be far less important than simply his presence at an event where fans living far from London, Los Angeles, or New York, for example, might be able to see or meet him.

These examples of Cumberbatch as interviewer, instead of interviewee, help delineate his professional strengths - or weaknesses. Granted, situations that allow him to practice his interviewing or emceeing skills off the world stage are limited, but some additional rehearsal or a more gradual build up to working a global event would help him make a better professional impression when he takes a job as “journalist”.

The Chelsea Flower Show

Despite these less than perfect performances as an emcee/interviewer, Cumberbatch was tapped as a commentator for an event that seemed better suited to his style. In late May 2014, Cumberbatch and his mother, Wanda Ventham, joined forces to talk about the Chelsea Flower Show.[210] Certainly such an appearance did little to downplay his reputation for poshness, but it did allow him to gain more experience as a commentator in a safer environment - on the BBC, at a classy event, and under the watchful eye of his mum. Their previous banter during a French and Saunders radio show in 2011 has remained popular with fans, and Ventham’s guest appearance as Sherlock Holmes’ mother in two 2014 Sherlock episodes made the mother-son pairing especially compelling for the BBC’s broadcast of the prestigious flower show.

The two actors took part in a Mum and Me segment. Cumberbatch dressed casually but classily in a light jacket, open-necked shirt, light trousers, and sometimes sported a straw hat. Almost the moment the pair arrived at the show, tweeted photos included comments on their wardrobe and every move. Whereas Ventham seemed animated, her son often appeared more serious and subdued - and highly aware that even sipping from a water bottle would become a newsworthy tweet.

On BBC One,[211] he was introduced only as “actor Benedict Cumberbatch” before the interview; the implicit assumption is that audiences know exactly who he plays, without the need to mention Sherlock. Interviewed without his mother, Cumberbatch was friendly and eloquent, but quiet, as if the whirlwind of his life has caught up with him. He mentioned in this and a later flower-show interview that he enjoyed the calm of the gardens.

During this first interview, Cumberbatch briefly talked about his parents and grandparents as gardeners, while the BBC briefly popped a photo onto the screen showing blond young Ben surrounded by flowers. Although he relishes his booming career, Cumberbatch admitted the pace is often difficult if he wants any semblance of a “normal” life. He commented that he seldom lives in any one place for more than three or four weeks at a time, so maintaining even a terrace garden is difficult unless someone else cares for it. He added that he does have a camellia that survived renovations on his home and a southern exposure during London’s harsh recent winters. However, as he has on numerous other occasions, he touted the benefits of Hampstead Heath, near his home, and seemed more taken with the idea of the urban wilds than the prospect of creating what his mother later described as a “romantic” little garden he could replicate in the limited space at home. For his solo interview he shucked his jacket, shades, and hat and looked younger than he did when shown on BBC Two[212] touring the many artistic exhibits with his mother.

During the longer (about eight-minute) interview with his mother, Cumberbatch deferred to Ventham as she recounted early family forays into gardening. When her son was still a preteen, the family bought a cottage where they began to garden in earnest. Ventham laughingly recalled that even before that, she had her son dead-head the petunias in their rooftop garden, but he spent most time outdoors at nearby Kensington Gardens, where the boy sometimes found it difficult to understand why he should not pick the flowers there.

During a stroll among the many artistic arrangements of the Chelsea Flower Show, Ventham pointed out driftwood amidst some lush greenery and asked her son if it reminded him of anything. He immediately recalled his grandmother, who used what she found at the beach to enhance her home garden. When in conversation with an interviewer or his mother, even though he stood in front of the ubiquitous camera, Cumberbatch talked amiably and added titbits about his childhood. However, as a “commentator” on the flowers, he contributed little to viewers’ understanding or appreciation of the gardens - although fans undoubtedly appreciated the view of the mother and son meandering the paths and stopping to admire a lovely blossom.

As a commentator, Ventham seemed far more at ease and conversational, even when forced by being on camera to constantly make some type of statement about the blooms before her. Cumberbatch came across as a doting son enjoying time with his mother more than trying to say something memorable about what they were seeing. When Ventham thanked her son for bringing her, it carried a double meaning for the actors. They enjoyed attending the Chelsea Flower Show but were aware that, without Cumberbatch’s current fame, the pair would not be included in the BBC’s special coverage. Attaching both Cumberbatch and Ventham to the programme brought a new audience to the coverage, as many fans undoubtedly tuned in to see what the actors would say more than they watched to learn about horticulture.

Television Acting Beyond Sherlock

To date, acting is Cumberbatch’s professional strength, and The Hollow Crown showcases him in the best of theatre on television. The Hollow Crown series presents three Shakespearean plays about British monarchs. The first series of televised history plays, broadcast in the U.K. in 2012 and later on U.S. PBS stations, comprised Richard II; Henry IV, Part 1; and Henry IV, Part 2. Ben Whishaw won a BAFTA as Leading Actor in Richard II; Jeremy Irons received a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for his role as King Henry IV; and Richard II received a BAFTA nomination as Best Single Drama. The U.S. Critics’ Choice Television Awards nominated the series as Best Miniseries. Therefore, when BBC announced a second series, audiences and critics could assume that it would be cast with well-known, often-awarded actors in the title roles.

Shakespeare’s first tetralogy (Henry VI, Parts I-III; Richard III) is the focus of the second series. The announcement of Cumberbatch as Richard III earned a great deal of attention in April 2014. The prestige of Shakespeare and The Hollow Crown seemed well matched by the acting credentials of Cumberbatch and first-time television director Dominic Cooke, who built his reputation in the theatre, most recently as the artistic director of the Royal Court Theatre. Cumberbatch is no stranger to Shakespeare or the Royal Court, telling the media that he “can’t wait to work with Dominic Cooke again to bring this complex, funny, and dangerous character to life”.[213]

The role also reunites Cumberbatch with Neal Street Productions, who produced Stuart: A Life Backwards and Starter for 10, a television movie and theatrical film, respectively, in which Cumberbatch had major roles. One of the company’s producers, Pippa Harris, praised Cumberbatch: “His range and dexterity as an actor make him the perfect choice to bring one of Shakespeare’s towering characters to television”.[214]

As with most of Cumberbatch’s career decisions, the media questioned whether his choices were wise if the actor wants to build a lifelong career in the spotlight. A few international newspapers, including the Sydney Morning Herald, published the headline that Cumberbatch “Shuns Hollywood for Shakespeare’s Richard III”.[215] Similar articles asked why Cumberbatch would stop his film career’s momentum for Shakespeare - whether on the Barbican’s stage for the run of Hamlet or in front of television cameras for the BBC’s Richard III. The Australian newspaper wrote that “the current darling of Hollywood’s biggest producers is putting his big screen career on hold to return to Britain and take on the Bard on TV”.[216]

The assumption is that he can do one or the other. Certainly, his time is limited and his schedule full, but Cumberbatch manages to work on projects in a variety of media during a given year. Although he cannot film a television series or movie while starring on stage for several months, projects already in post-production may be released during Hamlet’s run, for example, allowing the actor to be seen on screen while he performs live on stage.

Cumberbatch has made no secret that his home is in Britain and his career involves projects in many media, not only film. The perception by many critics, however, is that film, especially movies made in Hollywood, should be Cumberbatch’s top priority, presumably as an excellent way to make a great deal of money for himself and the industry and as the best way to establish and maintain international stardom. Cumberbatch’s decisions indicate that he disagrees with the media’s consensus about what he should do and when.

Those looking to create controversy also noted that, once again, Cumberbatch plays a role also portrayed by a co-star. Frankenstein co-star Jonny Lee Miller took on the role of Sherlock Holmes for CBS television series Elementary in the U.S. after Cumberbatch starred in the BBC’s Sherlock. This time Cumberbatch signed to star as Richard III after Sherlock co-star Martin Freeman was announced to star in the role on stage at Trafalgar Studios. Comparisons between interpretations or productions do not seem to bother Cumberbatch, but he downplays the media’s assumption that such casting creates controversy or competition with other actors.

Cumberbatch has often been put on the spot by a reporter asking a question he cannot or does not want to answer. At the 2014 Hay Festival, however, he put another actor on the spot. During the last day of the festival, Judi Dench was interviewed by television and theatre director Richard Eyre as part of a Shakespearean acting masterclass. Sitting in the front row during the Q&A, Cumberbatch “ambushed her”[217] by asking “Would you like to be in Richard III with me?” Apparently he had pursued her for several weeks for the role of Cecily. After a dramatic pause, Dench agreed. Giving the audience a taste of what it will be like to see Dench and Cumberbatch acting together, the two performed a scene from Twelfth Night as, respectively, Viola and Orsino.[218]

Unless Cumberbatch already knew that Dench was likely to say yes, he acted a bit presumptuously in forcing her to make a comment at the festival. Usually a network or production company breaks the casting news, like the announcement of Sophie Okonedo’s casting around the same time as the Hay Festival.[219]

Sometimes Cumberbatch’s eagerness seems to get the better of him. When pressed by reporters at the South Bank Show Awards in March 2013, a work-weary Cumberbatch “confirmed” that he and Freeman had signed for a fourth series of Sherlock, although at the time they were only beginning to work on series three episodes. Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat claimed that a fourth series was news to them but joked that Cumberbatch apparently had the power to commission more episodes.[220] Cumberbatch later said he was tired and felt pressure to provide some news; at the time he noted that “I could get in trouble for saying that”.[221]

In light of incidents like these, at least one media outlet suggested that the actor’s behaviour might be a bit more circumspect in the future. Nevertheless, Cumberbatch can hardly be faulted for his enthusiasm about working on some of television’s most illustrious productions.

194 James Medd. “Imperial Gogglebox: TV is One of Britain’s Most Successful Exports.” New Statesman. 26 June 2014.

195 Ibid.

196 “Benedict Cumberbatch on Waterloo Road. Kinda.” Metro. 5 Mar. 2014.

197 PBS. “Benedict Cumberbatch and The Sign of Four (Or Is It Three?).” 4 Feb. 2014. YouTube.

198 Noelene Clark. “Benedict Cumberbatch Faces Muppet Moriarty on ‘Sesame Street.’” Los Angeles Times. 4 Feb. 2014.

199 PBS on Tumblr. 8 Feb. 2014.

200 Top Gear. Series 20, Episode 3. BBC. 14 July 2013.

201 Ibid.

202 Kaiser. “Benedict Cumberbatch Hams It Up at the Laureus Awards: Would You Hit It?” Celebitchy. 27 Mar. 2014.

203 Entertain2014. “Tony Hawk Interview at Laureus Sports Awards 2014.” YouTube. 26 Mar. 2014.

204 Tomas Jivanda. “Lewis Hamilton Wins Malaysian GP, Gets Interviewed by Sherlock Star Benedict Cumberbatch.” Independent. 30 Mar. 2014.

205 Kate Stanton. “Benedict Cumberbatch Interviews Malaysian Grand Prix Winner Lewis Hamilton.” UPI. 30 Mar. 2014.

206 Daniel Johnson. “Monaco Grand Prix 2014: Five Things We Learnt.” Telegraph. 26 May 2014.

207 Ibid.

208 Joanna Crawley. “Benedict Cumberbatch Bonds with a Surly Lewis Hamilton in Monaco Grand Prix Interview.” Entertainmentwise. 25 May 2014.

209 Liz Ferguson. “Hello, Bernie Ecclestone! Did You Remember to Invite Benedict Cumberbatch to Montreal’s Grand Prix?” Montreal Gazette. 1 June 2014.

210 Paul Jones. “Benedict Cumberbatch and His Mum to Launch BBC2 Chelsea Flower Show Coverage.” Radio Times. 11 May 2014.

211 RHS Chelsea Flower Show. BBC One. 19 May 2014.

212 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 2014. BBC Two. 19 May 2014.

213 Leo Barraclough. “Benedict Cumberbatch to Play Richard III in Neal Street’s Film for BBC.” Variety. 6 Apr. 2014.

214 Ibid.

215 Michael Idato. “Benedict Cumberbatch Shuns Hollywood for Shakespeare’s Richard III.” Sydney Morning Herald. 7 Apr. 2014.

216 Ibid.

217 “Sherlock Star Ambushes Dame Judi Dench at Hay.” BBC News Wales. 2 June 2014.

218 Anita Singh. “Judi Dench to Star with Benedict Cumberbatch in Shakespeare.” Telegraph. 1 June 2014.

219 Leo Barraclough. “Sophie Okonedo Set to Join Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘The Hollow Crown’: Report.” Variety. 30 May 2014.

220 Paul Jones. “Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman Commissioned Sherlock Series 4 Themselves Says Steven Moffat.” Radio Times.14 Oct. 2013.

221 Claire Webb & Paul Jones. “Benedict Cumberbatch Confirms Sherlock Series 4.” Radio Times. 12 Mar. 2013.

Chapter 8

Back to the Theatre

“I was also brought up in a very traditional, text-heavy, educational environment, where reading and the word and the script - ‘The play is the thing’ - was my schooling, as well as my training”. [222]

Benedict Cumberbatch

In Cumberbatch’s classical theatrical training, text is crucial, and the actor has tackled many powerful texts in his theatrical career. If he has not yet played all the roles on his wish list, like John Proctor in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, there is every expectation that he someday will - most likely to a packed house and media frenzy. Theatre has been a cornerstone of Cumberbatch’s career, and he repeatedly reassures fans that he has no intention of abandoning the stage in favour of more globally accessible or lucrative offers.

In the jigsaw puzzle of scheduling that has become Cumberbatch’s professional life, the “stage” sometimes means a one-off venue for a dramatic reading, for example, because committing to a multiple-month run in a play has become a more difficult piece to fit into the picture. “Theatre” might also be a special event, such as a brief scene performed as part of the National Theatre’s fiftieth anniversary celebrations. Thus, the theatre community may have been surprised, and Cumberbatch’s fans ecstatic, when the actor was announced to star in another of his long-wished-for roles as Hamlet during a three-month run in 2015.

The Power of Shakespeare

Richard III developed a direct connection to Sherlock when both Martin Freeman and Cumberbatch were announced to be taking on one of Shakespeare’s most cunning characters. The tyrant king is not the only Shakespearean character to pique Cumberbatch’s interest, however. In the years preceding the 2013 announcement that Cumberbatch would star in Hamlet, the actor discussed his interest in the role and his belief that he was about the right age (he thought 36 or 37) to play Hamlet.[223] He would slightly exceed this deadline by turning 39 a few weeks before the opening.

When news of the play’s three-month run beginning in August 2015 was published, the Barbican Centre’s production fast became a hot ticket in London, months before sales actually took place. Anticipating pre-sales to members, fans who could afford the fee bought annual memberships to the Barbican (£100 per year for the most exclusive Red membership); approximately three thousand patrons bought memberships in the weeks before tickets went on sale.[224]

Slightly more than two months before sales opened, the Barbican stated its policy that each household could only purchase a maximum of six tickets across all performances, the booker’s name would be printed on the tickets, and a photo ID would be required upon entry.[225] This procedure was designed to limit sales so that more people could attend performances and fewer blocks of tickets would be bought purely for resale.

On August 1, 2014, when sales opened to Red members, thousands of fans waited in online queues for hours before getting their tickets. For example, one fan entered the online waiting area more than an hour before the sales website opened, automatically received a randomly assigned a number showing her position within the web queue (3,782), and waited four hours before being allowed into the site’s ticket-buying area. Although that was a very long queue, it was nothing compared to public booking, when more than 30,000 were in the Barbican queue at once, but whether those were “real” people or multiple windows opened by considerably fewer patrons could not be measured.

By the time that tickets were made available to the public on August 11, the Barbican’s allotment of seats in the stalls and lower circle were mostly gone; however, the theatre held back one hundred £10 seats to be distributed before each performance to make the show accessible to more people. Fans heatedly discussed the ticket-buying process on social media when the sales went public. Tickets sold through other outlets on August 11 incensed some buyers who had waited a long time in the Barbican queue or had bought a Red or an Orange membership with the idea of getting the best seats possible before public sales. According to numerous reports on Twitter and Tumblr, front row and other good seats in the stalls were available through outlets like ATG long after the Barbican’s best seats had been purchased. In any case, the entire run of Hamlet was sold out within a few hours on August 11, 2014, breaking previous sales records. This Hamlet became the most in-demand production of all time.[226]

Although Cumberbatch is not the cause of the ticket-access dilemma, Hamlet is still an excellent example of the way a theatre or a star’s fans may react when tickets for a play’s run will be limited. Because of online booking, patrons from around the world can buy tickets and sell out a performance within hours. (Surprisingly, perhaps, tickets to Cumberbatch’s readings at the Hay Festival in May sold out only the second fastest in the event’s history, within a few hours.[227]) Therefore, as more stars take to the stage, prices and demand likely will continue to go up.

As the Telegraph’s theatre critic Dominic Cavendish explained, the current practices of many theatres, while legal and certainly understandable from a sales perspective, nonetheless are unfortunately limiting the audience to those who can afford to buy special memberships for early booking or pay higher prices.[228] The nature of theatre-going in a celebrity-adoring culture is changing the way that patrons view productions and businesses anticipate a production’s financial success. The Barbican Centre’s large size, as well as its strict policies, nonetheless helped it likely avoid problems that smaller venues have had when a star performs Shakespeare.

Cumberbatch or Tom Hiddleston fan sites reported audience “issues,” from pro and con perspectives, surrounding Hiddleston’s performances in Coriolanus in early 2014. Complaints arose when some eager fans reportedly became so excited to see Hiddleston on stage that they tried to record a performance, jockeyed for a position where they could better see the actor (especially when he took a shower on stage), or made noise during the performance - all detracting from other audience members’ enjoyment of the play. Even greater concerns came to light when some people were described as feeling so entitled to meet the actor, because they had bought a ticket to the play, that they hurled abuse at the security team or repeatedly tried to crash the line of people awaiting Hiddleston.

Cumberbatch came into the fray when he attended a performance and afterward went for dinner with his friend. According to fan reports on numerous websites, the pair were chased down the street and into a restaurant. Such behaviour[229] not only incited lengthy discussions on fan forums, but they likely prompted the Barbican to implement and publicise their sales policies well in advance of Hamlet.

Most telling about the anticipation for Hamlet, Cumberbatch let it be known at a fan convention that he would not be doing stage door, so patrons planning to greet him there or wait for an autograph knew well in advance not to travel, perhaps thousands of miles, just to be disappointed when they could not meet him after a performance. Health and safety reasons (such as the actor looking after his voice and stamina during the run, as well as avoiding a potential crush of excited theatregoers that could inadvertently hurt him, security, or fans) likely led to Cumberbatch’s decision; he reportedly explained at Oz Comic Con that stage-door meetings take a great deal of time. If a large percentage of the more than one thousand-seat Barbican theatre wanted to wait after each performance, the stage-door line would be unmanageable and require hours of signing/saying hello to accommodate everyone.

Instead, when Cumberbatch returns to the theatre for the Shakespearean role of his dreams, his motto truly becomes “the play’s the thing”. The actor previously has made it known that he wants as many people as possible, whether fans, critics, or the general public, to be able to attend performances. Given his explosive popularity and some not-so-pleasant encounters with paparazzi, sometimes reportedly posing as “fans,”[230] Cumberbatch and those who employ him wisely must plan for the safety of the actor and those who want to enjoy seeing him in person.

