Meryl Streep just got her millionth Oscar nomination this morning for August: Osage County. Both Meryl and Julia Roberts got the sole acting nominations from the ensemble which also included Benedict Cumberbatch, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Abigail Breslin, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper and on and on. Since they were playing one big extended family, Meryl had the idea that they should all live together while filming. Well, “live together” in the same condo building and eat lots of meals together, basically. But apparently there was one odd man out: Benedict Cumberbatch. Meryl appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night, and she ended up revealing an interesting little fact about our beloved Cumberbatch.
Meryl is listing all of the people who stayed in the same condo building and she said: “Benedict Cumberbatch… Actually Benedict Cumberbatch was in a special hotel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, which is in the center of Bartlesville.” Jimmy says: “Well when your name’s Benedict Cumberbatch, you can’t stay in a condominium.” Meryl: “You can’t ‘Cumberbatch’ down to where we are…no.” EXCELLENT. Obviously, Meryl hates Benedict Cumberbatch. End of story.
If you’d like to know the real story though… I’ve read other pieces about how the film was cast, and Benedict sent in an audition tape for the role. The director, John Wells, saw the tape and liked Benedict for the part, so Wells showed the tape to Meryl and she agreed. She was pro-Cumberbatch at one point. Maybe the whole “staying in hotel” thing was just a mix-up with his rider/agent.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Meryl hates Benedict seems like a reach.
It’s a HUGE reach lol.
Yes, HUGE reach. I think she was joking. Much ado about nothing here…..
Well Kaiser isn’t even saying that. Kaiser makes ado about Cumberbatch no matter what, but I am completely on board (smiles at Kaiser) per the deal I made with the devil about not showing the Sears model guy.
Clever Kaiser!
Slipping in a pro-cumby post under the guise of Meryl’s interview.
I see what you did there.
Wish he would have stayed at my house.
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeee…if he knocks on my door, it will OPEN!
I don’t think she hates him lol, you can lovingly throw shade in my opinion, they worked together for months, they’ve probably formed an amicable relationship so this is probably friendly shade 😉
Maybe he wasn’t there for the full duration of the filming?? heheh funny though.
Team Meryl. Always team Meryl
They played a family in the movie so I think Meryl’s suggestion was appropriate. He probably could not sneak in his “escorts” so he did not want to live with the rest of the cast.
I think saying Meryl hates the guy is a reach here but I don’t think she is above calling him out for not doing what the rest of the cast was doing to bond. I get actors have a different process and maybe Cumberbatch doesn’t work that way but I don’t think Meryl is wrong in what she says. If it was good enough for folks like Meryl and Julia, then it should have been good enough for him.
Ha ha, gah I love Meryl
Same here! Hehe, loved it.
Why? She is trashing her colleagues… And Cumberbatch said nice things about her. She IS FULL OF IT!!!
Hahaha love the *sad face* pic for Cumbie you chose for this story! You girls are the best for choosing pics.
Or maybe she is just insufferable. And he needed a break from her when he went home at night. 🙂
But to be honest… what is with Meryl lately?
She has been a little mouthy about other people. And this from a woman who would not come out to support this August movie just a month ago. Remember when Julia was the only one showing up for the PR stuff. Meryl was not anywhere to be seen.
And everyone was speculating that they hated each other.
Right? I was going to post that she seems grumpy lately. Then again, she’s Meryl F’ing Streep and she’s got nothing left to prove anymore. I remember when she was giving her speech for the Iron Lady at the Oscars that she said she’s probably never be up there again. I think she’s just at that point in her career where she doesn’t give a crap who she offends because she’s more than accomplished whatever her goals were.
If you watch the clip — she was teasing him. As someone up thread said, it was loving shade.
Hey, Slippie! I was wondering where you were today. Good to see you.
Oh, come on she was joking.
Staying in a FLW-designed hotel bunking down with Meryl the Matriarch- hmmm decisions…decisions… :p
Maybe he deliberately stayed somewhere else because isn’t he kind of the black sheep of the family in the movie? I can’t believe Cumby would be so posh and self-important as to turn down an opportunity to spend more time with Meryl Streep. We aren’t getting the full story here.
Unless he had $25k in hookers to hide.
hahahahaha that town is small the entire town would know then
Ha that was my thought as well.
Benedict often stays apart from the rest of the crew. People have speculated he’s an introvert.
*Raises leaves in wave*
As Ladyslippers and I know, only those that truly love you will provide shade when you need it! Maybe Meryl thought Cumby could use a little for being so precious but she meant it lovingly 🙂
Honestly…if I worked with people all day I’m not sure I would want to go home and live with them next door. And I’ve toured the Frank Lloyd Wright skyscraper – it is incredible! I would love to stay there.
