Benedict Cumberbatch

Background

Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch is an English actor who has earned millions of fans through his phenomenal talent. He was born on July 19, 1976, and his birthplace is Hammersmith, London. His parents, Timothy and Wanda Carlton were actors themselves. So, you can say his parents were his earliest influence. Cumberbatch is a Cancer and of English descent. He grew up in Kensington and Chelsea and attended Brambletye Boarding School in Sussex. Cumberbatch loved Shakespearan and made his acting debut in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” playing Titania while attending Harrow School. After graduation, he took a gap year to volunteer in India. When he returned, Cumberbatch enrolled at the Victoria University of Manchester to study drama.

Cumberbatch’s career includes his works in theater, television, and film, which are quite extensive. His television career began in 2000 with “Heartbeat.” He appeared in multiple films before landing his first main role as Stephen Hawking in “Hawking” (2004). After this, Cumberbatch went on to star in more T.V. productions including Vincent van Gogh in “Van Gogh: Painted with Words” (2010). In terms of his theater career, Cumberbatch received many major roles in classic plays that premiered at multiple theaters like the Royal Court, Royal National Theaters, and even the Regent’s Park Open Air. He also received many nominations for his plays, including an Olivier Award, which he later won four of. In 2011, he achieved the ‘Triple Crown of London Theatre’ after playing Victor Frankenstein and his creature in the stage production of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” The play premiered at the Royal National Theatre and was broadcast to cinemas. Cumberbatch has done a lot of television productions. He had a voice role in the 2014 “Penguins of Madagascar,” starred in “The Imitation Game” and “Doctor Strange” (2016), and reprised his role for several Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. His most recent performance is in the drama “The Power of the Dog” (2021), for which he received multiple nominations, including the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.

Cumberbatch has won 26 awards in his acting career. He is a revered actor in England and America, with several milestones to show for it. His personal life is very private, however, Cumberbatch married Sophie Hunter, an English theater and opera director, on February 14, 2015. The couple has three sons together.