“Fans” became a hot topic when Cumberbatch’s Sherlock co-star, Freeman, played Richard III at Trafalgar Studios beginning July 1, 2014. Before the first week of Richard III was over, critics began blasting “Hobbit fans” for their lack of theatre etiquette. Although the Daily Mail[231] and Times[232] were the first with the story, the complaints were picked up internationally, including in New Zealand,[233] home to the Hobbit films starring Freeman and Cumberbatch. A few fans reportedly began to cheer and applaud just as Freeman’s Richard began the famous line “Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious summer by this son of York”. Director Jamie Lloyd later corrected this report by stating that only a few fans applauded or cheered during the scene change following Richard’s opening speech.[234]

The focus of comments about theatre etiquette and exuberant fans during previews clouded media coverage of the play’s official opening on July 8, emphasising what seems to be a growing schism in the theatre community between enthusiastic fans of film or television actors appearing on stage and frequent theatre-going patrons who want to watch a play in peace and quiet. One actor described the current audience of young Freeman fans (who might attend Hamlet because they also are Cumberbatch, Hobbit, or Sherlock fans) as “people who spend most of their day with wire in their ears. It is not so much Richard III as Richard the rock concert”.[235] My experience during the first two nights’ performances and stage door differed. Instead of a Beatlemania-style response during the play or at the stage door, most fans were well behaved but dedicated to seeing, and possibly meeting, Freeman. Yet this media response to fans attending performances in the relatively small Trafalgar Studios suggested the type of media or theatre concern for the amount of interest in Cumberbatch’s Hamlet, even at the larger Barbican. The issue of why someone buys a theatre ticket - because of an actor or because of the play - is becoming an increasingly hot topic as theatres and patrons increasingly deal not only with stars but celebrity culture.

The Play is the Thing

Whereas “the play is the thing” for the actor, multitudes of others directly or remotely involved with the production had a lot to consider in preparation for the three-month run in 2015. More than a year ahead of Hamlet’s opening night, policies and plans had to be carefully negotiated. While fans planned their ticket-buying strategies and the Barbican developed its policies and art for the 2015 production (revealing the official poster on August 1, 2014), rumours began about the type of production it might be.

Cumberbatch admitted in February to fans during a Q&A at the StarFury: Elementary convention in Birmingham that he had already been immersed in discussing Hamlet with the director for months.[236] First in discussion among critics was whether this Hamlet would be a modern adaptation, which has become a trend among other recent Shakespearean plays drawing in a film or television actor’s fans. At Trafalgar Studios, for example, director Jamie Lloyd’s Macbeth (2013), starring James McAvoy, opted for a near-future dystopia, and Richard III (2014), starring Martin Freeman, set the play within a few decades of the present. As a result of recent London productions, especially of Hamlet, the primary questions asked early on about the Barbican’s Hamlet were, first, would director Lyndsey Turner opt for a modern adaptation and, second , was another Hamlet necessary,[237] when so many famous actors seemed to be playing the role in recent years?

Perhaps the actor and director, more than public need for another Hamlet, drove the selection for the Barbican’s 2015-16 season. Undoubtedly, by choosing this play, Cumberbatch sets himself up for comparison not only with television actors like David Tennant, who played the role in 2008 and whose 2009 recorded performance lives on, but with actors like Laurence Olivier, whose Hamlet is considered a classic.

The poster released in August 2014 suggested a unique stylistic approach to the play: the children gathered for the prince’s birthday party (and beautifully photographed for the poster art) are dressed in a variety of costumes.[238] Ophelia, for example, is dressed in black as a fairy; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern wear skeleton costumes. Even more interesting is the fact that only Cumberbatch’s small-print name is included within the design. A photograph of the actor, whether dressed as Hamlet or himself, was not necessary to market the play that already was being called “Cumberbatch’s Hamlet”.

The pensive boy staring at the camera/audience aligns with Cumberbatch’s comments about Hamlet that “he doesn’t seem to want to be in the play. He wants to get out and go back to university, and [his relatives] drag him back into courtly life and being the prince”.[239] The actor’s description meshes with the boy’s troubled expression as he stares from the poster.

Cumberbatch believes audiences should get to know Hamlet throughout the course of the play. The character offers insights into humanity, “whether it is depression or anxiety or the idea of not being able to do something or being inactive or... powerless, and how to treat that with humour, self-laceration, anger, and action”.[240]

Throughout his journey, as illustrated in the play and interpreted by Cumberbatch, Hamlet eventually reaches a point of a “Buddhist ‘let be’” quality as he accepts his fate. During the production’s development, Cumberbatch expressed his hope that he could bring Hamlet’s “wonderful journey” and “gripping story” [241] to the audience as a dynamic theatrical experience.

Not less significantly, the role also allows him to show more of himself, rather than requiring him to speak with an accent or emote from behind a character with a very different appearance. When audiences see Hamlet, they can also better understand the way Cumberbatch moves or speaks, because his Hamlet can look, sound, and move more like the actor. In recent years his performances as Smaug or Classified, or even the Americans Ford or Little Charles, for example, are far removed from the actor’s natural appearance or sound.

Although, prior to Hamlet, Cumberbatch had not starred in a London play since Frankenstein in 2011, he never truly left live performances. Perhaps thinking of Hamlet as his “return” to the theatre is incorrect, because in 2013 Cumberbatch participated in what may be the largest gathering of theatrical talent ever on stage for one event. The National Theatre’s fiftieth anniversary celebration and resulting television and cinema broadcasts of the recorded production showcased the many talented actors who have acted on the National Theatre’s stages in the past half century, many performing scenes from the plays in which they originally starred. Cumberbatch also continued his tradition of dramatic readings, often for a good cause such as literacy or to participate in celebrations of literature and art, such as the Hay Festival. During 2013-14, he kept his connection with the stage alive through these short performances.

The National Theatre at Fifty

For the National Theatre’s anniversary gala in early November 2013, Cumberbatch tackled a short scene from Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. The scene allowed Cumberbatch (playing Rosencrantz to Kobna Holdbrook-Smith’s Guildenstern) to show off his comedic timing. The show, broadcast on BBC and, later, internationally through NT Live, was rehearsed on Friday, November 1, and broadcast live in the U.K. on Saturday, November 2.

Trying to work in so many actors in so many scenes from so many plays was a daunting task and required months of preparation. Despite Cumberbatch’s many work commitments, he agreed by early October to participate in the gala; other actors pencilled in for roles did not commit to the show until much later in the month.

With fifty years of productions being celebrated at the National Theatre, audiences might assume that the National’s wealth of costumes would make it easy simply to choose something from stock for the performances, but that was not the case. For Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, the actors were fitted in new costumes that were reminiscent of the characters’ wardrobe in the original run. The soft material for the doublets and breeches was dyed from moss to shades of brown, and hats were made from Broadwick silks purchased for this performance. The trim and buttons were just about all that was used from the costume department’s stock.[242]

Even for such a brief scene, one among many in the two-hour production, details were important. Everything from set decoration of two barrels on stage to the actors’ money purses was planned in the many scripts and lists of props required for the elaborate production. Although Cumberbatch and Holdbrook-Smith mimed being encased in coffins and gestured more than worked with props, the minimalist set still had to establish the mood and indicate the significance of the characters and play being feted in this auspicious production.

In an early version of the script, the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern scene was three pages and was going to be introduced by an actor on stage. In the interest of time, the scene’s dialogue was shortened by a page and the coin-flipping opening added; instead of a live introduction, a voiceover and still shot of a poster for the 1967 production prefaced the scene. It was scheduled for only two minutes, with another five seconds allocated for applause after the blackout on Cumberbatch’s last line.

Even if the actors did not require it, autocue showed their lines - everything was planned to the second and for all contingencies. (The “worst case scenario” sheet outlining what could possibly go wrong and what to do if it did was truly impressive for this mammoth production.)[243] As expected, Cumberbatch’s scene went off smoothly, and the actor returned backstage to watch the rest of the show.

A final note added to script cues summarised the anticipated relief once the live broadcast, with all its complexity for both stage and television, finally went dark. The last instruction was “go for a large gin!”[244]

Despite the drink-inducing tension inherent in such a complex live production, the successful event did more than celebrate the National Theatre. It publicly acknowledged the generations of talented actors performing on its stages. Nicholas Hytner, Director of the National Theatre, addressed the audience before the Saturday night recording began. (Whereas tickets to the Friday night preview had been sold to the public, the Saturday night audience consisted of actors who had worked at the National.) In recognition of the creative contributions of the audience and the actors on stage that night, Hytner praised the many dedicated performers who had crossed the National’s stages during the past half century:

The amazing company of actors on stage tonight is eclipsed only by the company of actors out front. You have each been in, on average, more than eighteen different National Theatre productions. I’m biased, but I’m going to say that by definition that makes you the best in the country, and therefore the world.

Cumberbatch, star of After the Dance and Frankenstein and participant in the gala, certainly meets Hytner’s description, even if he has not quite reached the high average number of productions achieved by many of his colleagues attending that night.

The Director noted that the preview ran over time by seven minutes because the audience “were so lavish with their laughter and applause” and quipped that “we’ve got 2 hours 10 before the BBC pull the plug... After 50 years of achievement, we seem to have established ourselves as an indelible part of the nation we serve. I hope tonight will remind you why that’s happened”.[245]

Although Cumberbatch was only on stage a few minutes during the multi-hour showcase, what was more important to audiences’ and critics’ understanding of his status as an actor was to see him join fellow thespians of his generation on the National Theatre’s stage for the curtain call. Actors from the most recent plays took a bow first, with the progression continuing to actors starring in plays a decade ago, then two decades past, until the audience finally honoured those who first performed in the National Theatre fifty years ago. For the Saturday night performance being broadcast on BBC, glitter descended onto the actors during the curtain calls, creating a “glittering” final image of the assembled stars on stage.

Not only was Cumberbatch applauded for his role during the prestigious anniversary production (which has been recorded for posterity and now can be seen by current and future generations of audiences), but he is being lauded as much for his stage performances as those on television or film. The National Theatre production/ broadcast also reminded audiences and critics that Cumberbatch’s career is not going to be that of the typical “Hollywood” star. Some of his most memorable roles to date have been on stage, and the theatre will always provide a home for him when he has time to dedicate months to rehearsing and acting for a multi-week run of a play.

Small Venues with a Big Impact

Cumberbatch long has supported a range of philanthropic events, not only those that require him to dress smartly and smile for photographers. Yet he still seems surprised by the power of his presence or his name during, for example, a charity auction. He and Gillian Anderson, along with many performers of Letters Live, signed a book and helped auction it. The winning bid was £5,000. Of course, the bids may have increased after Neil Gaiman suggested that Cumberbatch’s DNA would be on the book, because he was holding it with sweaty hands. To further enhance the book’s DNA appeal, Anderson also licked it. Good sport Cumberbatch played along but seemed a bit awkward as he held the opened book to show the crowd. He happily hugged the highest bidders after he jumped off the stage to present their prize. The auction, part of a December 10, 2014 dramatic reading event, benefitted The Reading Agency and raised £11,000 during the evening.

At this performance at the Tabernacle in London, Cumberbatch’s texts were letters extracted from Simon Garfield’s To the Letter and Shaun Usher’s Letters of Note. The actor looked smartly casual, pairing a dark jacket formally buttoned with a shirt artfully opened a couple of buttons - a fact noted in media news as well as fan websites. That he took his roles seriously - or playfully, as a letter dictated - was obvious, despite the event being a one-time dramatic reading before a much smaller audience than he usually commands.

Cumberbatch found the humour in letters written by Signalman Christopher Barker in 1944 to his girl back home, Bessie, whose letters were read by Kerry Fox. Although the texts are often serious, they also invited the audience to laugh when Christopher, despite his desperate desire to see Bessie after a long separation, still has cold feet when even thinking about marriage. Finding the lightness in a wartime love letter endeared Cumberbatch to the audience, especially with lines like “I must warm you, surround you, love you, and be kind to you” as the lovers plan their upcoming time together, only, a moment later, to add, “I would prefer not to get married”.[246] Cumberbatch looked down to read the letters on the podium, but he punctuated the upbeat sections with gestures and animated body language, only to pause during Christopher’s more sobering thoughts.

Although the reading of these love letters became a highlight of the event, Cumberbatch’s interpretation of a more emotionally devastating correspondence revealed insights into his forthcoming portrayal of Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. The film was in post-production by the time Cumberbatch read Turing’s heartbreaking letter to friend and colleague Norman Routledge, and the Letters Live audience could see Turing, not Cumberbatch, inhabit the stage to explain the charge against him and to contemplate just what kind of man he would be after his legal ordeal.[247] As Turing, Cumberbatch put on a good front, saying in a few words what had happened but then, amid a pause punctuated with a deep breath, showing that Turing is well aware of the terrible price he will pay for his sexual indiscretion.

With his enactment of the men behind the letters, Cumberbatch did far more than read well - he became Christopher Barker or Alan Turing and shared their thoughts, hopes, and fears. The actor fulfilled the purpose of Letters Live by bringing these real people to life decades after their letters were written and reminding audiences that these writers from the mid-twentieth century are not so different from the performers or listeners who later hear their stories.

Letters Live at the Hay Festival

On May 30, 2014, Cumberbatch continued letter readings at the Hay Festival with the first of two performances, where 1,700 listeners “queued around the block” to hear the actor read letters written by poet Ted Hughes and explorer Robert Scott. Because the tickets cost only £15, fans who may not have had the cash or opportunity to see the actor before made sure to buy a ticket immediately. Director Peter Florence told the press that the event added “a huge festival audience to the Benedict Cumberbatch appreciation society, which is a passionate and enormous group of people”.[248] Walking into the festival amid the crowd, Cumberbatch grinned as he was photographed by media and onlookers and seemed well aware that so many eyes were turned to him.

Because of Cumberbatch’s popularity and fast sale of the Saturday reading, a second ninety-minute session was added to Friday’s schedule. The outdoor venue was far more casual than the Tabernacle event, and the actor dressed down appropriately. In recent months he had begun wearing dark-framed glasses in public (which caused a stir in entertainment news), and he did so at the Festival but did not put them on during the reading. Instead, he tucked them into the V of his open shirt and, hands in pockets, began to portray Christopher’s epistolary story. Nevertheless, as one reporter noted, Cumberbatch’s approach to the readings was far from casual and “gave fans who have not had the chance to see him in the theatre a taste of what he’s like on stage”.[249] Working this time with Lisa Dwan, Cumberbatch again read the series of love letters between Christopher and Bessie.

With events like Letters Live, Cumberbatch brings a bit of theatre to audiences outside the auspices of a venue like the Barbican or National. Instead, his participation in these events not only enhances an awareness of texts with which audiences in an instant-emessage society may not be familiar (such as letters) but lets people who may not ever be able to see him on stage get an idea of how an actor of Cumberbatch’s calibre can spellbind an audience through dramatic interpretation. In short scenes performed on stage during 2013-14, whether from a play like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead or letters turned into performance art, Cumberbatch excelled at introducing different audiences to the wonders of live acting. It does not hurt that, in addition, his presence sells more tickets to festivals of arts and literature or helps raise funds for literacy.

The Hay Festival website describes its mission thus: “Hay gathers people together to think about the world as it is and to imagine how it might be. It’s a big conversation about discovery and intellectual adventure”.[250] Cumberbatch chooses to publicly participate in this conversation, not always in the highest paying venues. He engenders, particularly in his youngest fans, an interest in texts and a better understanding why “the play is the thing”.

222 Gary Oldman. “Benedict Cumberbatch.” Interview. Autumn 2013.

223 Paul Jones. “Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch - I Want to Play Hamlet Soon.” Radio Times. 20 June 2012.

224 Serena Davies. “Benedict Cumberbatch: A Hamlet Worth Waiting For.” Telegraph. 1 Aug. 2014.

225 Barbican. Theatre & Dance Event Details. Hamlet. May 2014.

226 Rachel Stewart. “Cumberbatch’s Hamlet Most In-Demand Show of All Time.” Telegraph. 11 Aug. 2014.

227 Karen Price. “Hay Festival: A Love Letter to Benedict Cumberbatch.” Wales Online. 30 May 2014.

228 Dominic Cavendish. “How Much Would You Pay to see Benedict Cumberbatch as Hamlet?” Telegraph. 6 June 2014.

229 Several sites, listed in the bibliography, provide similar details.

230 “Benedict Cumberbatch Evades Disenchanted Fans with Friends at 2014 HBO PartyRivaBella LA.” PopCandiesTV. Jan. 2014.

231 Chris Hastings & Peter Henn. “Applause! Applause! My Kingdom for Applause: But Are Overexcited Hobbit Fans Ruining Martin Freeman’s Richard III for Shakespeare Purists?” Daily Mail. 6 July 2014.

232 Jack Malvern. “Uproar at My Kingdom for Applause.” Times. 6 July 2014.

233 “Vocal Hobbit Fans Anger Theatre Stars.” New Zealand Herald. 7 July 2014.

234 Jess Denham. “Martin Freeman Fans Are Not ‘Ruining’ Richard III, Says Director Jamie Lloyd.” Independent. 7 July 2014.

235 “Martin Freeman Fans ‘Ruin’ Richard III.” Telegraph. 6 July 2014.

236 Benedict Cumberbatch Q&A. StarFury: Elementary. Birmingham, U.K. 9 Feb. 2014.

237 Michael Dobson & Clare Brennan. “Is Hamlet Staged Too Often?” Guardian. 29 Mar. 2014.

238 Rosie Bannister. “Official Photo Released for Benedict Cumberbatch’s Hamlet.” What’s On Stage. 1 Aug. 2014.

239 Los Angeles Times. “Benedict Cumberbatch Talks Sherlock, ‘Penguins of Madagascar’ at Comic-Con 2014.” 25 July 2014. YouTube.

240 Ibid.

241 Ibid.

242 National Theatre 50 Years on Stage. Costume bible. National Theatre Archives, London.

243 National Theatre 50 Years On Stage, Entrances and Exits, dated 28 October 2013. Prompt script. National Theatre Archives, London.

244 NT 50 Running Order, Version 13, 25th October 2013. National Theatre Archives, London.

245 National Theatre 50 Years On Stage, Entrances and Exits. Prompt script.

246 “Cumberbatch, Cave, Anderson and Gaiman Join Together in Praise of Letters.” The Reading Agency. 11 Dec. 2013.

247 “Benedict Cumberbatch - Letters Live - Alan Turing.” YouTube. 3 Jan. 2014. (Several audience videos can be found on YouTube.)