Introvert here. I would totally do the same thing. Need the space.
Who wouldn’t choose a hotel over a condo? You’ve got maid service, room service, restaurants. Maybe, like me, Cumby doesn’t want to make his own meals or his own bed.
Ugh, let the guy stay wherever he wants. Is it me, or is Meryl a bit prickly lately? First the diatribe against Walt Disney. Now shading a fellow actor because he dared to stay some place other than where she suggested.
Haha- I can’t blame him- imagine staying in a condo with the people you work with! No thank you!
i’m with this. I wouldn’t want to live with my co-workers either.
Especially if you’re making a movie and working 14 hours a day.
And even more especially if one of your coworkers is Julia Roberts.
Zing! My thought exactly- I don’t think I’d want to sign up for 24 hours of Julia Roberts.
Didn’t he stay in a cottage during filming of Sherlock while everyone else was in a hotel together. Maybe dude just hates people or needs lots of benny-time alone.
Benny-time. XD
I will always be appreciative for that.
I don’t think she hates him, but I do think she was giving him a side eye. Though… living with Meryl and Julia? I can imagine why he stayed in the hotel. I don’t hate him but I can’t stand him for thinking it’s his place to decide what is degrading for women. I wonder if Meryl or Julia would have had any opinions on his perspective toward “cumberbitches.”
He’s very respectful towards women and many times has stated how he hates the term ‘Cumberbitches’. His legions of women fans have given themselves that dubious name and he’s very uncomfortable with it.
I could live in a condo with Meryl however NOT Julia. Or any other actors actually. Do you know any actors? I’ve worked with them for years. Not anyone I’d want to spend my down time with after spending 10-14 hours together on set. Blech.
i think with sherlock, it may be a case of him trying to learn his lines in peace. he has way more complicated dialogues than any other character. it seems like an exhausting character to play.
Lmao it’s just teasing….Kimmel annoys me like why would he alway mock Cumby’s name like get over it.
The fact that a Meryl Streep interview wasn’t complete without a mention of Cumby proves how far he has come 😉
Also she has said such lovely things before about him that I don’t see anything in this.
Btw Cumby also stayed at a seperate hotel in Cardiff while shooting Sherlock. So maybe wing alone helps him prepare better for a role.
Why does Benedict or anyone else have to do what Meryl wants? She was a cast member, not the director or producer.
Benedict has said glowing things about her, has been incredibly respectful of her, and this is what he gets for it. I don’t think she should have mentioned where he stayed. That was unnecessary.
I’m sort of torn here…I can understand why BC choosing to be the only one living at the ‘Frank Lloyd Wright’ hotel would come across as pompous (and maybe he really is just a pompous jerk…I know nothing about this guy at all).
On the other hand, I hate all that ‘method-y’ acting bs of ‘Oh we should all live together since we play a family, etc.’ It’s not some ‘big brother’ reality show, for goodness sakes! I’d want to get away from everyone, too, after spending 8-14 hours a day with them.
It’s just pseudo jingoistic american actors getting jealous and insecure and threatened of incredibly talented British actors like Benedict Cumberbatch. So they try to hurt where they know the prejudiced public will thoroughly nod, just attack them for their choice of being individualistic and not keep their business to themselves.
Why would anyone in that movie be jealous of Benedict? I mean they are all more successful than him, like a million times.
Uh, what? Pretty sure Meryl was just teasing, and it’s kind of ridiculous to say that she has reason to be jealous of anyone. I mean, she’s Meryl Streep.
@Debbie
That has to be one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard. Quite a leap of logic there. Paranoid much?
Heck, if I had the chance to stay at a place designed by Frank Lloyd Wright I’d jump at it! Despite the company, who would choose a condo over a much more interesting place that also gives you some – probably – much needed quiet to focus?
ugh i cant take anyone serious who thinks they need setups like that to act or to “create chemistry”. you are supposed to pretend not live like that for real. like when people are really drunk in a scene. then you ARE drunk, you are not ACTING drunk.
Um….I don’t think MERYL STREEP needs acting tips from you.
From what I’ve always heard, Meryl Streep is superfriendly and likes to befriend castmates. She probably suggested living together because it was filmed in a small town where accomodations are limited.
Relax and put your shanks back in your pockets, Cumberbitches. The woman was making a JOKE.
Live with Julia Roberts for weeks? PASS. If he showed up on time and did his job, that’s all that matters. I’m not one of his devoted followers, but he’s allowed to have his own life off-hours.
Agreed! I think he’s the type who needs peace and quiet so he can recharge and be ready for filming. You can’t exactly do that if your coworkers are knocking on your door at all hours and inviting you to get dinner or watch a movie with them or just stopping by for a chat.
