Modern Sherlock Holmes, Benedict Cumberbatch, was born in London in 1976 to actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda
Cumberbatch’s parents wanted him to have a normal childhood away from acting and tried to ensure he’d have a professional life outside the spotlight.
“My mum and dad had worked incredibly hard to afford me an education. I had the privilege of being able to choose, or at least have the opportunity to work at, being anything but an actor.” Cumberbatch once said
But things didn’t go as planned, Cumberbatch talent started showing at school and he started acting in school plays, taking roles in William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which he played Titania, the queen of the fairies, and As You Like It.
When he was just a university student, his father came to see him play Salieri in “Amadeus.” when he finished, his father came to him and told him, “You’re better at this than I ever was or ever will be. I can’t wait to watch you and support you in what I think is going to be a fantastic career.”
Cumberbatch graduated from the University of Manchester and earned a master’s degree in classical acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
At the start of his career, he used his father’s stage name, Carlton, but, encouraged by a colleague, he began to appear under the family’s unusual original surname to attract attention.
Cumberbatch slowly worked his way toward the small screen, making his television debut in movies such as Fields of Gold. His first significant role came when he was cast in 2004’s Hawking, making him the first actor to ever portray Stephen Hawking. After this role, Cumberbatch played many different roles in many films and series, while also being active in London theaters, often in classics such as Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler.
Sherlock Holmes was one of his most famous roles. In 2014, his performance in an episode of the series’ third season got him an Emmy for Outstanding Actor. On his role as Sherlock, Cumberbatch said, “Immediately as an actor I wanted to understand who Sherlock was, what his parents were, there’s a process I’ve got to go through.”
Till today, the actor has won 75 awards and received 164 nominations across film, television, and theatre, according to IMDb.
Cumberbatch and his wife, Sophie Hunter, met while working on the film Burlesque Fairytales. They started dating in 2013, a year after the couple got engaged. Then, in 2015, on Valentine’s Day, they got married.
Happiest of Birthdays, Benedict Cumberbatch!
Ask us! What questions do you have about content, strategy, pop culture, lifestyle, wellness, history or more? We may use your question in an upcoming article!
Like MediaFeed’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was syndicated by MediaFeed.co