248 Karen Price. “Hay Festival: A Love Letter to Benedict Cumberbatch.” Wales Onlines. 30 May 2014.

249 Ibid.

250 Hay Festival. “Imagine the World.”

Chapter 9

True to His Roots: Radio and Independent Film

“I’m proud of every single project. I can genuinely say that it is varied enough, as a slate, to not fear too much overexposure”.[251]

Benedict Cumberbatch

Unlike many high-profile actors, whose careers favour one medium, Cumberbatch remains true to his professional roots in multiple media. Although television and film bring him the most acclaim and generate a broad fanbase internationally, he does not neglect his work on radio or in the theatre. In addition, “smaller” projects without huge budgets or global publicity junkets were just as much a part of his itinerary in 2014 as they had been before the so-far-watershed year of 2013. If anything, because so much of Cumberbatch’s calendar was consumed by celebrity events (those in which he is paid to appear as himself) or social invitations that provided him with publicity, the roles on radio, readings in the theatre, and announcement of a return to a large-venue London stage balanced the glitzy celebrity outings and best-known roles in films and in Sherlock.

Cumberbatch’s career recently veered into a few new areas, such as producer, and even acting roles completed years ago received much greater publicity in light of his recent roles in major films or television series. This chapter provides an overview of his continuing connection with independent films and BBC radio, two media that helped establish his career. Cumberbatch now brings a great deal of attention to the types of projects he has always done but that many stars abandon as they become increasingly popular.

Support for Independent Films

Film has become an increasingly important medium in Cumberbatch’s career, but not only the blockbusters and Academy Award- or BAFTA-nominated movies illustrate the depth of his talent. Indies have been and continue to be a key part of his career plan. In Wreckers (2011) and Third Star (2010), he shares billing with other actors in key roles, but he appears in most scenes, and his character is the catalyst propelling the plot. Burlesque Fairytales (2009), discussed later in this chapter, gave him a chance to show his sensitive side. The short film Inseparable (2007) provided him with a showcase for his talent by having him portray two very different brothers.

Because of audience familiarity with Cumberbatch by 2012, he was perfect for the two-minute megashort, Electric Cinema: How to Behave.[252] London’s oldest operating cinema wanted to remind audiences of etiquette during a movie, and they brought in famous actors, among them Cumberbatch as Humphrey Bogart, to capture viewer attention and make a serious point in comedic fashion. Whether as an actor cast primarily because of his talent or, in this latter case, his celebrity, Cumberbatch does not shy away from indie or short films.

Of course, his career includes small roles in bigger-studio feature films, including The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), Creation (2009), Four Lions (2010), and The Whistleblower (2010). In Atonement (2007) and Starter for 10 (2006) he had larger roles and received greater attention from critics and producers, but these film roles were interspersed with more demanding television roles. Film was not yet as striking a category on his CV.

Then there are the “big” films for major studios. Cumberbatch may not have the starring role, but his characters are imminently memorable within even the largest ensemble. With well-received roles in War Horse (2011); Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011); Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013); and The Fifth Estate (2013), for example, Cumberbatch increasingly moved toward the A-list. He has worked with some of the most respected, well-known directors in the film industry, including Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams, Peter Jackson, Steve McQueen, and Bill Condon. He more frequently plays the lead, such as in The Fifth Estate (2013) and The Imitation Game (2014). With so many directors and producers seeking him out, he might choose not to do indie films, which often are considered prestigiously creative but not necessarily lucrative or especially career making.

What is impressive about Cumberbatch’s film career in light of the number of well-publicised, big-budget, major studio-backed films released in 2013 in which he played a pivotal role - Star Trek: Into Darkness, The Fifth Estate, 12 Years a Slave, August: Osage County, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - he also acted in the indie short Little Favour. This film not only shows Cumberbatch’s support for indies, but suggests a new off shoot in his career path. In addition to starring in and promoting Little Favour, he started a production company, SunnyMarch, with friends who put together the film.

Little Favour is one of two indies released in 2013 that feature Cumberbatch. The second is Burlesque Fairytales, a film made in 2009 and screened at numerous international film festivals before gaining a wider release online in 2013. Whereas Little Favour suggests Cumberbatch’s possible future career shift toward producing films, Burlesque Fairytales illustrates his level of excellence before he became an international celebrity and shows him as an actor on the cusp of global fame.

Little Favour (2013)

In 2013 Little Favour[253] provided another starring role for Cumberbatch and even more screen time than he has in big-budget films 12 Years a Slave or August: Osage County. Cumberbatch the actor became actively involved with Little Favour from an artistic standpoint; Cumberbatch the producer found a different outlet for creativity when using his celebrity to finance the film. Once fans learned that the project SunnyMarch described on its Indiegogo page involved Cumberbatch, news spread quickly on social media and fan forums. Producer Adam Ackland, one of Cumberbatch’s friends since their meeting on the set of The Last Enemy, noted that “Little Favour was something that started very small for us, and the reason it grew was because of the people that were supporting it”.[254]

Following the “soldier” theme of the film, the Indiegogo site listed funding levels ranging from Private (£10) to Field Marshall (£10,000; the only classification lacking a taker). The categories limiting the number of participants quickly sold out; the popular Lieutenant (£100), Captain (£250), and Major (£500) funding levels, for example, provided backers with autographed items - although the site carefully did not promise that Cumberbatch would sign everything for the 110 people with pledges for those amounts. (Fan-posted photos of items I saw online and those I received, however, were hand signed by Cumberbatch.) Higher levels of funding (Colonel: 10 backers at £1,000 each, Brigadier: 6 at £2,500, and General: 4 at £5,000) awarded exclusive perks, including listings within the film’s credits, tickets to the London premiere (attended by Cumberbatch), and roles as extras.

The film received immediate, overwhelming financial support: £86,240, or 345% greater than its goal of £25,000.[255] Not only did the perks interest Cumberbatch fans, but interaction with the SunnyMarch team working to create and ship the packages was positive - going a long way to ensure that SunnyMarch develops both a high-quality reputation for filmmaking within the entertainment industry and for effective “customer service” with fans. In January 2014 backers received a link to watch the film via Vimeo, and those who pledged at the Captain level or higher later received a DVD. Little Favour also became available from iTunes, where, of its 335 viewer ratings by August 2014, 287 give the film five stars.[256]

In the “making of” film, Cumberbatch expresses his amazement at his fandom and indicates the tangible bond between fan and filmmaker established during the creation of Little Favour. The actor found this project rewarding in particular because of the “genuine joy of knowing you’re doing what you’re doing because of the people that want to see you do it”. He applauded fans who “put their money where their fandom is and where their hearts are”. Very practically, the film became “bigger, bolder, more experimental,”[257] thanks to fans. To respond personally to those who supported the film, the actor recorded a message to thank backers. True to Cumberbatch’s promise, their money was well spent by first-time filmmaker, writer/director Patrick Victor Monroe.

Bigger is not always better. Perceiving a film as less worthwhile because it is short does a disservice to this category of film in general and this indie in particular. At twenty-six and a half minutes, more than three of them credits, Little Favour may be short in run time but is big on packing action and symbolism into a few scenes. A first screening reveals the violent, shocking plot details, but a second viewing unveils deeper meanings behind a line of dialogue or a lingering close-up. This layering makes Little Favour far more than another illustration of Cumberbatch’s acting skill or a testament to his popularity.

Wallace (nicknamed Ace) is the audience’s entry character, which differs from the purpose that Cumberbatch’s characters usually serve in a story. [Often, as in Sherlock, for example, another character (such as John Watson) provides insights into the plot or other characters; the audience learns along with the entry character. In The Fifth Estate Daniel Berg leads audiences to the first glimpse of Julian Assange.] In Little Favour, the audience follows Ace, and, ultimately, their “fate” is the same as Ace’s. The story surprises and intrigues audiences because, at least on a first viewing, they interpret other characters’ words and actions as Ace does.

Little Favour prompts its audience to ask questions and want to see more. What is the history between Ace and James (Colin Salmon), and why did they become estranged? When James calls in the favour Ace owes him, the request is surprising - to look after James’ preteen daughter, Lilah (Paris Winter Monroe). It indeed seems like a little favour, both in the anticipated ease of the job and in the size and age of the child. Of course, the cinematic cliché is that this job is not as easy as it sounds, and “little favour” takes on a more sinister meaning as the plot intensifies.

Cumberbatch described Ace as an “a lone wolf. He’s somebody who, I think, carved out a life... in order to protect himself and those around him from what he’s experienced and what he’s traumatised by, which is some kind of military past”. Monroe’s explanation is simpler: “I wanted to take Benedict’s hero and bring him face to face with a child soldier on the streets of London”.[258]

The director gets edgy performances from his actors but also reveals more about these characters from carefully chosen camera shots and the characters’ wardrobe. In the opening scenes, emotionally compressed Ace walks stiffly next to the much looser limbed, more confident James. Ace’s wardrobe - a form-fitting, tightly zipped leather jacket - matches his tense demeanour; he keeps his hands stuffed into pockets as he warily walks into an unknown situation. That James and Ace are opposites is clearly delineated in a silhouetted profile shot of the pair standing in front of a brick wall, separated by the visual line provided by a girder.

Once Ace goes into action, however, shots emphasise his natural state as a physically menacing fighter. Sweaty, blooded, ripped Ace, stripped to his vest, is shown in close-up as he battles. (During the Indiegogo campaign, a promotional photograph featured the actor in this scene. A still showing off Cumberbatch’s muscular arms and BAMF pose was an excellent marketing choice to entice the actor’s fans to fund the project.)

To prepare, Cumberbatch focused on the instructions of the stunt man who choreographed the fight. Rehearsals took place, ironically, in a church hall, because no other space was available. In the behind-the-scenes footage, Cumberbatch checks hand positions for a punch, practices a series of kicks, and smoothly executes an impressive number of pushups. Even during a slow-mo rehearsal, the actor is in character as Ace, who will be putting everything into a fast-motion fight. Cumberbatch explained that an actor must sell the action for the camera, but the pace can be very different before that point:

[Initially,] you go through things as a very slow step-by-step dance,... then build it together... [Y]ou do one section and then add on another section, and then you start running it very slowly, and then you build in some speed. By the time the cameras roll, you know it very well. There’s a lot of muscle memory going on.[259]

For his role as Khan in Star Trek, Cumberbatch developed a more muscular physique, which also came in handy for his role as Ace, which was filmed shortly after Star Trek’s release and Cumberbatch’s international press tour. (Before working with Cumberbatch on Little Favour, Monroe had been the actor’s personal trainer.) Getting back into action on film greatly appealed to the actor after his Star Trek experience. Cumberbatch enthused that he was looking forward to do more action in films, especially after such a wonderful experience with live action on Star Trek: Into Darkness. He loved the “hand-to-hand combat, chase sequences, stunts, as much as I was obviously permitted to do,” as well as “transforming myself from [a] white, thin, reedy guy into somebody... looking a bit superhuman”.[260]

Cumberbatch’s performance, however, relies on more than physical presence, no matter how impressive. Ace’s journey keeps the audience wondering what will happen next, and the actor’s flair for expressing the character’s changing emotional state compliments his physical embodiment of the role.

In fact, the entire cast is well suited to their roles, even newcomer Paris Monroe, who impressed the seasoned actors. In the “making of” footage, Cumberbatch effusively praises his co-stars.

Colin Salmon is equally magnanimous about Cumberbatch’s talent: “He’s everything it says on the tin. He’s mercurial. He’s intelligent. He’s diligent. He’s funny. He’s a proper actor”. Monroe added his appreciation for Cumberbatch, as both actor and producer: “None of us would be here without Benedict... the nucleus of the entire project”. [261]

By the time the lengthy credits roll and the film’s many supporters are duly thanked, viewers are aware that there is a much deeper story yet to tell (especially for those who have not read the Indiegogo plot synopsis that reveals more backstory). SunnyMarch, including the trio of actor/producer Cumberbatch, executive producer Ackland, and writer/director Monroe (who, with Will Hensel, even composed the film’s original music), might someday turn Little Favour into a full-length feature and provide more of the backstory that the short’s fans crave.

SunnyMarch chose well for its first production. In May 2014, Little Favour gained the favour of a Polish audience at the Off Plus Camera Festival of Independent Cinema in Krakow. Following a screening, producers Ackland and Adam Selves, actor Nick Moran, and actor/ producer Cumberbatch discussed the film during a Q&A hosted by film critic and festival co-operator, Elvis Mitchell. The Little Favour team stressed the cooperative nature of making their first film, giving them tremendous freedom and room to experiment; at times, the Q&A seemed like a love fest among the film’s creative forces, who clearly appreciate each other’s talent and collaboration.

At the Kijow Cinema on May 10, Cumberbatch received the Against the Current Award for his work in establishing SunnyMarch. Explaining that he wants to support “an independent spirit” and noting that “you have to take risks,” Cumberbatch vowed that the company would produce more than vanity projects for him. He further won over the crowd by adding that Krakow’s beauty would make it an ideal filming location.[262] Cumberbatch literally made a lasting impression; an imprint of his hands has been placed in Krakow’s Film Alley.[263]

After such a promising start, SunnyMarch needs to build on the momentum of Little Favour for subsequent projects. Cumberbatch has said that “we have scripts in development and books that we’re looking to option. We have links through my agency [in the U.K.] and in the U.S. to facilitate that. It’s about building a reputation and slate off the back of this short”.[264] SunnyMarch may help Cumberbatch expand his role as a producer in the future, a direction that many actors, such as George Clooney or Brad Pitt, take as they gain more clout in the entertainment industry. Cumberbatch frequently expresses his admiration of these actors and his interest in emulating their careers outside of acting. SunnyMarch gives him the opportunity to do so.

Burlesque Fairytales (2009)

Praised as a beautifully made, “truly independent film,” Burlesque Fairytales won the Best Cinematography award at the Seattle True Independent Film Festival and received plenty of kudos at the Toronto Female Eye Film Festival. Altogether, this indie was screened at ten festivals in the U.S., Canada, Italy, France, and the U.K. More exclusively, it was selected as the closing night gala film at three.

Writer/director Susan Luciani explained how important festivals are to filmmakers, especially those who make indies:

After almost two years in the making, it’s always exciting to share your film with an audience in a festival setting, as this is the first time as the director you get a sense of how your film is being received in different parts of the world.

Burlesque Fairytales is a truly independent film; it’s boutique, deliberately so. I wanted to make a film that celebrated the art of storytelling on the big screen, to take the audience on a journey that made them question and interact and decipher the clues for themselves; to give an active audience experience rather than a passive one. This design was built into the construction of the screenplay.

One of the dangers of filmmaking is that it’s such an expensive business [that] the business aspect can take over and stories get watered down in an effort to appeal to all. Sometimes you’ve just got to say “this is the film I want to make” and leave it up to the audience to decide if they want to get on board or not. I think this is why, despite having made this film on a shoestring budget, we’ve had such a positive and passionate audience response.[265]

Burlesque Fairytales has indeed received an exuberant response. Luciani noted that, “By the time Burlesque Fairytales was released [in 2013], Benedict had become an internationally renowned actor, and, as a result, there was audience interest in our film from all over the world. However, theatrical releases are often too expensive for independent feature films, so using the Vimeo platform provided...a global release for the feature film online”.[266]

Cumberbatch fans who stream the film via Vimeo often post mini-reviews soon after seeing it. As might be expected, the comments posted on the Vimeo site (where fans can download the film for 24 hours for $7 U.S.) extol the actor’s excellence as well as the film’s interesting premise:

“This is incredible! Benedict, as usual, is amazing. What an actor! Very engrossing film”.

“The tales are beautifully filmed[;] the plot, the further it progresses, more and more intriguing... Brilliant project, brilliant execution, and a wonderful cast and crew who enabled this magical story”.

“[U]pon each new viewing I am seeing more nuances... There is an amazing amount of detail in each individual fairytale that relates back to issues being faced by the audience.... [Cumberbatch] did not disappoint, but the other actors are wonderful, as well”.[267]

Although, as these and other posts attest, Cumberbatch’s name undoubtedly is the reason why many fans chose to watch Burlesque Fairytales as soon as it was made available on Vimeo, it quickly gained good word-of-mouth reviews on fan sites as much because it is exquisitely filmed and intriguingly plotted as because of its cast.

Nevertheless, Cumberbatch’s name is the one most often attached to the film, a close-up of Cumberbatch’s character is the first image potential renters see on the film’s Vimeo site, and his fan sites primarily promoted the film when it debuted online. The actor’s fans contribute to the continuing demand for Burlesque Fairytales, leading to its greater accessibility as a download viewers can keep and rewatch at leisure and, Luciani added, its future release on DVD in some territories.[268]

Burlesque Fairytales takes place in a London theatre one evening in the late 1930s. As the patrons wait for the performance to begin, they introduce themselves to each other and thus to the film’s audience. Not all the attendees are strangers. A downcast young woman is accompanied by her husband and outgoing sister, and a father tries to keep track of his three young children. Throughout the evening the little group invited especially to this performance draws closer, especially as the events on stage take increasingly strange turns. Perhaps what is most disconcerting is that the guests attending this performance cannot remember how they arrived at the theatre.

Cumberbatch plays Henry Clark, a dedicated father of three. He is the type of parent who frequently carries his youngest while he chases after the two older siblings, who squabble but are devoted to each other. Similar to many of Cumberbatch’s early guest roles on television or small roles in film, he portrays a genial, responsible, considerate young man. This type of character differs greatly from his more recent roles, such as the charismatic but demanding Sherlock or Federation villain Khan, and audiences who know Cumberbatch primarily from his most recent work may not have seen him play such a quiet gentleman. From dialogue among Henry, the office manager for whom he works, and the manager’s wife, audiences understand that Henry is a loyal worker, deferential to his employer, and kinder than his boss. Amiable and soft-spoken, he sets a good example for his children. During the “night of revelation” at the theatre, he is a gentle, nurturing presence, even as a tragedy unfolds.

Getting the best take possible each time the camera rolls is a practical requirement during independent filmmaking, and Burlesque Fairytales, because it was shot on 35 mm film, “which is an expensive option for an independent feature film,” permitted only “two to three takes on each set up. This requires an incredible amount of focus on discipline from cast and crew alike as there’s very little room for error”. Luciani recalled that

One of the greatest challenges for [Cumberbatch] in the role of Henry was that he was performing with three children, the youngest of which was just four years old. At this age, of course, there’s no concept of “work” so filming has to become a game of playing make believe. Benedict knew he’d have to carry his youngest, William, on camera, so as soon as they met, he was playing games with him in-between set ups to build that rapport. This was integral to us getting the shots we needed. To ensure correct eye lines from William, we shone green laser pens in the required direction and pretended Tinker Bell was on set with us![269]

On set, Cumberbatch was “incredibly conscientious; he’s always preparing!” Luciani was familiar with the actor’s work and appreciated that he is “a focused and versatile actor”. She thinks that

one of the reasons he was attracted to playing Henry was so he could take on a character with greater sensitivities. When writing Henry, I wanted to present a certain kind of male hero, one that’s not often celebrated on the big screen, a father, a husband underestimated and undermined. Yes, it’s his awareness and guidance that helps those around him to understand what’s unfolding is not all that it seems. Henry’s is a quiet strength, a strength he doesn’t realise he has until it’s tested when his children are threatened.[270]

By the time Cumberbatch read the script and met with the writer/director to discuss the role, the fairytale sequences already had been filmed, and Luciani could show him some scenes to give him a better idea of her vision. He then agreed to come on board and support the independent feature.

