Here are some photos of Benedict Cumberbatch greeting fans and signing autographs following his performance in Hamlet last night in London. While I thought Benedict had every right to request that his fans not record him during performances, I also thought it was slightly mean/rude for the Barbican to put up notices telling Cumberbitches that Bendy would never, ever stop and sign autographs for fans after performances. It felt like he was making a big deal about not interacting with fans, which… I mean, he doesn’t OWE them anything more than his performance, but a lot of his fans traveled distances far and wide just to see The Alien Otter King.
So Bendy finished up his performance and spent some time with his fans last night. By all accounts, he was pleasant and respectful and he signed a lot of autographs and took a lot of selfies with fans. He must have been exhausted, but good for him for doing that. I do worry that he’s just made the Cumberbitch problem worse though – the whole reason why the Barbican put up those notices that Bendy wouldn’t be doing autographs was to cut down on the sheer number of girls waiting outside the theater for him. And while he may think, “Just this once, it won’t hurt,” now all of the Cumberladies are going to go back to waiting for him after each and every performance.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
Sixer… paging Sixer!!
Sorry – busy having a summer holidays film fest with Sixlet Major (t’other one’s playing cricket)!
All’s I’m saying is, “Told you, told you, ner ner di ner ner!”
Gosh, Benny did stage door after all. The whole thing has been NOTHING to do with manufactured controversy at all, has it? Definitely not.
Gotta hand it to him though. Dude knows how to generate publicity for himself.
I’ll all for PR moves, but I got to say it was obvious he was going to start doing it before the video, he wasn’t using an alternative exit. Making a decision so far in advance was good for ticket buyers but not for him.
An actor asking people not to record is not a true controversy unless it’s Patti Lupone-style (which I admittedly loved), and most of the general public agreed with him anyway.
I’m personally blaming the Barbican for this series of naked publicity grabs (also BBC News for aiding and abetting. It should be a crime against theatre, not a news item). However, given Benny’s shenanigans over the last year, I’m seeing him as a willing accomplice.
Could certainly be, I don’t feel the theater has its ducks in a row at the moment. He seems to be trying to just do the play at this point and not screw the cast and crew over, but of course ymmv!
Damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t. Actually feeling a little sorry for the dude.
Exactly. Should he, or shouldn’t he? If he doesn’t, he’s mean. If he does, he’s making the problem worse.
+1
Look, and no offense to any of his reasonable fans here, if his some of fans didn’t act like children, there would never be an issue.
Ah, those curls. Did they ever say what his child is named?
It should be Bucket, right? Or Bouckette if they want to be fancy (Bukyt if they want to be trendy)…
http://youtu.be/MxEA5UFpTGw
“The Bouqueeeettt Residence, Lady of the house speaking!”
I saw this and thought of the SNL skit, Lord and Lady “Femine Hygiene Product” Where the Devil are those “Femine Hygiene Products”…
It kind of loses the effect if you have to edit yourself. LOL
He named him Hamlet and would announce at the opening night.
I suppose what it comes down to is the fact that doing autographs always looks better than not doing them. And yes, the Barbican’s slightly standoffish ‘Mr Cumberbatch…’ notices didn’t help matters.
By signing now, all his fans will start lining up for autographs and the venue can claim that they have to shut it down for “health and safety reasons”, so no more Cumberbitch anger at the Otter overlord of their hearts cause it’s the meanies at the venue that shut it down, not him.
Result: no more bad press for him fleecing the fans and then ignoring them. I see you pr. Adjusts tin foil deerstalker hat.
@Zapp, I’d suggest you join us in the Conspiracy Theory Gazebo from a prior Hiddleston/Olsen thread but the tinfoil-lined roof we’d installed collapsed during the last party so it’s out of commission.
I did manage to salvage some of the catering though, so I come bearing snacks!
Seriously, they’ve insisted for a year there would be no stage door and that lasted less than two weeks into the actual run (they’re not even out of previews yet, ffs). I bet he can’t/won’t do it for the entire run of the play, so why give in so early unless it was to distract from some of the less-than-positive news that’s been out there lately. Or to boost the delicate ego of the fragile artiste after a trying week.
@ Dara crumpled snacks? count me in.
eh the notice was so everyone buying tickets didn’t get mad in case there was no stage door
id imagine he’ll it occasionally throughout the run like most actors do. this is like the 3rd or 4th time hes done it but to be fair he was coming out and thanking fans right from the 1st night
He should have stuck to ‘No i’m not doing it’ – this will only make the issues with his crazies much worse esp if they think he might come out and sign autographs. This maybe a response to the issues with the performances being recorded but still he’s opening himself up to a rough time during the run with the fangirls.
He has a love/hate relationship with his fans and only wants to deal with them on his own terms (conventions etc..) but you can’t have it both ways. He’s thirsty for fame and the crazies come with the kind of fame that he thirst for – he needs to suck it up.
There will be tears.
IMO it’s more complicated than that. He wants to interact but doesn’t understand why some fans are ‘fans’ yet are disrespectful or inappropriate or downright a threat to other fans near them (his fans have hit each other and pushed each other to the ground in front of him).
My friend witnessed a bad scene after the STID premiere in Japan (she was there for Pine) that led me to that conclusion, I should add.