I definitely see this was said rather lovingly by Meryl. She’ll probably tease him about this for years to come, though!
The actors had their own condo units in the same building, lol. They weren’t all sharing the same unit. The condos were probably nicer than that hotel, actually, it’s only a 3-star.
Anyway, she’s said nice things about him so I don’t think this was supposed to be a dig. More like she was teasing him the entire time, she had him at her condo at one point.
BC was out in the town at least. People were disappointed with Streep, she didn’t really come out, but I don’t think she got along well with Roberts.
Sounds like friendly shade and she’ been more than complimentary about him in interviews in relation to the role.
He has the tiniest part in the movie so was probably there the least amount of time. He was seen out for brunch with cast and at smashing pumpkins gig with juliette so I’d hardly think he was avoiding them and being a diva but watch the folks that hate him be all over this.
Maybe Benedict really loves architecture. 😀
When Ben films Sherlock, he stays at a separate hotel in Cardiff, away from cast and crew. This seems to be a thing with him. Maybe to center himself or something? Certainly doesn’t seem like he’s purposely being a dick.
Others have used the fact he lives apart from the crew to support the theory he’s an introvert and needs time to recharge.
That makes sense to me, LadySlippers. I’m an introvert, and I actually shuddered a bit when I thought about living down the hall from the same people I was working on an intense project with.
That Bheem is an introvert is far more likely than him being a bitchy diva. Puhleese. You only have to hear him to know how deep his manners run. Whijsh by the way well pedigreed. I guess we know who is being a bully here for slandering him for being articulate and having a different name, which by the way, sounds way way way more pleasing and cute than Meryl Streep ( which cud well be an STD)
Debbie, Did you actually *watch* the Kimmel interview? She was clearly teasing him in that instance. In other interviews she heaps on the praise.
LunchComa, I agree. People are always floored to find out I’m an introvert as I’m a fairly gregarious person but I SO need space to recharge myself. We introverts need to stand together. But apart. Lol
I’m an introvert, too! I’m not saying BC is, but I can definitely see where someone needs time to themselves. If you’re all in the same building (just in separate units), I’m sure there’s the expectation that you should spend your downtime together. That doesn’t sound relaxing to me at all.
Yes, and also his role was only 10 or 15 minutes onscreen, right? (I haven’t seen the movie yet) I keep hearing that his role is pivotal to the story but very brief. Maybe he didn’t want to move in with all his colleagues just for 2 weeks of work.
I’m also an introvert. Being expected to be with people all the time and have to be “on” for them all the time sounds like a nightmare. Actually, I DID have this nightmare once when my parents, on a whim, sent me to this Christian camp one summer. I think I was 11 or 12. It was HORRIBLE. Not because it was religious, but because I had to be “on” every waking minute and if I showed the slightest desire to to break away from the group I was deemed “moody” or “unfriendly’ and the adults would run over to ask me what was wrong. Never again. Never, ever.
Maureen, that does sound horrible. I think one of the hardest parts of being an introvert is that people just don’t get it. I had a friend (who is a big extrovert, BTW) say that it’s easier for an extrovert to dial it down a notch than it is for an introvert to act like the life of the party.
I need a lot of time to myself, and if I had to live with some of the people I’ve worked with in the past I just might stick my head in the condo oven.
Then you guys must read the book QUIET. It’s about introverts and it’s fascinating.
It is Bartlesville, Oklahoma y’all. It is not THAT fancy.
True dat!
She probably begrudges him of his good judgement not to move in with Julia Roberts.
No kidding. I can’t imagine how much “fun” that must have been.
Am I the only one who is starting to dislike Meryl Streep?
Yes.
Haha
I doubt I am the only one
Nope, you’re alone my dear.
I eloped in oklahoma several years ago and honeymooned for two days at the Price Tower. Cool hotel. Very quiet.
Cheap stay. Great architecture.
I see this as Meryl liking BC because I’d only say that about someone I liked and knew could take the ribbing. If I didn’t like them I wouldn’t do it a) who needs the drama and b) I don’t like you so why would I joke about you?
Her thing about Walt Disney was totally different and well, it was true wasn’t it.
Yeah, this reads to me like giving shit to a friend because you get on well enough to do it and know that it’s just teasing.
I LOVE it when actors get old enough or at the time in their careers where they don’t give a F**k and gossip. All the ugly comes out and I admit I love it.
Haha! I would hazard a guess she’s teasing… she’s said some very nice things about him, and vice versa. Was Benedict there for the entire shoot? If he was only there for a few weeks, or something, I could see deciding to just stay at a hotel, rather than a condo?
he’s has a very small part. maybe two or three scenes in the whole movie, so i doubt he was around for very long.