Cumberbatch worked slightly more than a week during the nineteen-day shoot. His scenes were “in a (haunted!) church in Islington, north London, the Union Chapel, which was used as the main theatre auditorium, and at a crypt at St. Paul’s Church in Deptford, southeast London”. These locations were chosen “not only because their architecture was right for the look of the film but also [because,] given the nature of what the theatre reveals itself to be at the end of the film, these locations supported the film’s theme”.[271]

Burlesque Fairytales well illustrates Cumberbatch’s interest in and approach to acting in indie films, especially in the time before he attained global stardom. Because of his past and continuing support of independent film, it is only fitting that his celebrity now brings extra attention to indies and helps make them accessible to a wider audience. (See the photos after page 206.)

The Narrator of Jerusalem (2013)

Radio is not the only medium to employ Cumberbatch for his voice; it also accentuates features, documentaries, and commercials, as well as audiobooks. The Hobbit’s Smaug certainly has been a renowned vocal exercise, requiring mo-cap acting in addition to the character-creating interpretation of lines. The trilogy also led to voiceover roles as Smaug the Golden and the Necromancer for the LEGO The Hobbit videogame released in 2014 and a glowing review of “the dulcet tones of Benedict Cumberbatch”.[272] He also voices roles in animated films and has lent his vocal talents to numerous television programs requiring rich narration. For years Cumberbatch has been the voiceover artist in Jaguar commercials. In addition, he read author William Golding’s The Spire for an audiobook, which was the first unabridged recording of the work. Golding’s family praised Cumberbatch’s “agile and expressive voice” and called his interpretation “fascinating”.[273] Among his many voiceover jobs, in 2013, Cumberbatch again served as narrator, this time for the IMAX film, Jerusalem.

The film crew’s exclusive permission to photograph the Holy Land made this movie especially noteworthy. Co-producer Taran Davis explained that, in order to film in and around Jerusalem, “we met with every single authority that you can possibly imagine meeting,” including “the Israeli government, military, the air force, the governor of East Jerusalem, [and] the Religious Affairs in Jordan,”[274] with the result of presenting images that have never been shown before. Five years in the making, the production brought on Cumberbatch late in the game. The project not only associated him with National Geographic Entertainment’s unique film featuring scholars and scientists, but furthered his connection with National Geographic and the Discovery Channel, for which he has previously narrated programmes.

When Cumberbatch saw the footage during the recording of his narration, Davis reported that the actor asked “Why didn’t anyone teach me about this stuff when I was in school?” Such a comment shared with the media can only enhance the actor’s reputation for always being interested in learning something new and taking an interest in the world. That, more than the now-expected quotation about the quality of the actor’s work (“He’s done such a good job”),[275] helps reinforce Cumberbatch’s celebrity image as “the thinking woman’s crumpet”. The Washington Post’s comment about his “sonorous” voice[276] did not hurt his reputation, either.

The IMAX promotional blurb also helped audiences connect the voice with the face; it identified Cumberbatch with both Sherlock and then-Academy Award-nominated (and later Best Motion Picture winner) 12 Years a Slave.[277] The official film website[278] provides a photograph of Cumberbatch from a few years back and lists in his filmography roles from Hawking to Star Trek and The Hobbit. In such ways, those who have not yet heard of Cumberbatch get a much better idea of the range of his talent and his back catalogue.

Jerusalem screenings began in the U.S. in autumn 2013 before it was featured in cinemas around the world (including London’s BFI IMAX). In 2014 the film was playing in five countries on three continents.

Radio Then and Now

Most actors would consider television and film to be the most important aspects of their career, with, perhaps, the occasional play (particularly on Broadway or in the West End) added for variety and prestige. Especially among American actors, radio is seldom a choice. The career path of Cumberbatch, like many a British actor before him, includes radio dramas or comedies. Once Cumberbatch became a star, however, many people expected him to give up radio. With Cabin Pressure’s conclusion in 2014, listeners anticipated that future opportunities to hear Cumberbatch on radio would be limited to replays of his previously recorded early performances.

To a certain extent, that was true in late 2013-14. Cumberbatch’s name in a cast list draws a large audience from around the world. In May 2014, BBC Radio celebrated the 200th anniversary of the publication of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park by rebroadcasting its 2003 adaptation. Of course, having other notable names, such as David Tennant, in the cast also made the dramatisation highly promotable. During the holiday season in 2013, nearly nine months after its original broadcast, the star-studded Neverwhere also became a special radio event. Whereas Neverwhere provides a more distinctive, dramatically challenging role for the actor, Mansfield Park is an excellent example of the genial, sincere “good man” roles requiring little dramatic range that Cumberbatch often played early in his career.

New works broadcast in 2014, however, balanced the rebroadcast performances. Early in the year Cumberbatch recorded the finale of Cabin Pressure and two new episodes of Rumpole of the Bailey, both in which he has long had a role. His characters could not be more different, and the parts well illustrate radio’s importance in his career but the types of roles for which Cumberbatch has become famous.

Whereas Cabin Pressure’s Martin Crieff is largely a comedic role, he also inspires sympathy, even when he is irritably out of his depth. To a certain extent, young Horace Rumpole also tries, and fails, to control his professional destiny; like Martin, he becomes frustrated when people or situations thwart him. Rumpole, nonetheless, is sharper and more devious. Cumberbatch’s pacing and emphasis in dialogue do not get the laughs in Rumpole that they do in Cabin Pressure, but Rumpole can be a special treat for listeners by getting the character occasionally to break out in song.

As almost a fixture at the BBC these days, Cumberbatch might have been expected to participate in the commemoration of the seventieth anniversary of D-Day. On June 6, 2014, he read the 8 a.m. news bulletin and midnight news from that date seventy years earlier, as well as the morning news from June 8, 1944, and a special warning of the D-Day aerial attack. Listeners who missed the broadcast could later replay all the historic reports read by actors, including Toby Jones and Patrick Stewart, on a special BBC Radio 4 D-Day Reports page.[279] Cumberbatch fans from around the world clicked the link to hear him read, and as the BBC and audiences have come to expect, Cumberbatch made listeners understand the urgency of those historic moments. His voice imbued the brief news reports with both the fear of what might happen should the Allied invasion fail and the exultation of hope that war on the European front would soon be over.

Although Cumberbatch more recently has had to record his performances during a brief break between other projects (including voice roles in movies), he continues to support radio and to use this medium as yet another aspect of his multi-faceted career. Altogether, as discussed in the following sections, Neverwhere, Mansfield Park, Cabin Pressure, and Rumpole of the Bailey illustrate Cumberbatch’s range of radio roles and vocal acting, but they also indicate the shift in his status as an actor and a celebrity during the past decade.

Neverwhere and the Potential Backlash against Stars

In March 2013, Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere was the big news in radio drama. The stellar cast includes James McAvoy, Natalie Dormer, and Cumberbatch among the famous actors perhaps better known for their film and television performances. Among the many positive reviews is this glowing description from science fiction/ fantasy website Tor-Com, which praised more than the fine cast:

[I]t’s the production value of the play all around that makes it such an impressive feat. Often, listening to audio dramas can feel tedious.... Neverwhere has managed to avoid [radio production] pitfalls with sharp editing, engaging background audio, and wonderfully unique performers who bring distinct qualities to each role.[280]

The drama was highly publicised before its initial run and brought back during the festive season. BBC Radio 4’s commissioning editor, Jeremy Howe, called Neverwhere “a Christmas treat - albeit quite a dark one,” and, instead of the twelve days of Christmas, BBC radio brought listeners “the six nights of Neverwhere, which was a hit... earlier in the year”.[281]

Thus, it was a surprise to many listeners when Neverwhere failed to earn any BBC Audio Drama nominations. The series lacked support from the first-round reviewers whose decisions led to the short list for awards consideration. When the awards were presented in 2014, the Guardian noted the glaring absence of the two radio projects given the most publicity and having the highest number of best-known actors in the casts. Neverwhere did not receive nominations for technical achievements, script, or acting, much less as an overall “best drama”. The result possibly was the result of

tacit positive discrimination in favour of unsung writers, actors and producers; but the crudity of the mass snub made it look suspiciously like radio bosses punishing their drama departments for throwing resources at star-stuffed vanity projects that didn’t deliver.[282]

That did not seem to be the case with Neverwhere, described as a hit by BBC 4’s commissioning editor in a year when the network had record figures of more than 10.9 million listeners each week in 2013.[283] Perhaps the snub especially shocked Cumberbatch fans, who are accustomed to seeing the actor nominated for high-profile projects in which he stars or plays a key role in an ensemble. Having the entire cast shut out of nominations seemed odd, but it does represent a trend in theatre and possibly radio in which listeners gravitate to projects starring already-famous actors; audiences may come to see or hear a particular performer rather than to enjoy the story or specific production. Whereas audiences may favour stars, critics and awards-granting entities may not follow suit.

Such a trend is becoming more apparent in all aspects of the entertainment industry, most likely because of popular obsession with celebrity. As Guardian theatre critic Lyn Gardner lamented, “It’s musicals and stars who now drive the West End: that rare beast, a new play, or more likely a revival such as Mojo or Skylight, is now merely rolled out as a vehicle for its stars - the latter opening with Carey Mulligan and Bill Nighy in June [2014]”.[284] New works, such as those celebrated at the 2014 radio drama awards, may be promoted on radio far more easily than in other entertainment media, and a backlash against star-driven casts may occur in strikingly unsubtle ways.

The “celebrity factor” has trickled down from films to television to theatre and now to radio - and the “backlash” perceived toward Neverwhere seems to be an indicator that, although Cumberbatch, who has always acted in radio dramas, will be continually sought to do so, his participation may be questioned and his performance more harshly judged by those who prefer actors not yet stars to tackle more radio roles.

Mansfield Park

The industry was different “way back when” (a little more than a decade ago) during Cumberbatch’s first jobs. As he once explained, in the past, when more acting jobs were available, there was much more of a “bridge” among media, with a combination of theatre, radio, a little bit of television, and perhaps film all in the mix. Actors also proved themselves at each stage of their development and gradually worked their way up through the ranks until they reached larger roles or better billing. Although Cumberbatch is hardly an old man in his profession, he nonetheless sees a difference between his early career and the way that young actors sometimes establish themselves as stars right away and “were born into a world where if you’re a kid with raw talent... , you can roll in and land a lead in a Scorsese film”.[285] Cumberbatch, on the other hand, grew up in a tradition where actors learned their craft while performing the canon, just as his parents and previous generations of actors had done. As Cumberbatch worked up through the ranks, he did his share of the classics, many of them on radio.

By the time that BBC Radio retrieved Mansfield Park[286] from its vaults as part of the anniversary celebration of Jane Austen’s work, the star power of David Tennant and Benedict Cumberbatch in particular helped promote the rebroadcasts. The popular actors’ names - “Benedict Cumberbatch and David Tennant lead the cast” - introduced the ten-part adaptation, which was first broadcast in 2003. At that time, Cumberbatch and Tennant were not so well known, and their names were not used to attract media attention to the play. By 2014, many who would not have been aware of the actors during the original broadcast had the opportunity to listen on radio or online.

Tennant has the flashier role of oldest son Tom Bertram, who gambles, drinks, and disdains the idea of traveling to the West Indies to assist his father during an economic downturn. In comparison, Cumberbatch plays steady second son Edmund Bertram, who knows he will have to find a position for himself; his pragmatism makes him a valuable friend to Austen’s heroine, Fanny Price (Felicity Jones). Whereas Tennant’s role allows more emotional range, especially in the first episode, Cumberbatch’s deeper voice provides a steady foundation for the story and the steadfast “reasonableness” by which Austen’s best male characters are known.

To promote this revived radio serial, BBC Radio 4 released audio clips, not surprisingly featuring Cumberbatch. The one-minute clip from the first episode encapsulates the bulk of Cumberbatch’s performance in the first fifteen-minute segment[287]; in it, Edmund discusses the importance of one’s position in society and the increasing difficulty of finding a proper job to establish himself - an important scene to showcase adult Edmund’s sense of responsibility and his firm friendship with cousin Fanny, in whom he confides.

As the serial progresses, Cumberbatch delivers at least one “speech” in a key scene within each episode. In Episode 2, for example, Edmund falls in love with wealthy neighbour Mary Crawford and teaches her to ride horseback. Although Edmund still stands up for his cousin Fanny, the pair are not quite so close once Mary catches Edmund’s eye. In Episode 3, Edmund’s budding romance with Mary continues to trouble Fanny, but listeners are hardly troubled by hearing more of Cumberbatch in this segment. Edmund is revealed to be entering the clergy within a few months, and his dialogue illustrates Edmund’s interest in logic and determination to do good for the world.

Cumberbatch portrays Edmund as earnest, with light laughter punctuating a line now and then. The part hardly stretches his acting talent, but Edmund sounds like a pleasant young man, and Cumberbatch makes the part interesting to hear, without overdramatising it. During Episode 4, the differences not only between brothers Tom and Edmund, but Tennant’s and Cumberbatch’s styles, become more apparent. Tennant is more vocally flamboyant; in many scenes Tom is emotional, whether brooding darkly or embracing life’s pleasures. Cumberbatch is less overtly dramatic, as is appropriate for “the straitlaced Edmund Bertram,” as his brother Tom describes him. Edmund gets a fine scene in which he ponders his relationship with Mary and wonders whether she could ever accept a clergyman for a husband. Edmund sounds nervous as he voices his concerns in front of the family dog. “Does she love me?” he asks.[288] Cumberbatch’s sincere delivery makes Edmund, not bon vivant Tom, a romantic character.

By the eighth episode, Fanny has concerns of her own regarding a suitor. During yet another horseback ride in which the friends share their ideas, Edmund finally gets to do more than be congenial or concerned. Cumberbatch’s more forceful delivery shows a bit more of the actor’s emotional range.

Of course, in subsequent episodes, after trials and separations, Edmund and Fanny finally recognise they are made for each other and marry. Cumberbatch has little to do vocally beyond sounding thrilled and loving, not a huge stretch for his acting talent. Edmund Bertram is not the flashiest or most controversial role, but Cumberbatch proved he could play a romantic lead.

Although Cumberbatch more recently has played larger roles in radio dramas - such as in 2013’s Neverwhere or Copenhagen - he has always incorporated radio plays into his annual repertoire. Mansfield Park is not a dusty relic from a now-famous actor’s past; it is one among many radio roles that form an important part of Cumberbatch’s long-term career.

Cabin Pressure

The final episode of Cabin Pressure bookended Cumberbatch’s radio performances for 2014 and provided him with twice the publicity: once in February when the recording session was promoted and finally for the end-of-year broadcast marking the conclusion of the highly popular show. Whereas Neverwhere was recorded in a closed studio, Cabin Pressure’s performances have taken place in front of a live audience, which proved to be challenging when so many Cumberbatch fans and long-time Cabin Pressure fans (or those who are both) tried to get tickets to the one-off 2014 episode and series’ ender.

The quality of the scripts and the performances remained consistently high, from the first episode in 2008 through the last in 2014. As quirky airline pilot Martin Crieff, Cumberbatch could play broad comedy but also imbue the character with everything from prickly frustration to dithering uncertainty to sincere gratitude. Martin often has trouble making ends meet (he is unpaid by MJN airline), but he loves to fly, and by the end of the series, he finally decides whether to remain an MJN employee or to take a job far away from his colleagues and long-suffering plane Gertie.

Although Cabin Pressure gained its own following prior to as well as after the phenomenon of Sherlock, undoubtedly a great number of Cabin Pressure’s later fans wanted to attend recording sessions because they could watch Cumberbatch in action. The final performance received a record number of ticket requests (22,854, breaking the BBC’s previous record of around 17,000), and during the resulting lottery to make the ticket distribution fair, many long-time Cabin Pressure fans reportedly lost out to Cumberbatch fans lucky enough to secure a seat in the audience on February 23, 2014. The RADA studio where the performance took place on that Sunday evening could seat only around two hundred, and some spots were allocated to journalists.

One writer argued that Cumberbatch’s acting made him especially valuable to the production, stating that

of course Finnemore’s writing is wonderful but no way would there be the interest there is without Cumberbatch’s performance. You only have to remember his powerful acting in the scene where he goes for the interview [in the 2013 cliffhanger leading into the finale] to realise how important he is to the production.[289]

Several Cabin Pressure fans, however, criticised a Radio Times article announcing the record-breaking number of ticket requests because they felt it indicated the radio serial only was popular because of Cumberbatch - or that only this actor’s fans upped the number of requests. One posted that “John Finnemore is an absolutely brilliant, intelligent, fantastic writer. Benedict Cumberbatch’s popularity certainly may have brought the show to more people’s attention, but it’s the strength of the writing and the whole cast of characters that really make Cabin Pressure the unfailingly funny half hour of joy that it is”. Another agreed that “I’m just a little bit annoyed that this article doesn’t consider... that we’re fans of the show, not only of Benedict Cumberbatch... I might have another chance to see this actor ‘in person’. The occasion to attend a Cabin Pressure recording, though, will never present itself again”.

Series’ creator and actor Finnemore ensured that fans knew he, as scriptwriter, was to “blame” for the series’ end; he tried to stop speculation that Cumberbatch was too busy or no longer interested in playing Martin Crieff. “It’s very difficult to get [the cast] together, certainly, but they continue to be astonishingly generous about finding ways to make it work. No, this is all my fault,” he mea culpa-ed on his blog after discussing his reasons for logically bringing the characters’ stories to a conclusion while interest was still high in the long-running series.[290]

An unnamed “BBC source” praised Cumberbatch in the Mirror for coming back to finish Cabin Pressure with a flourish, specifically mentioning that, although he is now a star, he is loyal to his colleagues and the show and “has always loved making Cabin Pressure”. The final performance, despite being bittersweet, turned out to be “a hilarious night with Benedict often helping set up the punchlines for his co-stars, instead of being the leading man for a change”.[291]

Photographs published in the hours after the recording session ended showed a grinning Cumberbatch working on stage with his colleagues. Not one to shy away from a few tears or hugs, he also seemed moved by Finnemore’s farewell thank-you speech to the cast and sad to see the end of the series.

Although fans were sworn to secrecy about the plot, they confided online that Cumberbatch talked with them, signed autographs, and posed for photos on stage long after the recording.

Rumpole of the Bailey

Also in February 2014, Cumberbatch recorded two more Rumpole of the Bailey radio dramas for the BBC. Since 2009, he has played the young Horace Rumpole in a series of annual dramas. The first new episode in late March was “Rumpole and the Old Boy Net,” ending with a cliffhanger resolved in the next day’s story, “Rumpole and the Sleeping Partners”.

In these episodes, Rumpole, badgered by “she who must be obeyed” (that is, his wife, Hilda; played by Jasmine Hyde) to become a QC (Queen’s Counsel, selected from the ranks of barristers to conduct counsel on behalf of the Queen), takes on a pupil to assist on a blackmail case. Rumpole is a dedicated mentor, but it does not hurt that Phillida Trant[292] (Cathy Sera) appreciates Rumpole’s knowledge and expertise far more than do his colleagues or wife. In fact, Rumpole feels rather out of sorts because he seems not to be a good enough provider for his family; his son’s education likely will require more money than he currently can make.

