What's this? This is an unbiased just-the-facts news timeline ('newsline') about Benedict Cumberbatch, created by Newslines contributors. Become a contributor

Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch71 posts

Benedict Cumberbatch is an English actor born in London in 1976. After playing a variety of TV and film roles he gained international recognition in Sherlock, the BBC’s adaptation of Sherlock Holmes. Since then he has appeared in Star Trek: Into Darkness, 12 Years a Slave, and has voiced animated characters such as the dragon Smaug in The Hobbit series. He continues to act in theater productions.

Biography view > Click for Latest News view
1995

Penhaligon’s

Hired0 Comments
penhaligons5During his gap year between attending Harrow’s and Manchester University, the actor hears of an opportunity to volunteer for teaching English at a Tibetan monastery. He seeks out employment at Penhaligon’s perfumery where he works for six months to earn the income he will need to make the journey.
I had a real yearning to make use of the opportunities I had at school. When I heard about the gap year of teaching English at a Tibetan monastery, I knew I had to do something about it really quickly otherwise it was going to get allocated. I was very decisive. I worked for six months to drum up the finance as it was voluntary – there was no income.

Teaches English in Tibet

Moves Country0 Comments

Cumberbatch teaches English to Tibetan Buddhist monks at a monastery in a Nepali home near Darjeeling

They were amazingly warm, intelligent, humorous people. Hard to teach English to. I built a blackboard, which no other previous teachers seem to have done. With 12 monks in a room with an age-range of about 8 to 40, that’s quite important – and the reward-punishment thing of sweets or no sweets, or game or no game, worked quite well. But they taught me a lot more than I could possibly ever teach them. They taught me about the simplicity of human nature, but also the humanity of it, and the ridiculous sense of humour you need to live a full spiritual life.

1 Apr, 2004

Hawking

TV Appearance0 Comments
Stars in the TV movie Hawking – a drama documenting the life and work of Professor Stephen Hawking, a man whom, despite being diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 21, has managed to shake the scientific community with his theories on the nature of the universe. Despite being a reputably private person, Stephen Hawking meets with members of the film team and with Cumberbatch to discuss the trials and triumphs of his life.

It’s really odd when you meet somebody you’re about to play, and Stephen must have been as terrified by that as I was. […] The first thing you get when you meet someone with motor neurone disease is the complete person. You see past the disability instantly to all the rich complexities of a human character.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Hawking - Only human (but still a genius!)

19 Jul, 2012

Emmy nomination

Nomination0 Comments

Cumberbatch is nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for the 64th Emmy Awards for portraying Sherlock Holmes on Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia.

I am absolutely thrilled and could not have wished for a better birthday present especially because I am so delighted to see how well we have done across the board, particularly Paul McGuigan getting a nod for his extraordinary vision.

The 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards 2012 Nominees

18 Jul, 2013

Emmy nomination

Nomination0 Comments

Cumberbatch is nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards for portraying Christopher Tietjens on Parade’s End.

This nomination is a wonderful early birthday present.

2013 Emmy Award nominees announced

17 May, 2014

Will star in ‘Yellow Birds’

Casting0 Comments

The actor will star in the Iraq war-drama Yellow Birds, based on the 2012 National Book Award finalist by Kevin Powers.  Cumberbatch will play an Army sergeant that takes two young soldiers under his wing. The book, based on Powers’ personal experiences in the Iraq War, has been called “the All Quiet on the Western Front for America’s Arab wars” by Tom Wolfe.

21 May, 2014

Replaces Guy Pearce in Whitey Bulger film

Casting0 Comments

After scheduling issues with Pearce, Cumberbatch is tapped to take on the role of Billy Bulger, Whitey Bulger’s brother and Massachusett’s State Senator. The project is based on the book Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob written by Boston Blobe reporters Dick Lerh and Gerard O’Neill. This movie has been in the works since 2004 and will feature Johnny Depp in the leading role of the ruthless gangster.

29 May, 2014

Nominated for Critics’ Choice Award

Nomination0 Comments

Cumberbatch is nominated for a Critics Choice Television Award for his work in Sherlock: His Last Vow. He will be going up against co-star and friend Martin Freeman who has been nominated for his work in Fargo. The awards will be announced on June 19t at 8PM EST on The CW.