Benedict definitely stayed back at Meryl’s one night even after all the others had gone . Just the two of them together chatting. It was the night of the Presidential election and they were the last two left watching TV in her room when the voting was going on. Hardly a sign of them not getting on. It was mentioned in articles a while back. She seems a grumpy old devil at the moment.
Wasn’t he also bouncing back and forth to LA at the time, too, for ST:ITD stuff? Maybe a hotel was just easier. Or he just wanted to stay at the hotel.
I would have picked a Wright designed building for the aesthetic experience over a condo with people I may or may not like any day. I guess that makes me a (happy) snob too.
IMO, this is just another manufactured tempest in a teapot
Me too. I’d love to stay in a Wright building!
She is just teasing him for his diva tendencies.
Sorry, this is a non-starter. Meryl is just kidding, she’s having a piss at Benedict’s expense.
I’m sure Benedict is staying up at night wondering why he didn’t stay in a condo. LOL!
As other people said, commenting this post, maybe Cumberbatch is an introverted. What’s wrong with this? It isn’t forbidden by law, we are not obliged to be “buddy buddy” 24 hours a day. You can get along very well with your coworkers, but you don’t wish to stay with them all day and all night, for some people it would be exhausting. Besides, I think it’s exagerated to say Meryl Streep hates him…
I would imagine Benny would be the type to stay in hotel because it was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright just for the architectural experience. Plus maybe he didnt want to live with a whole bunch of other people he doesn’t know.
LOL, you KNOW he geeked out over the architecture of that hotel. The man spent 10 minutes waxing rhapsodic over a latte during an interview, for god’s sake.
She was most likely joking but they both look as though they could be major bitches if they so choose
I think people are getting too defensive over Meryl’s comments about Benedict. She is obviously joking, she probably loves the guy because she has said so many nice things about him. What’s wrong with a little shade? I don’t think she minded Benedict being in a hotel any more than we all seem to care (which is not at all). Besides, since he plays the black sheep of the family, it makes sense that he would be more detached from the rest of the cast.
Also, I’m not understanding the shade people are throwing at Meryl for wanting people to live together? She explained her reasoning behind it (the Steppenwolf clan “knew each other inside and out”) and it seems fairly understandable to me. She wanted everyone to bring as much authenticity to the movie as was in the play, and she thought it would help. It isn’t the end of the world that she suggested it and people did it, so I’m not sure why so much shade is being thrown her way for being “methody.”
” It isn’t the end of the world that she suggested it and people did it, so I’m not sure why so much shade is being thrown her way for being “methody.”
I thought it was a cute idea, actually. Sure, they’re actors and they are being paid to act like a family who knows each other’s secrets and quirks. But I think it helps if you have some kind of rapport and relationship that’s established before you start filming.
And really, they were all in the middle of OK, away from family and friends. While I wouldn’t spend every waking hour with everyone, I’d at least grab a drink with them after work or something every now and then.
@Lady
“Introverts need to stand together. But apart.” So true, and hilarious!!
😀
I can totally understand why BC wouldn’t want to stay with this group 24/7 for weeks & weeks. There are a few of them I have a hard time handling for 2 hours at a time!
And, I think if Meryl wanted to shade someone, you’d know it (ex; Walt Disney). This is just a little light ribbing, IMO.
OMG, being the only reserved Brit among a gaggle of excitable Americans… I commend him on having the guts to say, “Um, no thanks.” Plus, it sounds like he wasn’t in many scenes* so no need to move in, I guess.
* You guys tell me. I was really excited to see the movie, and then the trailers started running… It just looks like hackneyed, hysterical family nonsense. I feel like I’ve seen this same movie a million times, especially ‘A Thousand Acres’ (also, all tedious: The Family Stone, Home for the Holidays, Rachel Getting Married, etc., etc.). I’ll wait for on-demand/Netflix.
Perhaps is just like many of us that when we are finished working for the day, we want to go home and not be around our co-workers again. I would never agree to live in a building with my co-workers for a couple of weeks. No thanks.
LOL at people over-reacting to one single sentence! For gods sake, it’s like she said “burn in hell benedict cumberbatch, a plague a on you and both your posh british houses!”
Christ, she expressed her opinion and teased. So what? She’s still a ten times better actor than he is, he can be happy he got to work with her.
And I can totally see Benedict refusing the condo arrangement and deciding to live on his own in a hotel, that totally fits his (well projected anyway) personality. But so what, again, he can do what he likes, I don’t hold this decision against him.
Unlike America, the rest of the world isn’t prone to being happy, smiley and nice 24/7, towards everyone, without exception. Why should you fake your emotions and pretend? If you don’t feel like doing something, have the balls to stand up for yourself.
Question – this is the second post I’ve seen someone mention Benedict with escorts….have I missed something??