This instalment of the series allows Cumberbatch to play the much put-upon Rumpole to grumpy perfection, but also to be seen in a far more romantic light. By the end of the episode, Rumpole locks lips with Miss Trant after-hours in their office.

Often underestimated, beleaguered Rumpole is a good role for Cumberbatch’s vocal talents; he typically provides the right mix of indignation with resignation, and all the while the audience understands that Rumpole is an intelligent man and, in fact, sexier than he has been given credit for. Cumberbatch lets Rumpole seem both pleased and smitten with a new love interest, but also ethically anxious about their working relationship and pragmatically concerned about his marriage. Whereas in court Rumpole is confident, in his personal life, he has difficulty dealing with his emotions and is much more vulnerable. In these episodes, he must determine if leaving his family for a new lover is worth the emotional and financial costs, a more personal story than Cumberbatch often gets to play as Rumpole. Of course, in the follow-up episode the next afternoon, Rumpole returns from his temporary separation from Hilda, and, if all is not well, it at least returns to the status quo.

Whereas several episodes have included Timothy West as the older Rumpole, with Cumberbatch in scenes recalling young Rumpole, the two early 2014 episodes feature only Cumberbatch, a role he likely will continue when his schedule allows. This year’s recordings were made during a quick trip home to London between other work commitments.

Future episodes may again include West; producer Marilyn Imrie would like “an episode in which [Rumpoles younger and elder] meet and talk to each other in some form of ether. That would be a great story”.[293]

How Much is Cumberbatch’s Radio Voice Worth?

This question arose in summer 2013 when U.K. brokers questioned the Financial Services Compensation Scheme’s (FSCS) decision to hire Cumberbatch for radio advertisements in a £3 million campaign. Even though the FSCS assured brokers that Cumberbatch’s fee was only a small part of the overall campaign cost, a financial news site posted a photograph of Cumberbatch and used his name (along with the campaign’s cost) in the headline.

FSCS Chief Executive Mark Neale defended the radio spot in the awareness campaign by saying that it “is designed to reassure the majority that their money and savings are safe, and warn those who unwittingly put their money at risk”.[294] Cumberbatch provides that “reassuring” delivery, and the public’s awareness of his name, or simply his voice, makes them listen when they hear him on radio. Another exec praised the choice of actor and added, “The main thing is the money is well spent if it is communicating the scheme to the consumers and they know it is there”.[295]

Not everyone quoted in the article feels Cumberbatch is a good choice, and the comments made by these businessmen are more interesting as a barometer of the public’s thoughts about the actor’s vocal effectiveness and celebrity than are the opinions of critics or reporters covering the entertainment industry. One corporate executive, for example, wished that Richard Briers or Brian Blessed were available for the voiceovers, in part because they “wouldn’t have cost £3m”. This comparison among voiceover artists is especially insightful as an indicator of the gender or age demographic that best appreciates Cumberbatch. At the time, the then-37-year-old actor was about four decades younger than the performers on this executive’s wish list, and Briers was recently deceased. Whereas this executive did not think Cumberbatch’s voice is sexy, he admitted that his female co-workers did.[296]

Cumberbatch’s distinctive voice and frequent radio presence, whether in a serial or an advertisement, increasingly is well recognised by the public. Whether they know who he is (i.e., the celebrity factor of getting an audience to listen just because they recognise the actor’s voice), listeners are attracted to his warm tones and confident authority (i.e., the believability factor important to an advertisement). Just how much that voice is worth, owing to Cumberbatch’s celebrity or talent, may be a fluctuating factor progressively dependent on audiences’ instant recognition of and appreciation for the actor’s name or voice.

With Cumberbatch’s celebrity a certainty for at least the near future, radio performances or films made before the actor was a star undoubtedly will come back periodically so that newer fans can enjoy them for the first time and long-time followers can revisit favourite performances. What is even more promising for Cumberbatch’s career is that his work in any medium inspires a loyal following, and his personal interests often coincide with professional opportunities to work in radio and indies.

Looking toward a far-ahead future, when Cumberbatch may not want to spend quite so much time travelling around the world for film or television work, he may spend more time developing projects for himself or other actors. It seems a reasonable direction for career expansion, and production company SunnyMarch, if it can build on its just-begun reputation for excellence in filmmaking and popularity with Cumberbatch’s fanbase, may be just the vehicle Cumberbatch can steer into financial and creative independence when he decides to downsize the number of his acting projects per year.

Behind the Scenes of Burlesque Fairytales

(Photographs © double barrel productions)

Benedict Cumberbatch as Henry Clark in Burlesque Fairytales, filming in a crypt.

Henry Clark with his children Charles, William and Elizabeth in Burlesque Fairytales

Sisters Grace (Charity Wakefield) and Annabel (Sophie Hunter) filming the final scene in Burlesque Fairytales

Writer Director Susan Luciani (left) with Producer Lindsay McFarlane and underwater safety team, filming with young actress Georgina Hewitt at Pinewood Studios, London

251 Ellis, “Benedict Cumberbatch - From Sherlock to Star Trek to Oscar Night Sex Symbol.”

252 Electric Cinema: How to Behave. Dir. Marcel Grant. Soho House Group. 2012.

253 Little Favour. Dir. Patrick Viktor Monroe. SunnyMarch. 2013.

254 Little Favour. “Making Little Favour.” SunnyMarch.

255 Little Favour. Indiegogo. 2013.

256 Little Favour. iTunes Preview.

257 Little Favour. “Making Little Favour.” SunnyMarch.

258 Ibid.

259 Ibid.

260 Ibid.

261 Ibid.

262 “Cumberbatch Honoured in Krakow.” News from Poland. 10 May 2014.

263 Ewa Figura. “’Little Favour’ With the Participation of Its Creators.” Off Plus Camera. 11 May 2014.

264 Andreas Wiseman. “Benedict Cumberbatch Launches Production Company.” Screen Daily. 29 Oct. 2013.

265 Susan Luciani. Email. 2 June 2014.

266 Ibid.

267 Comments. Burlesque Fairytales. Vimeo.

268 Luciani, 2 June 2014.

269 Ibid.

270 Ibid.

271 Ibid.

272 Brian Enk. “Smaug is Just as Scary in LEGO Form!” Yahoo Movies. 8 Apr. 2014.

273 Alison Flood. “Benedict Cumberbatch Records Audiobook of William Golding Novel.” Guardian. 6 Aug. 2014.

274 Amanda Cochran. “Benedict Cumberbatch-voiced film Jerusalem: Inside the Making of the IMAX Movie.” CBS News. 26 Oct. 2013.

275 Ibid.

276 Michael O’Sullivan. “’Jerusalem’ Movie Review: A Prismatic Portrait of the Holy City.” Washington Post. 21 Nov. 2013.

277 Jerusalem. Dir. Daniel Ferguson. National Geographic Entertainment. 2013.

278 “National Geographic Entertainment Presents Jerusalem.” Jerusalem the Movie. 2013.

279 BBC Radio 4. “D-Day Reports Page.” 6 June 2014.

280 Emily Asher-Perrin. “Learn to Love Listening to Radio Plays by Listening to Neverwhere.” Tor-Com. 28 Mar. 2013.

281 Jeremy Howe. “Neverwhere Returns.” BBC Radio 4. 26 Nov. 2013.

282 “Media Monkey: Benedict Cumberbatch, Hugh Bonneville, and Richard Caseby.” Guardian. 2 Feb. 2014.

283 “Rajar Q2 2013: Record figures for Radio 4, Radio 2 and Asian Network.” BBC News. About the BBC. 1 Aug. 2013.

284 Lyn Gardner. “Only the Brave Need Apply: Where Are the West End’s Champions of the New?” Guardian. 9 May 2014.

285 Oldman, “Benedict Cumberbatch.”

286 BBC Radio 4. Mansfield Park. 12-22 May 2014.

287 Mansfield Park. “Men and Women Are Afraid to Lose Their Position in Society.” BBC Radio 4.

288 Mansfield Park. BBC Radio 4. May 2014.

289 Comments posted to the Radio Times article, Dowell, 11 Feb. 2014.

290 Ben Dowell. “Benedict Cumberbatch Fans Break Ticket Record Over Final Episode of Cabin Pressure.” Radio Times. 11 Feb. 2014.

291 Mark Jefferies. “Sherlock Star Benedict Cumberbatch Has Fans in Stitches for Radio Sitcom Return.” Daily Mirror. 23 Feb. 2014.

292 The BBC Radio 4 credits list the character as Phillida, but other dramatisations have spelled it Phyllida.

293 Ben Dowell. “Benedict Cumberbatch Returns as Young Rumpole in Two New Radio 4 Dramas.” Radio Times. 14 Mar. 2014.

294 Julia Rampen. “Brokers Question £3 Million Benedict Cumberbatch FSCS Ads.” Mortgage Solutions. 9 Aug. 2013.

295 Ibid.

296 Ibid.

Chapter 10

The Public Private Man after the Transition

“It’s a difficult job, and with all the success comes a whole new load of problems.”[297]

Benedict Cumberbatch

With Cumberbatch’s increasing celebrity, the nature of his work has changed. He may have told a reporter at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) that his job is basically in front of a camera to portray a character, but increasingly his job is in front of a camera all the time, whether he is being recorded formally for an interview or a role or informally by fans or paparazzi. Whenever Cumberbatch steps outside, he stands a good chance of being photographed or followed, and although he strives to maintain normalcy in his private life - and to keep it private - the scrutiny has become ever more intense since 2010.

Public Focus on the Actor and Acting

Since Cumberbatch has become more famous, he has been interviewed hundreds of times, often about topics unrelated to acting. While it is expected that the public who enjoy his performances want to know more about him, the focus frequently shifts from the role and means of achieving a performance to the man and his off-camera life. That is a shame, because when Cumberbatch discusses his preparation for a role and his connection with a character, he provides insights not only into the way he works but, for those who do not act, a greater appreciation for the profession of acting. Far more than most actors, Cumberbatch has eloquently discussed elements of his performance.

For a man described in Esquire as not liking to talk about his craft, Cumberbatch in Q&A sessions does exactly a lot of that. The Esquire interviewer noted that “he doesn’t actually seem to like talking about acting at all. A question about his morally complex role in 12 Years prompts a long digression about the scourge of sweatshop labour”.[298] Perhaps Cumberbatch merely likes to take a conversation in a direction of his choosing. When asked politely about a topic he has not previously covered in other interviews, he often lets the audience in on his ideas about a character or a time period and shares some of that much-vaunted research.

Louise Brealey delightfully knows how to ask questions that lead to in-depth answers, and in the venues in which they have talked before an audience (e.g., the 2012 Cheltenham Festival), time has not been a big factor in limiting the conversation. Too often when Cumberbatch promotes a film or walks a red carpet, interviews are limited to one or two questions and mere sound bites of responses.

When Brealey asked about Cumberbatch’s process and preparation for a role, he offered insights on what have become, to date, some of his most famous roles that reflect his work in a variety of media. When preparing himself to play the creature in Frankenstein, he locked himself away and “imagined myself not being able to speak or hear or feel or taste and just deprived myself”. Gradually he began to move around the room “in the dark and work with the concept of having no sense memory of the smallest things you take for granted”.[299] During this sensory-deprivation exercise, Cumberbatch focused on such basic physical responses as breath or heartbeat and gave himself over to the experience of feeling as a newborn “creature” would.

Not surprisingly, the way he approached the role of Christopher Tietjens in Parade’s End differed greatly. “Tietjens was a time compression as I didn’t have time to read a quartet of novels”. Instead, Cumberbatch relied on the script and his trust in director Susanna White, author Tom Stoppard, and co-star Rebecca Hall. His leap of faith, instead of intense physical preparation, resulted in a most pleasant acting experience. Cumberbatch concluded that Tietjens is “my favourite. He’s the person [among his many roles] I most admire in my life”.[300] These increasingly rare in-depth discussions provide insights about Cumberbatch’s work as an actor, not the details of his life as a celebrity found in many popular press articles.

The Job of Interacting with the Media

Although Cumberbatch does an excellent job of describing a character or project, dealing with an onslaught of reporters or facing the media (or independent paparazzi) when he is tired or stressed seems to be one of the more difficult parts of his new “job” as a celebrity. Cumberbatch sometimes can be short with reporters who may not ask the most appropriate or well-researched questions or who want more face time than the actor is able or willing to give.

A comparison of two rapid-fire interviews along the press line before TIFF’s 12 Years a Slave premiere illustrates the rapid shift in Cumberbatch’s interest and elaboration of his answer, depending upon a reporter’s demeanour and question. A CityNews interviewer congratulated Cumberbatch on his many fan and professional successes at TIFF, suggesting that he should return to a clearly welcoming Toronto more often. The reporter prompted Cumberbatch to discuss his smaller role in 12 Years, compared to the lead in The Fifth Estate, opening the way for Cumberbatch to express his gratitude for the role in “a very big and very important film” and to discuss his audition. “I fought for this role. I auditioned for it, and Steve [McQueen] hadn’t seen my work before and saw my audition tape. So I got it the old fashioned way, which meant a lot to me”.[301]

In contrast, another interviewer tried to delay Cumberbatch by slipping in an extra question at the end of the allotted brief time granted to each media outlet. The reporter asked Cumberbatch what he would change about his recent performances (more likely a reference to his work as Julian Assange in The Fifth Estate, which had premiered a day earlier at the festival). The actor paused for a moment, clearly uncomfortable with the question, and his handler hurried him along to the next group of reporters. “I have to go,” he replied in lieu of an answer.[302] He was not rude, but he did not seem to appreciate the question or the reporter’s attempt to waylay him.

Not all audiences or interviewers may understand that Cumberbatch protects his personal life, does his job to provide accurate information about his roles, and expects journalists to be equally professional. Cumberbatch occasionally corrects interviewers or reporters, but the way in which he does so varies with the attitude of the person talking with him. On U.S. television, he has gently corrected interviewers if they mispronounce a word (e.g., Jimmy Fallon’s mispronunciation of “Osage” led to a correction, but Fallon amiably appreciated it) but can clam up or indicate his disapproval at less-than-stellar questions.

If interviewers have not prepared or ask questions that he has been asked many times, the actor might call out the reporter. Such was an interview during promotion of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug in December 2013. During a press conference with other cast members, Cumberbatch was asked why he likes to play “psychopaths” such as Sherlock and Smaug. Cumberbatch took umbrage, stating that Sherlock is a sociopath, not a psychopath, and, quoting Sherlock’s response to Anderson in “A Study in Pink,” recommended “do your research”. Clearly annoyed but trying to lighten the mood, he more softly added “just keep asking me silly questions and get no answers”.[303]

Even more apparent was his willingness to speak up when uncomfortable during a large press event in late December, this time at the premiere of long-anticipated Sherlock episode, “The Empty Hearse”.[304] Caitlin Moran, who had moderated a previous Sherlock premiere at the BFI in 2011, again interviewed the cast and creators after the screening. She was widely criticised by fans online following her decision to provide Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman with printouts of fan fiction to read to the crowd of press and fans during a Q&A being filmed by the BFI for later online distribution.

As the actors read what became quickly apparent as slash (or a same-sex relationship story), Cumberbatch paused, explaining that he usually reads his scripts before performing them. A moment later, he pointedly asked Moran, “Are you going to say something after we finish? What is the point?” She admitted that the reading was “the good bit” and “it played better in my head,” to which Mark Gatiss smoothly replied, “that’s the problem”. Cumberbatch and Freeman gamely tried to get to the end of the page, but, when Freeman reached the part with a kiss between Sherlock and John, Cumberbatch collected the page from his co-star and handed his and Freeman’s copies back to Moran.

Although many fans protested the actor’s use of “ludicrous” to describe the scenario depicted in this fan fiction in comparison with the stories that he and Freeman act out on television, the actor made a point to Moran that her attempt at humour had fallen flat and he did not appreciate it. However, Cumberbatch is also highly aware that the press, as well as fans, judge his every word and action and are not shy about reporting his responses. He “apologised” a moment later, saying that he did not mean to get all “uptight” about the reading - and he straightened his spine, lifted his nose in the air, and humorously enacted the role of someone haughtily feeling above the situation.

Cumberbatch was publicly put in a position in which he either remained uncomfortable or protested as politely as possible while explaining why he felt that reading fan fiction aloud on stage was not a good idea. Yet he also was aware that such a protest, however mild, could and likely would be perceived as diva behavior, and so he tried to tone down his initial response after the fact.

Although Cumberbatch often complies with what he is asked to do during an interview or Q&A session, he is not afraid to speak his mind if he has a problem with a situation or question. Almost immediately after taking a stand, however, he seems aware that his body language or his tone might create a backlash or criticism of his behaviour, so he subtly changes his expression and softens his tone or explains his rationale, not so much to “play the game” as to indicate his awareness of potential backlash. As he becomes an increasingly widely recognised star, he not only is provided more opportunities to snap at insipid interview questions, but he faces more widespread criticism if he is not always friendly and forthcoming. Negotiating that tension is still something that Cumberbatch seems to be working on, but his momentary displeasure seems to be an honest reaction to constant scrutiny. In general, his demeanour around fans most often has been cheerful and gracious, and he has increasingly made an effort to pose with them or sign autographs wherever he goes.

The Problems with “Perfection”

As one reporter crassly put it when questioning whether Cumberbatch would be the next great British import to America (along the likes of Sean Connery or Daniel Craig), “Is Benedict Cumberbatch a charming and handsome megastar-to-be? Or a pretentious and overbearing snot? Pardon the sharp contrast, but these are essentially the only categories we Americans have when welcoming new actors from across the pond”.[305]

Perhaps a Dunlop tyre commercial, airing in Asia, best summarises the “posh perfection” with which at least a portion of the public identifies him. It also allows Cumberbatch a way to skewer this image, which he has repeatedly said to the media is inaccurate regarding his current lifestyle or public schoolboy past. In the television spot, Cumberbatch plays a lord of the manor. He descends a magnificent winding stairway and inquires about the outerwear being held out for him to don. His manservant patiently explains the weather conditions. When Cumberbatch walks outside and scans his fleet of expensive cars, he asks why they all have Dunlop tyres. The servant merely laughs, incredulous that such a wealthy, refined man does not have the common sense to know the best tyres. In the final shot, as Cumberbatch drives away from the estate, he frowns with one final question of his loyal servant, “Why are you going on my date?”[306]

Having someone make his decisions and take care of the everyday aspects of his wealthy lifestyle may be the public’s expectation of someone of his socioeconomic status, but Cumberbatch continues to find ways to play up his “ordinariness” while enjoying the benefits that his career provide him. In either guise as star or common man, the actor strives to be perceived as a gentleman, and numerous publicised as well as undocumented everyday encounters with the public and employees of businesses he visits or where he works frequently mention his thoughtfulness. He is very much aware that the media waits for him to misbehave or act supremely entitled as a result of his wealth or celebrity, but he also seems naturally respectful.

In the quest to sensationalise headlines, especially on those rare days when Cumberbatch has not been either photographed by paparazzi or linked to an event or a project, the media sometimes resorts to creating a less flattering image quite at odds with the actor’s usual public persona.