5 Jun, 2014

The Imitation Game

0 Comments

Cumberbatch will play Alan Turing in the biopic, The Imitation Game. The story is set in World War 2 with Cumberbatch as a British code breaker. For the role, he had to perfect the character’s stutter and study his life. It is set to release in November 2014.

He’s an exceptional man…I hope this film does justice to this unsung hero.

8 Jun, 2014

The Penguins of Madagascar

Film Appearance0 Comments

1402260457002-main-PENGUINS-MADAGASCAR-MOV-jy-5096-In the animated film The Penguins of Madagascar, Cumberbatch voices the character of agent Classified – the head of a covert protective force of animals. In this film, Classified must team up with the Madagascar penguins to take down Octavius and save the animal kingdom.

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.

12 Jun, 2014

Sherlock Season 4 premiere possible delay

0 Comments

The busy schedules of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman may delay Sherlock’s Season 4 premiere release. Cumberbatch is currently working on his character, Smaug the Dragon, for the Hobbit trilogy. In addition to the Hobbit, Cumberbatch may take on another character for another movie. Sherlock‘s producer is not worried about the possible schedule conflicts with his actors and tells reporters that they will do what they can without sacrificing the quality of the show.

2 Jul, 2014

Season 4 and special announced

0 Comments

BBC  teases Season 4 of Sherlock, promising there will not only be three new episodes but a “special” as well.

As of now, no date has been announced though producers have announced to begin filming in January and are speculating for a late 2015 release.

10 Jul, 2014

Emmy nomination

Nomination0 Comments

Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for Sherlock: His Last Vow. The Emmy awards will be held on August 25th and will air on NBC.

San Diego Comic-Con

0 Comments

Cumberbatch is slated to take part in his first San Diego Comic-Con. While he is there, he will be promoting The Penguins of Madagascar. There are rumors that he will participate in Peter Jackson’s panel promoting The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The 90-minute Penguins panel is set to take place at the convention center’s Hall H on July 24, starting at 11:30 a.m. 

23 Aug, 2014

Ice Bucket Challenge: Benedict Cumberbatch

Donation0 Comments

Cumberbatch accepts the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge after being nominated by Tom Hiddleston. He completed the challenge only after providing a brief statement on the importance of the organization. As an Motor Neurone Disease Association Ambassador, completes the challenge not one but over 4 times.

Please donate by texting  ICED55 followed by the amount you’d like to pledge to  70070. It’s an important cause.

He nominates Kylie Minogue, Harvey Weinstein, and Lewis Hamilton.

13 Nov, 2014

Plays imitation game

0 Comments

Cumberbatch imitates eleven celebrities in 60 seconds during an interview with MTV’s Josh Horowitz. The challenge is related to Cumberbatch’s upcoming film The Imitation Game.

Benedict Cumberbatch's Celebrity Impressions | The Imitation Game | MTV After Hours

20 Nov, 2014

Time cover

Magazine Cover0 Comments

benedictCumberbatch appears on the cover of Time magazine’s annual “genius” issue as Nazi code breaker, Alan Turing, who he portrays in The Imitation Game. Cumberbatch discusses his admiration of Turing.

This man’s achievements are extraordinary. Everything that’s been thrown at computers—all of it has only managed to work because of his idea of creating something universal in the first place.

28 Nov, 2014

The Imitation Game

0 Comments

In this thriller, directed by Morten Tyldum, Cumberbatch plays Alan Turing, the genius British computer scientist. He cracks the German Enigma Code which helps the Allies win WWII. Co-starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Goode.

Not many people know the whole story, that he invented the computer, broke the Enigma code, was prosecuted for being a homosexual and underwent a year of oestrogen injections before dying in 1954. The irony and sickness of it was extraordinary! He wasn’t shouting from the rooftops or trying to start a cause, he was just a man who was gay. He’s such a quiet hero.

THE IMITATION GAME - Official UK Teaser Trailer - Starring Benedict Cumberbatch