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Benedict Cumberbatch
I met Benedict Cumberbatch in February 2014, at Starfury's Sherlock Convention held at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Birmingham. I was there to assist at the Photoshoots, and was delighted to get this super photo taken with him. He also signed for me, a photo of him as Sherlock.
Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch, born in Hammersmith, London in 1976. He was born to the well-known TV actors of the time Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham. He has ahalf-sister
a half-sister Tracy, from Wanda Ventham's first marriage. Benedict first went to Brambletye Preparatory
Wanda Ventham
Timothy Carlton
Despite Benedict's parents' success in the theatre, they did their best to dissuade their son from following a similar path, by sending him to Harrow public school, where he had been awarded an arts scholarship. At Harrow, he was interested in rugby and painting, but it was acting and the theatre that really captured his imagination. When he was 13 years old, he was again in A Midsummer's Night Dream, but this time in the female role of Titania
Preparatory School in West Sussex, where, at the age of 12, he played Bottom in the school's production of Shakespeare's
Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Cumberbatch at Harrow in 1990
After leaving Harrow, Cumberbatch spenta
Titania, Queen of the Fairies.
spent a year teaching English in Tibet, before returning to study drama at Manchester University. After graduating from there, he spent a year at LAMDA (the London Academy of Musicand
Music and Dramatic Art), where he received a Masters degree in classical acting.
As Stephen Hawking in Hawking
As Paul Marshall in Atonement
As William Pitt in Amazing Grace
His career began with roles in classic plays and small TV shows, but his big breakthrough came in 2004, when he portrayed a young StephenH
Stephen Hawking coping with the early stages of motor neurone disease, in the TV movie Hawking, a performance that earned him a BAFTA nomination.
As Patrick Watts in Starter for 10
nomination. His first big-screen role was as Prime Minister William Pitt in the historical drama
drama Amazing Grace (2006), quickly followed by a lesser role as college student Patrick Watts in the comedy Starter for 10 (2006). He next appeared in the romantic mystery film Atonement (2007) and then played opposite Natalie Portman & Scarlett Johansson in the historical drama The Other Boleyn Girl (2009).
Scarlett Johansson & Benedict Cumberbatch in
The Other Boleyn Girl
In 2010, Cumberbatch shot to stardom when the BBC aired Sherlock, a modernadaptation
Benedict Cumberbatch & Martin Freeman as Holmes and Watson
modern adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, which won widespread praise. and gave recognition to Cumberbatch, who played Holmes, with Martin Freeman as his sidekick, Dr. Watson. In 2014, Cumberbatch's parents appeared in two episodes, playing Holmes' mother and father.
As Alan Turing in The Imitation Game
Cumberbatch, his parents & Mark Gatiss in Sherlock
Cumberbatch next appeared in two Oscar-nominated films - the Cold War thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) and Steven Spielberg's World War I drama, War Horse (2011). He followed
followed this with acclaimed roles in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), 12 Years a Slave (2013), The Fifth Estate (2013) playing Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, and The Imitation Game (2014) in which he starred as Alan Turing.
Cumberbatch & Chiwetile Jiofor in 12 Years a Slave
Benedict Cumberbatch & Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
As Major Jamie Stewart in War Horse
As Nick Kaufman in The Whistleblower
As Julian Assange in The Fifth Estate
In 2011, he won an Olivier Award for Best Actor when heappeared
he appeared at the Royal National Theatre in Danny Boyle's Frankenstein, a role that required him to alternate, playing Victor Frankenstein and his monster on opposite nights. The playwas
Cumberbatch with Eve Best in Hedda Gabler
In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), Cumberbatch
Frankenstein
play was highly controversial for the considerable amount of full nudity that was required from most of the cast. Other stage performances include Hedda Gabler at the Almeida Theatre in 2005 and After the Dance at the Royal National Theatre in 2010.
As The Monster in
In 2013, Cumberbatch won the BAFTA/LA Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year - a year in which 5 of his films were premiered. These were Star Trek Into Darkness; 12 Years a Slave; The Fifth Estate; August:Osage County & The Hobbit:The Desolation of Smaug. 2014 saw Cumberbatch win his first Emmy, for his leading role in Sherlock.
Cumberbatch did the voices for both the Necromancer, and the dragon, Smaug.
Cumberbatch with his Britannia Award for 'British Artist of the Year'
Cumberbatch has had several romantic attachments including actress Olivia Poulet and fashion designer Anna Jones.
Olivia Poulet
Anna Jones
Benedict Cumberbatch interviewed by Sean Harry at Starfury
In November 2014, Cumberbatch revealed that he had become engaged to the actress and theatre director Sophie Hunter. They announced their engagement in the traditional way, by placing an announcement in The Times newspaper, on 5th November 2014.
Sophie Hunter & Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Cumberbatch has signed this photo for me