A headline in January 2014, for example, claimed “Benedict Cumberbatch Involved in Fight During Oscars Weekend”.[307] When he was in Los Angeles, his driver parked where he was not supposed to, blocking a hotel exit. Cumberbatch, getting out of the car, heard valets and security officers telling the driver to move and tried to intervene in what escalated into an argument. The driver, not the actor, ended up in a heated dispute, but paparazzi captured images of Cumberbatch around the vehicle as the squabble took place. The resulting headline implies that the actor was more significantly a part of the fracas, which might cause readers enough of a surprise to grab their attention. How many people noticed the headline but did not bother to read the article to learn what really happened? Such headlines should not hurt Cumberbatch’s image at this stage of his career, but they point to the larger issue that anything even peripherally involving him becomes fair game for a story, flattering or not, centred around him.

In June 2014, articles circulated that Cumberbatch “punched” a reporter who said something negative about Keira Knightley, Cumberbatch’s co-star in The Imitation Game. The more details that came out in subsequent articles increasingly made Cumberbatch less of a fighter and more of a gentleman, but the first headline played up the punch (which apparently was a tap on the arm rather than a debilitating hit). The Independent article using the “punched” headline even rehashed photos telling the tale of Cumberbatch’s political messages delivered to fans and paparazzi during Sherlock’s on-location filming in 2013.[308] This time, however, the newspaper labelled the messages, as well as the republished U2 photobomb from the Oscars, as “freak” occurrences and evidence of Cumberbatch’s “bad” or at least not-as-mannerly actions now that he has become a star. Other media outlets, however, that followed up on this “story” idealised Cumberbatch as a gentleman or knight standing up for a lady’s honour - hardly the image of a hot-headed hitter.

Even a Golden Globes party report seemed a bit sour about Cumberbatch, compared to comments made about other celebrities. A timeline of highlights of multiple post-awards parties included this item about Cumberbatch: “8:50 p.m. Posing for photographers at the entrance to the Fox party, Benedict Cumberbatch walks over to one partygoer snapping an iPhone picture. He calls her ‘rude’ and suggests she ask next time”.[309] This titbit might even have been hidden among the many items and famous names being reported, but the article’s headline specifically draws attention to Cumberbatch.

Such articles that strive for a bit of controversy are not quite the “tall poppy syndrome” evidenced by the media and public-commentary backlash regarding Cumberbatch’s words about Downton Abbey or “poshness” a few years ago. Those required the actor to discuss being misquoted or to explain that his words had been taken out of context; he then made a few talk-show appearances to smooth over the controversy. Now that Cumberbatch is better established in Hollywood and is given so much media attention nearly every day, articles that try to portray him in a less than flattering light have less bearing on what the public thinks of him. Such headlines attract readers who pick up on the use of his name, which is what those headlines are designed to do, but the stories really have very little to do with the actor or his career. They are more a feature of his celebrity.

Perhaps a little calculated edginess can be good for his image. In a photo shoot for GQ Style featuring Cumberbatch and Alice Eve, Cumberbatch’s co-star in Starter for 10 and Star Trek: Into Darkness, friend and photographer Tertius Bune wanted to capture a little rougher image. The photographer commented that his friend is most frequently portrayed as a very mannerly man, which, Bune admitted, is true, but being “edgy” is also part of who Cumberbatch always has been. The photographer wanted the GQ photo shoot to have an “outlaw” quality appropriate to Eve or Cumberbatch at this phase of their careers because they are “grabbing” so many Hollywood roles from other actors. Bune noted that

[I]n particular I wanted to show his edgier side. Which is not something I contrived, he has it. I see the media painting Benedict as the proper British boy (yes, this is part of him), but he has a vast range. And I’m not just talking about actor or character range.[310]

In short, Cumberbatch’s every public act, word, or expression is going to be reported and analysed. If he suddenly became known as a “bad boy” in the media, the shift in public persona would likely turn away some fans or tarnish the public’s perception of him. However, a few rough edges make him more human without creating dissonance between the persona the public sees or the one that fans want to believe is real and the human being who, like everyone else, is not perfect.

Reaching Out to Fans

Rupert Graves, Detective Inspector Lestrade in Sherlock, knows that “Benedict Cumberbatch’s life changed the moment the first episode of Sherlock aired. His profile has become extraordinary. I think he found it overwhelming at first”.[311] During the “big year,” Cumberbatch may have felt deluged by more fan love than ever before, but he began to orchestrate ways in which he could more effectively and safely interact with at least some of the many fans who want to say hello, take a selfie, get an autograph, or simply touch him.

Fan conventions proved one new way to meet and greet hundreds in the U.K. and Australia. During an unexpected filming delay leading to a break between projects, Cumberbatch headlined a Sherlock Q&A at StarFury: Elementary in Birmingham and grinned through photo ops for fans. He and his vast audience seemed to enjoy the actor’s first official foray into conventions. Two months later he talked with fans during exclusive Q&A sessions at Oz Comic Con in Adelaide and Sydney.

Although during San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) in 2013 he memorably explained Sherlock’s survival from the fall by using hand puppets, his participation was video-only from Japan, where he was promoting Star Trek. During the 2014 SDCC, however, Cumberbatch joined the Penguins of Madagascar panel on Thursday and stuck around for the Hobbit panel two days later, both offering a great deal of publicity and opportunities for fans to meet him.

These encounters gave fans Cumberbatch’s complete attention and a chance to ask questions in a controlled setting. As Cumberbatch noted in an SDCC interview, he prefers sitting on stage with a mic, answering questions from the audience. Part of this preference is the controlled environment, but part of it is the ability to communicate directly with fans and to have a conversation.[312]

At some conventions, a limited number of fans had the chance to pose with Cumberbatch and spend a few seconds with him. Such events are lucrative for conventions, and yet another way to make money for Cumberbatch, but they also make him a more accessible celebrity. Most movie stars do not attend conventions, and Cumberbatch’s stature as a rising film star and a hot television star make him more of an exclusive “commodity” for fan events. As well, the limited number of events that Cumberbatch has begun to attend also increases his “value” for conventions, because not every convention - or continent, or country - has been able to bring the actor to his fans in this way.

Cumberbatch pointedly has stated that he does not have a Twitter, Facebook, or other social media account and often finds social media to be a less than hospitable place. Nevertheless, he uses social media in limited, controlled settings as another means of interacting with the public. In 2013 he thrilled fans with an hour-long Reddit chat, teasing his audience with suggestive comments about Tom Hiddleston and posting a photo taken in his hotel room during the chat.[313] “Talking with” his vast Internet fandom through a Reddit chat allowed him to be funny and brash without leaving the comfort of his hotel.

As Cumberbatch and the venues where he works get a better understanding of a fandom that has been labelled everything from devoted to rabid, the actor develops more opportunities to talk with fans but yet keep the encounters manageable, unlike a mob scene after a dramatic reading in 2012. In the past year, Cumberbatch’s much-publicised fan encounters seem to have been positive experiences for him and his followers, but the opportunities also have been effectively controlled.

A Fashion Statement with a Global Impact

Among the many measures of Cumberbatch’s celebrity and the power of fandom is his ability to influence his fans’ tastes in fashion. Sherlock’s classic Belstaff coat even received a meta reference in series three’s “The Empty Hearse”. It became a coveted accessory that many fans tried to buy and, when Burberry no longer carried the coat, began to creatively design on their own, for everyday wear or as part of cosplay. Perhaps it is no wonder, then, that when the actor who plays Sherlock is frequently seen sporting a fashion accessory, fans also take notice and check where to buy a similar item. The result can mean an impressive amount of business for a small company.

When Cumberbatch was frequently photographed wearing what he described to a reporter as a “Swedish band, a silver band my friend gave me ages ago, which is for good luck,”[314] his fanbase took notice. The black leather bracelet peeks out from his shirt cuff on the Hollywood Reporter cover and is far more visible during Cumberbatch’s guest stint on Top Gear and media footage from San Diego Comic-Con 2014.

This is where SwedArt entered the picture. Swedish entrepreneur Margareta Lidskog’s line of handmade bracelets/leather bands has been worn by the famous in the entertainment industry, including Sheryl Crow and, more recently, Cumberbatch. Word travelled rapidly throughout fandom about the small company specialising in unique, wearable cultural art. From her home base in Boston, Lidskog designs and makes bracelets as often as time permits and forwards some orders to the Lapland artists with whom she works back in Sweden. Making jewellery is more than the Lapland artisans’ livelihood; their art makes its wearers aware of the historic significance of the friendship band and the ancient Sami culture it represents. “For a small company like mine, I felt that I had been very lucky to be able to have that many celebs wear SwedArt jewellery already.... And then along comes Benedict Cumberbatch,” and his fans “are even more excited” and appreciative of the bands.[315]

When Cumberbatch lost his bracelet, Lidskog offered to replace it and also sent him another style to try. The actor’s thank-you note later was shared online, and Lidskog was astounded that the post received 2,000 hits in the first hour[316] and more than 17,000 within a few days.[317] Cumberbatch’s association with a product, even one for which he is not an official (paid) spokesman, can bring fame and a great deal of good fortune to small businesses, all through the buying power of a fandom that observes the details of the actor’s fashion sense and can turn a bracelet into an international symbol of Cumberbatch fandom.

Unusual Tributes to His Celebrity in 2014

Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum has been a fixture in London (and around the world) for its unique commemoration of popular culture. As new celebrities gain public favour, wax figures of them are added to the collection on public display. As yet another marker of Cumberbatch’s celebrity, Madame Tussaud’s worked with the actor to get his likeness just right. Not terribly surprising, the “look” chosen for the figure is Cumberbatch’s “immaculate red carpet style... paired with a warm and relaxed expression, and his famous tousled hairstyle”.[318] That the waxwork matches the public persona Cumberbatch and his management prefer is a tribute itself to the way the actor is perceived by the public, and his inclusion in the museum’s exhibit further establishes his official public persona in the minds of the thousands who visit the museum annually.

Cumberbatch explained the process, which interested him as much as his becoming the latest addition to the popular museum’s tributes to the famous. “The main privilege for me was the process... a wonderful combination of old and new, hi-tech and lo-fi skills”. The actor also quipped that his agents were thrilled to have a clone of him and he could now photobomb himself.[319]

Madame Tussaud’s may be the most visible and famed of the recent tributes to Cumberbatch, but it is hardly the only way that he is being immortalised in popular culture. Cumberbatch became the subject of a colouring book, one that includes Mel Elliott’s art of him photobombing U2 at the Oscars as well as having a “cuteness face-off with some kittens”.[320] A colouring book is a strange yet oddly important measure of his celebrity when it becomes the focus of media news.

Another interesting tribute to the celebrity is a play written about “perfect Benedict Cumberbatch”. Three New Zealand fans brainstormed their fantasies about the actor before deciding their obsession was inappropriate adult behaviour as a result of Cumberbatch driving them crazy; they jested that Cumberbatch must die in order to break his spell over them. The result is a play, entitled “Benedict Cumberbatch Must Die,” performed in June 2014 at the BATS Theatre in Wellington. The play’s promotional art features Cumberbatch-as-Sherlock (wearing the character’s purple shirt of sex, as fans have called it) in front of a red-and-white heart-shaped bull’s eye-style target.

The play spoofs fans’ adoration of Cumberbatch. The three performers, one who wrote the script, created the play not to strike terror in Cumberbatch but to inspire quite the opposite reaction. “We thought if we performed a play about him he might come and see it and fall in love with us... We sent an invitation to 221b Baker St and even though he’s not on Twitter, we’ve been tweeting his colleagues and friends like Mark Gatiss and Amanda Abbington”.[321] The play became newsworthy around the world and gained a much higher level of attention than it probably would have without the actor’s name in the title.

Political Messages and the Use of Celebrity

Do an actor’s political concerns warrant media publicity? More important, do an actor’s comments have an impact on the way the public thinks - or the government reacts? When Cumberbatch was working on the third series of Sherlock, paparazzi photographs taken on location showed the actor holding up a political message. That action effectively garnered the attention of global media and allowed Cumberbatch to “interact” with them without talking directly to them (and risking the possibility of being misquoted or badgered into saying more than he wanted).

A Wales Online article first reported the actor, head down, in a dark hoodie and shades, holding a handwritten note in front of his face. The politicised photo was not the article’s focus; in fact, the headline emphasised a new cast addition and featured several photos of Martin Freeman and Amanda Abbington. Nevertheless, other publications quickly picked up on the Cumberbatch photo and the message clutched in his hand: “Go photograph Egypt and show the world something important”.[322]

Within four days, approximately fifty news outlets around the world had republished the photo and commentary, and each website had received thousands of hits. Some comments regarding the photo were positive, praising Cumberbatch for wanting to focus on an increasingly volatile situation in Egypt.

An Esquire blog on August 19, 2013, summarised the potential of using celebrity to create greater political awareness of a situation, even while recognising that a single sign or message is likely a futile gesture:

What if all of the stars, hounded by the dogs of photography, started blocking their image and holding up signs about what is really important in the news?... [P]erhaps,... public figures... can earn their acclaim by doing something that is right. Redirect social attention to places and people that need [it].[323]

Other bloggers and commentators, however, raised questions about the propriety of an actor stating his politics, especially when such a famous man knows that the paparazzi waiting for him to emerge from his trailer will photograph him. Also on August 19, Now Daily asked, “What gives Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch the right to take the moral high ground?” The article questioned why Cumberbatch should trivialise the photographers’ jobs and added “one could argue that his job isn’t exactly doing much to change the world either”.[324]

Such articles note that one person’s - even sought-after Cumberbatch’s - words or the rather passive action of holding up a sign may not change anything. However, Cumberbatch’s “sign posts” got a lot of attention.

After the initial success of the note about Egypt, Cumberbatch followed up with a four-page message concerning a political issue closer to (geographically, his) home. On August 21, Metro published a photo of the actor, dressed in Sherlock’s trademark form-fitting suit and his own shades, holding up the new message as he prepared to film a scene. He stood out in the open, holding up a page at a time and, in the Metro photo, seemed to be smirking in the sun as the media photographed his message.[325] It was a very different look from the defensive “go away” presentation of the Egypt sign.

The media publicised Cumberbatch’s political statements and “silent protest” against the government’s decision to detain the partner of a Guardian journalist under anti-terror laws. The actor’s messages brought up questions he believes citizens in a democracy have a right to ask:

Hard drives smashed, journalists detained at airports. Democracy? Schedule 7 Prior restraint - is this erosion of civil liberties winning the war on terror? What do they not want you to know?... Does the exposure of their techniques cause a threat to our security or does it just cause them embarrassment?[326]

Whereas video from Egypt had been broadcast on international television news for weeks and Cumberbatch’s fans likely were at least somewhat aware of what was going on (or at least was being reported), they collectively may not have been as aware of David Miranda’s detention without arrest over the previous weekend. Nevertheless, as posts commented on one of my blogs about Cumberbatch’s use of political notes, many fans keep up with news and are sociopolitically active; they do not need Cumberbatch to direct their attention to what they should know about these topics.

Additionally, the signs ask questions without Cumberbatch positing any answers, but the tone and phrasing of the questions indicate the actor’s political disquiet about the journalist’s detention and surrender of personal property. Cumberbatch would hardly put himself in an increasingly prominent media position to state a political message if he did not believe in what he is doing. He understands how much media attention his political views will earn. During a two-week span during 2013, when the actor was mute before the press and relied on handwritten messages to deliver his thoughts, he had an incredibly loud voice.

In subsequent interviews regarding the roles he chooses, Cumberbatch has said “I’m an actor, not a spokesperson, a political pundit or an expert”.[327] Nonetheless, Cumberbatch’s occasional political comments led to media follow-ups months later.

David Cameron invited Cumberbatch, as part of a guest list including Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford, for a modern Cool Britannia gathering in late June 2014, but many A-list actors did not turn up. At the time, Cumberbatch was working on a film in the Boston area, but, as one writer noted, “Ben has a history of sharing his political opinions, ones that often don’t align with the Tory party,” suggesting that Cumberbatch’s absence may have been “an almighty diss”[328] politically rather than a scheduling conflict. This comment accompanied reprinted photographs of Cumberbatch holding up his political messages and reminded readers that the actor may use his celebrity for political purposes in the future.

Rumoured and Real Film Roles

Much of what is written about Cumberbatch is beyond his control. If he or his career choices have been criticised in the media more in the past year than in the previous decade, it is a reflection of his celebrity. The public and media tend to build up celebrities only to try to bring them back down, as has been discussed in this chapter. Yet his fans want him to succeed and to provide them more opportunities to see him, if not in person, then on screen. Even rumours of his next project receive just as many headlines as when he commits to a role. Hardly a week in entertainment news passes without at least one rumoured role for Cumberbatch, and this type of publicity reminds the industry and the public that Cumberbatch is an actor in great demand, even when he is not currently working on a project.

In January 2014 he received a great deal of publicity for signing on to the “terrorist thriller” Blood Mountain as a government contractor escorting a highly wanted terrorist across hostile terrain[329] - a role that would broaden Cumberbatch’s range of mainstream film roles. Although Blood Mountain was announced as commencing principal photography in April 2014 in Morocco,[330] the film apparently did not generate the necessary funding in time for the projected start date. As a result, when Cumberbatch the actor did not have a project scheduled, Cumberbatch the celebrity accepted more offers - for photo ops, autograph sessions, and on-stage Q&As at fan conventions in Birmingham (U.K.) and Sydney and Adelaide (Australia); a visit to the Hay Festival for dramatic readings; commentator/presenter jobs abroad and at home; and appearances at everything from restaurant openings to society galas and charity events.

These activities kept Cumberbatch’s name in front of the public, beyond paparazzi or fan sightings, but the nature of the publicity had shifted drastically since 2012 and from official film public relations in 2013. This time the focus was clearly on Cumberbatch the celebrity, not on his work or even on his spectacular talent or a particular skill. In many cases, he simply needed to show up, answer a few questions, or, at times, merely look handsomely attired and debonair in order to make media news. Such a shift illustrates that the “transition” phase in Cumberbatch’s career has ended - he is now valued as much as a celebrity to attract media and fan attention as he is a talented actor to grace a new project.

Cumberbatch only has to tease a character or film genre in order for casting rumours to make news. When he said he would like a role in Star Wars, he proved his fan cred by speaking Wookiee on The Graham Norton Show,[331] and the media speculated which role he was being considered to play. However, when the cast list was finally announced in May 2014, Cumberbatch’s name was absent.

In the past year, he has been rumoured to star in, attached to, signed for, dropped out of, or reported interested in a role in Guillermo Del Toro’s horror film, Crimson Peak; Gary Oldman’s proposed biopic of Eadweard Muybridge, Flying Horse;[332] a Disney-backed Marvel Studios film,[333] later identified as Doctor Strange;[334] Alfonso Cuaron’s proposed Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them-based film; [335] and World War I drama Journey’s End,[336] among others.

The announcement for the latter is particularly interesting because more than twenty U.K. and U.S. articles repeated what essentially was a casting rumour linking Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston to what may become a film based on a 1928 play. Cumberbatch was suggested for the lead role, one that would reunite him with War Horse co-star Hiddleston in another war story in which they would play officers. The potential film, as described in the casting “news” articles, faces many problems on the way to being green lighted, and hedge-phrases like “Hiddleston could play” or “Cumberbatch is being linked to a possible film” indicate that the project was very much at the wish-list stage when the “news” was released. Nevertheless, even the slimmest possibility of the next Cumberbatch film project leads to media frenzy, and a headline touting “Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston Linked to New Film Journey’s End” is certain to attract the attention of thousands of Cumberbatch and/or Hiddleston fans. That, not the possible future film or Cumberbatch’s eventual casting, is the real news behind such articles.

By the Cannes Film Festival in May 2014, however, Cumberbatch again was attached to a bona fide film project - this time The Yellow Birds, based on a multiple award-winning book by Kevin Powers about friendships developed during battle in the Iraq war. Cumberbatch was cast as the slightly older officer looking out for the book’s young male protagonists; as an American playing a reserved, remote sergeant, the part would call on him to use yet another American accent but would also recall reserved, remote Major Jamie Stewart in War Horse. The Yellow Birds modernises that type of character into an edgier, more morally ambiguous soldier and gives Cumberbatch, a veteran of a few twentieth century military roles, the opportunity to play a modern man caught up in a war zone.

That the announcement was made at Cannes added a layer of prestige to the project and reminded industry deal makers that, a year earlier, Cumberbatch had been touted as a selling point (or at least a distribution deal-worthy name) for The Imitation Game, a film generating a lot of buzz in 2014.

A few days later Cumberbatch joined the cast of the already-filming Black Mass, the story of Whitey Bulger, starring Johnny Depp as the criminal who lived on the lam for sixteen years before being captured and convicted. Cumberbatch replaced Guy Pearce, who ended up with scheduling conflicts, in the role of Bulger brother Billy, a law-abiding Massachusetts Senator.[337] Sightings of cast and crew working around Boston kept the U.S. media busy in mid-2014, and photos of Cumberbatch appeared nearly daily during his on-location filming. [Headlines also announced where he dined, what he ate (e.g., his first cannoli, his last lobster before leaving town), and with whom he shared a meal.]

Such a role, casting Cumberbatch as the “good brother,” increases his string of upstanding characters while adding the heightened visibility of being seen in a film with megastar Depp. Even Depp’s movies that are not blockbusters attract a lot of media attention during filming and publicity leading to the premiere. Stepping into a role when the film is already in production also enhances Cumberbatch’s reputation as a go-to actor; he is a professional who can get up to speed quickly for a role and help keep a production running on schedule. Furthermore, acting in another Warner Bros.-backed film makes him even more visible to U.S. audiences before the movie is distributed worldwide.

In August 2014, Cumberbatch was signed to yet another Warner Bros. film, The Jungle Book: Origins. The actor previously worked in the studio’s Hobbit films, but the Jungle Book provided a further New Zealand connection - the animated film’s director is Andy Serkis, well known for his mo-cap performance as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies.

Cast as man-eating tiger Shere Khan in the animated story, Cumberbatch plays the villain of the animal kingdom.[338] The role seems ideally suited for the actor’s vocal talents; Cumberbatch’s deep voice provided the necessary menace both to Star Trek’s Khan and The Hobbit’s Smaug. Shere Khan also balances Cumberbatch’s more heroic Classified in the animated Penguins of Madagascar and illustrates the actor’s range of characters within animated films.

The Warner Bros. Jungle Book, set for an October 2016 release, competes with Disney’s version of Mowgli’s story, which cast Idris Elba as its Shere Khan. However, the Disney adaptation was scheduled to arrive a year earlier, in October 2015,[339] providing enough cinematic distance to ensure the Warner Bros. film could be evaluated on its own merits.

Although voice and/or mo-cap roles have cropped up more frequently in Cumberbatch’s schedule in the past few years, he also looks for adventure in live-action features that can offer another dimension to his cinematic career. Another hot prospect, according to press releases in late 2013, is The Lost City of Z, a property owned by Brad Pitt’s Plan B production company for which Cumberbatch worked on 12 Years a Slave. The Lost City of Z could make mainstream audiences see Cumberbatch in a different light: as an explorer and adventurer, and possibly the star of a franchise. As 2014 progressed with no word of a shooting date, this film, too, seemed to be nothing more than a promising non-starter and a publicity-rich rumour.

However, during interviews months later, director James Gray casually mentioned that the film would go forward, possibly as early as September 2014 but more likely in January 2015. A key part of filmmaking is having the funding and the talent in place at the same time, and Gray said in an interview that, by May 2014, he had already raised money for the film.[340] A month later, headlines proclaimed that Cumberbatch would begin filming in Northern Ireland early in 2015, with jungle scenes to be shot in Colombia.[341]

Gray added that Cumberbatch is “perfectly cast” in the role of the 1930s Amazon explorer Percy Fawcett, who enters the jungle and is never heard from again. Indeed, author David Grann’s description of the real-life Fawcett in his 2010 book, on which the film is based, illustrates that ideal casting. Fawcett was extremely fit, “his long arms corded with muscles”. His eyes were an indeterminate colour: “some thought they were blue, others gray”.[342] He was “tall and lean,... a natural athlete”.[343] He excelled in a course for explorers held at the National Geographic Society and, through the decades, carefully planned his numerous expeditions. He was well educated at public school, as appropriate for his class, but often felt uneasy with Victorian social conventions. Nevertheless, he was a gentleman concerned about observing social propriety. Cumberbatch thinks of Fawcett as “quite obsessive, he’s quite determined and he strives to conquer everyone’s cynicism about this lost city of gold that he believes exists in the Amazon”. The explorer’s tale is “epic filmmaking with fantastic characters”.[344]

Interestingly enough, there is even a Sherlock connection with Fawcett’s story. Grann mentions Sir Arthur Conan Doyle several times; Fawcett reportedly was the model for Conan Doyle’s Lord John Roxton in The Lost World.[345] In a roundabout way, when Cumberbatch portrays Fawcett, he illustrates yet another Conan Doyle character.

A film like The Lost City of Z, if done well, could further raise Cumberbatch’s profile as a film star, one who can carry an action movie that appeals to a broader audience base. Because Fawcett’s explorations took place during more than twenty years, beginning when he was in his thirties, Cumberbatch could, theoretically, launch an action-adventure franchise to span the next decade of his career - if box office encourages a sequel.

Among these many rumoured roles, at least some eventually turn into potential star vehicles for Cumberbatch. As he said in an interview with an Australian newspaper, “I’d hate to think anyone is sick of the sight of me, although I wouldn’t blame them”.[346] By balancing new projects interspersed with celebrity events, Cumberbatch retains his exclusivity as an actor tapped for prestigious roles but ensures that his name constantly remains in entertainment news. Although Cumberbatch’s plethora of celebrity-preeminent activities in early 2014 was, in part, the result of his acting achievements in the past year, he also must be careful not to seem to be seen everywhere, just as a celebrity, when he is between projects. In the career he is building, acting (or, down the line, additionally producing or directing) must come first, with celebrity a secondary, if helpful, aspect of his long-term career.

Professional events like the Hay Festival and Chelsea Flower Show are relatively easy performances, comparatively speaking, but illustrate his classy nature. Celebrity events like Prince William’s gala dinner for the Royal Marsden Hospital, the Met Gala, or even an appearance at an exclusive restaurant opening or the Park Theatre’s anniversary underscore his A-list social status among those in the entertainment community. They balance events like fan conventions that please his fanbase and fill the gaps between acting jobs.

The Films of 2014

At San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) in July 2014, Cumberbatch fielded questions about The Penguins of Madagascar, one of three films being released in 2014 in which he has a role. A few days later he joined Hobbit cast members in Hall H to talk about the final film in the trilogy, The Battle of the Five Armies.

Rumours circulating before SDCC suggested that Cumberbatch might be on site to do more than promote an animated film or his roles within a very large Hobbit ensemble; he might announce his casting as Doctor Strange at the highly anticipated Marvel panel. Cumberbatch indicated that the film’s scheduling was a problem: “it couldn’t work out because I’m doing a little play called Hamlet in London”. His comment suggested that he had been in contact with Marvel, giving credence to the rumours, but would not take on the role of Doctor Strange. Thus, Cumberbatch’s first live (not via satellite) appearance at SDCC turned out to be “only” to preview and promote two of his three films scheduled for release late in 2014.

Whereas Cumberbatch was a big hit at SDCC, Variety reported from the Penguins panel in Hall H that the “6,500 person hall wasn’t full and the fanboy crowd didn’t seem wowed by the very family-friendly fare”.[347] Other reports noted, however, that fans dressing as Sherlock Holmes lined up early to be sure to get a seat in the largest Comic-Con hall, and moderator Craig Ferguson threatened fans that SDCC would be cancelled if the audience asked Sherlock questions. Even if Penguins was not to all SDCC attendees’ taste, Cumberbatch the actor/ celebrity received enormous publicity worldwide and plenty of fan love in San Diego. As an MTV headline explained, “Every Celeb at Comic-Con Wanted a Pic with Benedict Cumberbatch”.[348]

As in 2013, the slate of films released in 2014 shows great diversity: The Penguins of Madagascar, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, and The Imitation Game. In only one, however, is Cumberbatch visually recognisable on screen - his leading role as Alan Turing in the highly touted Imitation Game.

The Penguins of Madagascar

Cumberbatch voices Classified, a “debonair secret agent” in the animated feature The Penguins of Madagascar, scheduled for release in time for family holiday viewing. The spinoff of the popular Madagascar (2005) focuses on the antics of the penguins who wowed audiences in the original film and their television series. Playing someone Bond-like is no stretch for Cumberbatch, whose Sherlock increasingly seems to be moving in a 007 direction and who periodically is rumoured to take over the Bond film franchise after Daniel Craig. This time, however, the secret agent is a wolf, and the animated character shares high cheekbones and refined style with the actor who gives him a voice. Classified, as his name suggests, leads an animal protective service that becomes involved with the penguins during an espionage caper pitting them against a villain octopus (John Malkovich). “I don’t know what it’s like to be a penguin, but I do know what it’s like to be a super-duper-smooth classified agent,”[349] Cumberbatch announced when the film’s first images were released.

Unlike other voice roles, such as the malevolent Smaug, Classified has “a lot of Benedict” in him. One of Cumberbatch’s first auditions was as a James Bond-style character in a videogame, and although he did not get that job, he had a good time mimicking a secret agent during the audition. The actor explained that, like many boys, while growing up he had “fantasies of secret agents and being a spy”.[350] Classified provides wish-fulfilment for Cumberbatch’s inner child.

When asked during an SDCC panel how he prepared for the role, Cumberbatch joked that he “worked in Yellowstone Park as a wolf for a while. It got a bit hairy - no pun intended - when I became the alpha male, and I realised quickly that two of the other wolves were Christian Bale and Daniel Day-Lewis”.[351] This quote was republished across media as one of the hits of SDCC, but Cumberbatch’s choice of packmates is a fascinating indicator of his thoughts, even in jest, about his place in Hollywood’s hierarchy. Although well known for his research prior to playing a role, Cumberbatch is not a Method actor like Bale or Day-Lewis, who, some critics might agree (tongue firmly in cheek), would go to the extreme of living as a “wolf” in Yellowstone to play an animated character.

Once again, being identified with a popular money maker only helps Cumberbatch’s career. The three Madagascar movies have made $1.8 billion internationally, with each film surpassing its predecessor.[352] DreamWorks Animation illustrated their high hopes for the penguins’ spinoff by moving it up in the release schedule so that it would take on the Horrible Bosses sequel and be released a week after the latest Hunger Games instalment - tough competition during the holidays (being released during Thanksgiving weekend in the U.S.) that DreamWorks Animation obviously believes Cumberbatch and the penguins can handle. Penguins, along with the third Hobbit film, scheduled for a December release, markets Cumberbatch to a multi-generational family audience while emphasising his vocal talents.

The Imitation Game

In contrast to family-oriented fiction (even if The Battle of the Five Armies is in many ways a dark film), The Imitation Game is based on the true story of mathematician Alan Turing. The film plays to some of Cumberbatch’s acting strengths: a historic figure (Turing), an intellectual (a British intelligence code specialist during World War II), and a controversial subject matter (the sentence of chemical castration for the convicted homosexual, posthumously pardoned by Queen Elizabeth II in 2013). The role allows Cumberbatch to play a character made more sympathetic with decades of social hindsight, to look handsome in period costumes, and to reap the publicity both from the recent pardon and questions about whether the relationship between Turing and Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley), as portrayed on film, was in reality pragmatic or romantic. Throughout filming and post-production, The Imitation Game stayed on critics’ radar.

After the initial casting announcements and photos of Knightley or Cumberbatch on location, the next big publicity after the film wrapped in autumn 2013 involved information about the film’s purchase for distribution. Footage shown at the European Film Market in Berlin sparked considerable interest in the film and led the Weinstein Co. to plunk down “a hearty $7 million for U.S. rights”.[353] The Weinstein Co. is well known for films that earn many awards or nominations (such as The King’s Speech and Philomena), and the purchase was promoted as a good sign for the film as a potential Oscar contender for the 2015 awards. The fifteen-minute reel cut from a film that had just gone into post-production impressed bidders, and five eagerly tried to grab it before the Weinstein Co. made the definitive bid. Especially because film sales during the Sundance Film Festival had been a bit slow only a few weeks earlier, the price paid for The Imitation Game piqued a lot of interest.

Harvey Weinstein enthused that the film had a script that he loved but worried that the subject matter might not be handled well, because “if you got [anything] wrong... , you would have major problems... These guys got it so perfect, they did a better job than I ever could have. Benedict is unbelievable... We look at this as a major release and we’re thrilled to have it”.[354]

In May 2014, the film’s release date was set as November 14 in the U.K. and November 21 in the U.S. Its placement on the entertainment calendar indicates that it is poised not only as a “serious film” but, more important to the studio, as another indicator that it can be a potential award winner eligible for both BAFTA and Oscar consideration.[355]

Similarly, when the first official trailer[356] was released in July, on the day that the BFI London Film Festival announced that The Imitation Game would have its European premiere as the festival’s opening film, critics and fans applauded the brief dramatic scenes that hint at the depth of Cumberbatch’s performance. As Turing, the actor sounds and looks aloofly intellectual, as befitting a mathematician who eventually breaks the Enigma code, but his voice also breaks during an interrogation scene, beautifully conveying Turing’s vulnerability.

The BFI press release quoted festival director Clare Stewart regarding the film’s selection for the opening night gala: “Featuring extraordinary performances from the British talent in front of the camera and vividly directed by Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game does cinematic justice to Alan Turing’s vision, determination and personal story as well as his enduring impact on British history and contemporary life”.[357] A few days later, the Toronto International Film Festival named The Imitation Game as one of its special presentations, further suggesting the film is a “must see”.

Of course, The Fifth Estate received similar promotion a year earlier, and the finished film failed at the box office to live up to its promotional promise. Both are biopics starring Cumberbatch and primed for awards-season promotion, but, whereas The Fifth Estate had to contend with competing publicity by and about Julian Assange, The Imitation Game’s Turing is no longer alive and, because of the nature of his death and Turing’s great service to his country during World War II, is considered by many to be a highly sympathetic figure.

The industry thinks of the film as “Benedict Cumberbatch’s Imitation Game,” a label that is both a blessing to CAA, Cumberbatch’s U.S. management, which helped broker the sale, and an expectation that the entire film can be as exciting and intriguing as footage shown in Berlin early in 2014. Buzz among critics, including predictions of an Oscar for Cumberbatch, kept the film in media headlines during the autumn film festival season. Yet the film faced a different potential box office hurdle.

Mainstream audiences looking for entertainment among a crowded field of movies at the end of the year, however, often look for less serious fare as their first choice. As with Cumberbatch’s R-rated films released in 2013, under-18 fans in the U.S. cannot see the movie without a guardian. The coveted youth audience may not have heard of Turing or want to see a movie set during a last-century war. Such marketing considerations also have a bearing on the film’s ultimate success.

Entertainment Weekly, which typically has been pro-Cumberbatch in the past few years, released two stills once the movie was in post-production. Whereas earlier shots of the actor dressed as Turing usually came from paparazzi following the actor during on-location filming, the Entertainment Weekly photos were official. One, showing a group of people surrounding Turing, who is seated at a table, unfortunately looks similar to a publicity still released for The Fifth Estate showing Assange and followers standing around a monitor to look at leaked war footage.

This type of photos does little to promote an “action” image of the lead or suggest the film does more than show characters at sedentary work. The second Imitation Game photo published by Entertainment Weekly, however, pits Turing against two uniformed men restraining the agitated man. At least this photo implies more controversy, as does the article’s title, “Benedict Cumberbatch Outwits Nazis in ‘The Imitation Game’”. (Once again, the “hero” designation goes to Cumberbatch, not Turing, in this promotional article.)

Fortunately, the first trailer included clips showing Cumberbatch’s emotional range, and it also made the film seem more exciting by hinting that Turing is an enigma himself (like the Enigma code he eventually broke). Footage of Turing running track at least proves he gets out of the office. Whereas the stills could have been problematic in marketing the film to a mass audience, the trailer includes snippets of dramatic scenes featuring Cumberbatch’s “Oscar-worthy” performance.[358]

The first Entertainment Weekly article describes Cumberbatch’s dedication to the role. The actor prepared by studying Turing’s stuttered speech patterns and analysing his correspondence with the mother of Turing’s high school “crush”.[359] Instead of playing up Cumberbatch’s celebrity (at least beyond the headline guaranteed to gain attention), this article highlights one of his notable strengths as an actor: his research and attention to detail in preparing for a role.

While still filming the role, Cumberbatch mentioned that Turing, while known for his intelligence, also was quite a runner. As part of his work for this role, Cumberbatch began running. When asked in a Big Issue interview whether this role stretched both his mind and body, the actor quickly agreed, saying that he was

running pretty much all the time [and] carrying around the most ridiculous selection of books... But it’s great, and I’m learning so much. I hope... that I can keep finding these interesting roles and carve out a little niche for myself in the film world.[360]

The Imitation Game highlights Cumberbatch’s strengths to play sympathetic dramatic roles, especially people from the past century in British history, but it also presents a dilemma regarding his long-game career. Turing is a starring role, but it is not the kind of film or part that usually attracts mainstream audiences and automatically is a blockbuster. Instead, the film is more likely to garner the attention of older adult audiences and film critics (as well as Cumberbatch fans who will go because he stars). Turing is similar to roles that Cumberbatch has played well before - the brainy loner, an intellectual facing a tragic dilemma and displaying vulnerability with which an audience can empathise, a leader making important decisions during decisive (often wartime) moments in British history.

However, this film provides an opportunity to shine a more intense spotlight on the type of work that, in the past, Cumberbatch has done very well and make even more people aware of his talent. If The Imitation Game gains Cumberbatch more critical acclaim and balances the “celebrity” publicity he received from a film like Star Trek: Into Darkness, then the actor’s range and depth will truly be established more publicly - even though Cumberbatch fans and those in the entertainment industry who have worked with him for more than a decade already understand this actor’s immense talent.

A Star But Not a Leading Man?

No matter how much positive press and public adulation Cumberbatch receives, some people will continue to question the reasons behind his atypical stardom and whether he might be a “star” in the sense of being a popular celebrity (especially on the Internet) but not a star in the sense of being a leading man whose name alone can ensure box office success. Critics refer to typical measures of film stardom, such as having a certain physical appearance (e.g., Brad Pitt) or larger-than-life persona (e.g., Johnny Depp), and compare Cumberbatch to these standards.

By deconstructing the actor as a series of facial features, one writer explained Cumberbatch’s physical limitations as a star: “The camera seeks out two things in an actor’s face: mouth and eyes... The big guys - Pitt, [George] Clooney, [Robert] Downey, [Jr.,] [Johnny] Depp, [Tom] Cruise - all sport alluring mouth-eye sets.... Cumberbatch has remarkable eyes, a distinctive mouth, but they’re not exactly alluring in the same way as... bona fide stars in the way Hollywood measures these things”.[361]

The writer further suggests that Cumberbatch’s recent celebrity is more the result of the public’s infatuation with his “distinctive physicality” and “sonorous voice” coupled with the actor’s intriguing role choices. Yet these qualities do not make him a leading man, according to this article.

Although all actors face some brand of typecasting, based on age, gender, physical appearance, ethnicity, nationality, social class, et cetera, Cumberbatch continues to defy cookie-cutter definitions of what makes a star or, in this case, a leading man. His appearance is unique, and it attracts as many fans as it mystifies critics. As part of a career that has gone against “standards” for a star, Cumberbatch’s roles may be in the “supporting” category as often as they are the leads, but whether that keeps him from being considered a “Hollywood leading man” may simply be another area in which Cumberbatch redefines stardom on his own terms.

The Next Benedict Cumberbatch

“Fame is fleeting” may be the adage, but fame in the twenty-first century tends to last years, thanks to public relations firms, publicity machines, and the persistent power of the Internet. Electronic information seems to be nearly impossible to completely delete, and the keyword Cumberbatch generates so many different websites, articles, videos, sound bites, and images that it seems impossible they all will be gone any time soon.

Furthermore, the fame that comes from excellent performances tends to last because iconic characters become part of popular culture. When Sherlock Holmes is mentioned in the future, Benedict Cumberbatch will be included among the long list of actors who have played the role, and his many awards - as well as the artefact of the episodes themselves - ensure that he will long be remembered as Sherlock.

Even if Cumberbatch’s performance is not the specific reason for a work’s cultural or historic significance, his role within important films that one day will become national treasures also will keep his name prominent in entertainment history. The Hobbit film trilogy likely will become one of the most well-known adaptations of Tolkien’s story, and Cumberbatch plays two key roles within Jackson’s version - the Necromancer and, more important, Smaug. In the U.S., the National Film Registry likely will identify 12 Years a Slave as a “significant film” to be included within the Library of Congress - and Cumberbatch has a role in that film.

Celebrity culture, on the other hand, tends to promote the new and different. Cumberbatch’s celebrity largely has been marked by his “difference” from what is expected - his public persona reflecting old-style Hollywood glamour or the suave British gentleman seems to surprisingly conflict with his “goofy guy” persona who leaps into photos or hides from paparazzi behind a napkin on his head. Some British fans, however, explain that what Americans define as “goofy” is really a part of the vaunted British “eccentricity,” making Cumberbatch seem even more quintessentially British. Those from other cultural backgrounds (e.g., most Americans) are more likely to see a greater divergence between these two public personas.

Within two days during a mid-year trip to New York, Cumberbatch made headlines because of striking celebrity photos taken of him, one during a formal event and one on the following day during lunch with friends. Yet these conflicting images reflect aspects of his personality that attract - and, so far, maintain - public attention.

Cumberbatch’s movie star persona was photographed incessantly during New York’s “Oscars of style,” the Met Gala. In its “Do’s and Don’t’s” article regarding white-tie apparel, Gentlemen’s Gazette showcased Cumberbatch under “Do” #4, Wear It With Confidence,[362] and fashion guru Anna Wintour proclaimed that Cumberbatch was the only man attending the event to wear white-tie fashion correctly.[363]

Less than twenty-four hours later, aware that New York’s paparazzi were photographing him through a restaurant’s window, Cumberbatch hid his face beneath a cloth napkin, wearing his sunglasses and cap over them to recreate the Claude Rains’ “invisible” look (as immortalised in 1933’s The Invisible Man). Cumberbatch and the friends with whom he was dining shared a laugh, as did fans who saw the series of photographs later that afternoon.[364] The actor’s impromptu reaction generated nearly as much media coverage as his attendance at the Met Gala.

Cumberbatch’s uniqueness may be a prerequisite for perpetuating his level of celebrity. In November 2013, the Radio Times enumerated the factors that make Cumberbatch attractive to the public: “his interesting choice of roles, posh accent, those cheekbones - but then there are those extra special qualities... : those impressions of Alan Rickman, his bromance with co-star Martin Freeman, that name we just want to say over and over again”. Nonetheless, the article contended, several other British actors have similarly alluring qualities, and “Cumberbatch’s star quality isn’t entirely unique”.[365] Among the actors poised to take Cumberbatch’s place as a celebrity, the Radio Times opined, are Tom Hiddleston, Ben Whishaw, Cillian Murphy, and Robert Sheehan, who all share with Cumberbatch a physical characteristic, acting style, or similar “look” in a role.

These and similar headlines indicate that Cumberbatch is no longer considered the man of the moment but an established star. If he is no longer “the next hot actor,” his physical appearance and public personas differ enough from the mainstream to maintain his level of celebrity for the time being.

What the Future May Bring

Cumberbatch’s talent has never been in dispute, even when some recent critics find fault with his casting or elements of his performance (such as an accent). Perhaps one reason why Cumberbatch appeals to so many critics, fans representing different nations and age groups, and, increasingly, broad-based mainstream audiences is simply that he is very good at his work.

He does his research, relies on his experience and instincts, and is open to learning from his colleagues. He does not wish to become stagnant by playing the same types of characters again and again; he pursues roles that interest him and carefully decides among roles for which he is pursued. He does what is necessary to prepare for a part, such as physically changing his body by working diligently with a personal trainer. He also fulfils commitments to promote projects and takes being interviewed seriously. He may never understand why so many fans wait hours to see him or follow him wherever he goes, and at times that level of scrutiny can be overwhelming. Nevertheless, he acknowledges his fans - those who support him by watching his performances at home, in theatres, or in cinemas, as well as those who queue outside venues where he is scheduled to appear. He is becoming ever more savvy in the ways of developing and maintaining his public image, and he is adamant about building a career that will span future decades.

Although 2013 was an incredibly good year for Cumberbatch’s career, it was not perfect. Not all reviews were as positive or box office receipts as high grossing as Cumberbatch or his management may have hoped. Because Cumberbatch has been highly praised for his acting and received so many awards or nominations, it sometimes seems surprising when he is not automatically brilliant at everything. Not all new career directions, such as becoming an emcee or a commentator, may be ultimately fruitful. Nevertheless, the actor experimented with new on-screen jobs.

Certainly, professional high points during 2013 include performances in several major movies and the filming of his successful television series, plus recognition at awards ceremonies on more than one continent. The projects negotiated or recorded for release in 2013 for 2014 involved work in radio, television, and film, with a return to the theatre announced for 2015. 2014, like 2013, saw the release of many films prominently showcasing his talent, whether with voice and mo-cap as Smaug in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, voice as Classified in The Penguins of Madagascar, or live-action drama as Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. Although it is inevitable that Cumberbatch’s celebrity will fluctuate in the coming years, his talent will not. He seems to thrive on the challenges of acting, and he has constructed a firm foundation to support new acting projects and to establish a production company.

Whereas Cumberbatch should always have a devoted fanbase, public interest shifts frequently, and the actor, as early as 2014, is no longer quite as “new” to an international audience as he was before War Horse, or Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, or Sherlock, or Frankenstein, or Star Trek - whichever role or time frame attracted mainstream audiences who wanted to find out who that actor is and what he has done before. So many dovetailing roles brought Cumberbatch to global attention within a couple of years (after more than a decade of good work). As a result, the public is far more aware of him than they were a few years ago, and his online fame, in particular, has grown tremendously.

On a day in June 2014 when Cumberbatch did not have a new project to announce or a current film, radio show, television series, theatrical performance, or personal appearance to publicise, a Google search for “Benedict Cumberbatch” still generated 5,900,000 entries in English alone. When the media reports truly new developments in Cumberbatch’s career, the number of articles available online increases by leaps.

What Cumberbatch chooses to do with his career, the ways he approaches the media and his fans, and his future acting success will largely determine how long his celebrity will last. He may have fantastic years in which multiple projects are released almost simultaneously, but there may never be another year like 2013, during which he completed his transitional phase from “working actor” to media darling and widely feted actor in so many high-profile, big-budget projects that introduced him to a much broader global audience.

Cumberbatch’s ascent to film, television, theatre, and radio stardom may be described as the clichéd “meteoric rise to fame,” but the degree of his increased celebrity since 2010 is unprecedented among actors of his generation. Even celebrities who achieve “overnight” fame do not have the staying power his career has so far demonstrated. Yet Cumberbatch is treating stardom as he has every other aspect of his career: with his creative and professional needs in mind, despite what might be “expected” of him in London or Hollywood. No matter how many people wish to own him in some way, Benedict Cumberbatch is his own man, and a highly talented, career-savvy, and indelibly memorable one at that.

297 Rebecka Schumann. “Benedict Cumberbatch Talks The Perils of Fame, The Magic of Acting.” International Business Times. 16 July 2014.

298 “Stone-Cold, Drop-Dead, Fk-You Confidence.” Esquire. Nov. 2013, p. 101.

299 Benedict Cumberbatch. Cheltenham Literary Festival. 6 Oct. 2012.

300 Ibid.

301 CityNews. “Raw Video: Benedict Cumberbatch Discusses 12 Years a Slave at TIFF.” 6 Sep. 2013.

302 TIFF LiveStream. 12 Years a Slave red carpet. 6 Sep. 2013.

303 Tom Butler. “Benedict Cumberbatch Scolds Journo for ‘Silly Questions.’” Yahoo UK Movie News. 9 Dec. 2013.

304 British Film Institute. Sherlock. “The Empty Hearse.” 15 Dec. 2015. Several fan reports and videos (many removed within hours of the screening) support my interpretation of Cumberbatch’s reaction to questions. See “Sherlock Series 3 Preview @ BFI - The Empty Hearse,” London Reviews; Dr. Brooke Magnanti, “Sherlock, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Fanfic: Don’t Mess with These Women (and Men),” Telegraph, 16 Dec. 2013.

305 Adam Farasati. “Benedict Cumberbatch: The Next Great British Export?” Guardian. 6 Oct. 2013.

306 Dunlop. YouTube. July 2014.

307 “Benedict Cumberbatch Involved in Fight During Oscars Weekend - Report.” Hollywood.com. 12 Mar. 2014.

308 “Benedict Cumberbatch Punched a Journalist to Defend Keira Knightley’s Honour.” Independent. 6 June 2014.

309 Borys Kit, Kim Masters, Pamela McClintock, Alex Ben Block, Rebecca Ford, Michael O’Connell, Tim Appelo, & Scott Feinberg. “Golden Globes: Inside Sunday’s Bashes with Matt Damon, Benedict Cumberbatch, Lady Gaga.” Hollywood Reporter. 13 Jan. 2014.

310 William De Martigny & David Annand. “Behind the Shoot: Tertius Bune on Benedict Cumberbatch and Alice Eve.” GQ. 25 Mar. 2014.

311 Graves, “’I Wish They’d Let Me Play Holmes!’”

312 Los Angeles Times, “Benedict Cumberbatch Talks Sherlock, ‘Penguins of Madagascar’ at Comic-Con 2014.”

313 “I Am Benedict Cumberbatch.” Reddit. 11 Oct. 2013.

314 Rick Fulton. “Benedict Cumberbatch on Playing WikiLeaks Whistleblower Julian Assange: He’s No Hero He’s Just a Human Being.” Daily Record. 15 Sep. 2013.

315 Margareta Lidskog. Email. 29 Oct. 2013.

316 Lidskog, 23 June 2014.

317 Lidskog, 27 June 2014.

318 Keith Perry. “Benedict Cumberbatch to Feature as Madame Tussauds Waxwork.” Telegraph. 21 July 2014.

319 Ibid.

320 Ben Arnold. “Benedict Cumberbatch Colouring Book Unveiled.” Yahoo UK. 12 Mar. 2014.

321 BATS Theatre Press Release. “Benedict Cumberbatch Must Die.” Scoop. 10 June 2014.

322 David James. “Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, and a New Face in Cardiff for Latest Sherlock Filming.” Wales Online. 17 Aug. 2013.

323 Robert Bateman. “What If All Celebrities Followed Benedict Cumberbatch’s Lead?” The Politics Blog with Charles P. Pierce. Esquire. 19 Aug. 2013.

324 “I Love Benedict Cumberbatch, But He’s Wrong to Pick On the Paps!” Now Daily. 19 Aug. 2013.

325 “Sherlock Star Benedict Cumberbatch Questions Decision to Detain David Miranda.” Metro. 21 Aug. 2013.

326 Ibid.

327 Ellis, “Benedict Cumberbatch - From Star Trek to Sherlock to Oscar Night Sex Symbol.”

328 Francesca Menato. “Was Cool Britannia Another Benedict Cumberbatch Protest?” Handbag. 2 July 2014.

329 Leo Barraclough. ”Benedict Cumberbatch to Star in Blood Mountain (EXCLUSIVE).” Variety. 28 Jan. 2014.

330 “EFM: Benedict Cumberbatch to Climb Sergei Bodrov’s ‘Blood Mountain.’” Deadline. 28 Jan. 2014.

331 “Benedict Cumberbatch Does Wookiee Impression.” The Graham Norton Show. BBC America. 17 Oct. 2013.

332 Robert Yaniz, Jr. “Gary Oldman to Direct Benedict Cumberbatch & Ralph Fiennes in ‘Flying Horse’?” Screen Rant. 16 Feb. 2014.

333 Caleb Williams. “RUMOR: Marvel Studios Wants Benedict Cumberbatch?!” Superhero Movie News. 10 Dec. 2013.

334 Mike Fleming, Jr. “Marvel Starts ‘Doctor Strange’ Search: Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch Early Wish-Listers.” Deadline. 6 June 2014.

335 Bea Kaye. “Alfonso Cuaron in Talks to Direct J. K. Rowling’s ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Series.” Gamma Squad. 20 May 2014.

336 Ben Dowell. “Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston Linked to New Movie Journey’s End.” Radio Times. 1 June 2014.

337 Dave McNary. “Benedict Cumberbatch Replaces Guy Pearce in Johnny Depp’s Whitey Bulger Movie.” Variety. 21 May 2014.

338 Borys Kit. “Benedict Cumberbatch Joins ‘Jungle Book’ for Warner Bros. (Exclusive).” Hollywood Reporter. 19 Aug. 2014.

339 Ariana Bacle. “Benedict Cumberbatch Joins Warner Bros.’ ‘Jungle Book: Origins.’” Entertainment Weekly. 19 Aug. 2014.

340 Rodrigo Perez. “James Gray Says ‘Lost City of Z’ Will Shoot Next; Talks His Sci-Fi Project, Dances with Brad Pitt, & More.” Playlist. 6 May 2014.

341 “Sherlock Star Benedict Cumberbatch to Film The Lost City of Z in Belfast.” Radio Times. 25 June 2014.

342 David Grann. The Lost City of Z. New York: Vintage Books, 2010, p. 7.

343 Ibid., p. 40.

344 Christina Radish. “Benedict Cumberbatch Talks SHERLOCK Season 3, Trading Character Notes with Robert Downey, Jr., and More.” Collider. 21 Jan. 2014.

345 Grann, pp. 8-9.

346 Ellis, “Benedict Cumberbatch - From Star Trek to Sherlock to Oscar Night Sex Symbol.”

347 Alexandra Cheney. “Comic-Con: DreamWorks Animation Brings Out Benedict Cumberbatch, Jim Parsons.” Variety. 25 July 2014.

348 Shauna Murphy. “Every Celeb at Comic-Con Wanted a Pic with Benedict Cumberbatch.” MTV. 27 July 2014.

349 Brian Truitt. “Sneak Peak: ‘Penguins of Madagascar.’” USA Today. 8 June 2014.

350 Ibid.

351 Emma Dibdin. “9 Best Moments from Benedict Cumberbatch’s Comic-Con Debut.” Digital Spy. 25 July 2014.

352 Todd Cunningham. “DreamWorks Animation Switches Release Dates on ‘Penguins of Madagascar’ and ‘Home’.” The Wrap. 20 May 2014.

353 Pamela McClintock. “Berlin: Weinstein Co. Pays $7 Million for Benedict Cumberbatch’s ‘Imitation Game.’” Hollywood Reporter. 2 Feb. 2014.

354 Mike Fleming, Jr. “Berlin Record Deal: Harvey Weinstein Pays $7 Million For Alan Turing WWII Tale ‘The Imitation Game’. Deadline. 7 Feb. 2014.

355 Susanna Lazarus. “The Imitation Game Starring Benedict Cumberbatch Gets a UK Release Date.” Radio Times. 14 May 2014.

356 CBM Trailers. “The Imitation Game - Official Trailer (2014) [HQ] Benedict Cumberbatch.” YouTube. 21 July 2014.

357 BFI. “The Imitation Game Will Open the 58th BFI London Film Festival.” 21 July 2014.

358 The Weinstein Company. “The Imitation Game - The Official Trailer - The Weinstein Company.” YouTube. 21 July 2014.

359 Nicole Sperling. “Benedict Cumberbatch Outwits Nazis in ‘The Imitation Game’ - FIRST LOOK.” Entertainment Weekly. 5 June 2014.

360 Adrian Lobb. “Benedict Cumberbatch Interview: ‘I Went to Public School, But I’m Not a Public School Boy.’” Big Issue. 9 Jan. 2014.

361 James Killough. “Benedict Cumberbatch: Can a Character Actor Be a Leading Man?”

362 Sven Raphael Schneider. “White Tie DO’s and DON’Ts - Met Ball Gala.” Gentleman’s Gazette. 7 May 2014.

363 Cinya Burton. “Sarah Jessica Parker & Anna Wintour Critique Men’s Fashion at the 2014 Met Gala - Find Out the One Guy That Got It Right!” E!Online. 8 May 2014.

364 Alyse Whitney. “Benedict Does His Best Mr. Napkin Head at Lunch with Dakota Johnson.” PopSugar. 7 May 2014.

365 Susanna Lazarus. “Ten Actors Who Could Be the Next Benedict Cumberbatch.” Radio Times. 15 Nov. 2013.

Also Available

Cover

Front Matter

Title Page

Publisher Information

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Transition Completed

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Behind the Scenes of Burlesque Fairytales

Chapter 10

Back Matter

Also Available