So, I get what you’re saying, but I also get why he’s “?” because I don’t get it either.
I have also witnessed how cray cray some his ‘fans’ are. I was at the taping of the Graham Norton show where he appeared with Harrison Ford (I was there for Han Solo – even now i still would) and there was a group of women (young and middle aged) who were hyperventilating at the thought that they might not get close to the stage or even get in (they always oversubscribe so you have to get there early to make sure you can get in). When he arrived on stage, one of those young ladies started shrieking and jumped off her seat and ran down onto the studio floor, thankfully she didn’t rush the stage. Everyone else sat in their seats. When the taping ended i was nearly trampled to death on the way out by ‘fans’ rushing to get round to the studio main entrance. Made me glad am not famous.
It sounds awful. I understand when actors complain, I mean I know they know that in their work in general fame is a natural consequence of success, but I hardly see people blaming fans for their bad behavior, it’s always a celebrity who has to know how to deal with them.
i’ve mixed feelings over the actors should just deal with it thing like i get the point, but lbr, that’s also absolving fans of responsibility for their shitty behavior its a no-win
He needs to be more firm (ooo-er!) and draw a definite line with the fans, this flip-flop stance he takes won’t help dial down the crazy. There are pictures and stories from last night from one of his more invested fans had met his pr person and she was hugging her like a long lost friend. His pr person as the “front-line” person meeting the fans first should know not to engage in the foolery and has to set the tone. I am starting to think that he is long overdue a new team around him, his current one is in over their heads.
Now back to our usual broadcast!
you see the problem though? he had to make a decision on the stage door a year in advance to not piss off ticket buyers. but that’s waaaay too early.
ia his team sucks but ive thought that for years lol
This play hasn’t even started its official run and I am already exhausted by all the coverage. Gah.
People are acting like Bendy doing stage door is as rare as an alien sighting. Oh, wait…
Totally agree. It’s exhausting how much coverage this play is getting and it’s only been a week. Use to be a fan of his but he keeps flip flopping with his saying one thing and doing another so I kinda don’t believe anything this guy says anymore b/c he’ll do the exact opposite. It’s annoying.
After a 3 hour show, fair play to him for doing this but….. I kind of wish he’d just stuck to the not doing it because now, if there is a night he can’t/won’t, there will be loads of fans giving out and feeling hard done by “waah he did it every other night!” and I can see the numbers getting out of hand. It wont just be people who attended the play, you can bet on that.
He can’t win really.
Shoulda stuck with the original plan. Some of his fans are nuts and a risk; he shouldn’t cater to them because they whined. Do appearances officially and all, but some of the nutzos need to go away for the good of everyone.
The night I was there. nothing much happened. I think the hype is the issue, not the fans.
And who is fanning the flames of this hype? Mr C. himself or his PR (he should get better people, methinks).
There’s a hilarious story about him and fans in today’s Popbitch.
The one about their dastardly plan to spread rumors about SH to destabilize their marriage? Except they put this on Tumblr…What do they think will happen if they succeed?
Being a huge Broadway fan (and having been around the theatre in NYC, Toronto, and London), it is somewhat expected or assumed the cast, at least some of them, will stop after the performance for a quick photo or two and a few autographs. And often, the theatres set up appropriate barricades and security to make sure the experience is efficient, organized, and safe for fans and cast. So when I hear of a celeb deciding to not partake in that tradition, it’s always really disappointing, especially when one of the main cast members is a draw of that show, is a member of the cast. So I am glad to hear he did come out to greet people.
I DON’T GET IT.
It can’t be the accent. There are so many British blokes out there with that posh accent that I don’t see how he gets such a fervent following
His face- while unusual and attractive, I do not feel the loin stir over it
His resume – it’s still kind of short compared to other actors….
He’s great, and I loved Sherlock, but I am not seeing it!! Can anyone help me on this? is it because he looks tall? Was it the coat from Sherlock? *flail*
Its the Sherlock character that’s got their knickers wet – not him as a person.
If you watched Sherlock and didn’t see it, you’re probably just not going to see it. Did you get it from Khan? He was super hot in that. I dunno. It’s a charisma that does not come through as himself, but like crazy as Sherlock. It’s a combination of the way he moves, his voice, the coat, the funny dickish arrogance tempered by glimpses of sweetness/vulnerability. It’s just a great character and he plays it brilliantly.
I get nothing from him. Doesn’t have the looks (CB accurately describes him as an alien), I don’t feel the charisma and I’ve seen an episode of Sherlock. In Star Trek he wore a long flowing black cape – was that supposed to make him look hot? I’m completenly flummoxed as to the appeal of these homely looking Brits, Hiddleston, Cumberbatch, Redmayne, etc. I realize it’s a personal opinion, so not hating on them but just can’t see the appeal.
I agree that if you haven’t seen it in Sherlock, you’ll never see it.
It’s vintage super sexy Cumberbatch. I have to say that I prefer him in Third Star mode rather than in the Star Trek one. I like my Batch au naturel, not with the extra muscle. He’s a bit nerdy, a tad elfin and a lot brainy. Let’s leave the six-pack to those who have nothing else to bring to the table.
It’s his VOICE. Not a Cumberbitch, but just thinking of his deep, velvet voice makes me… feel things.
Ditto. The bummer with his going Hollywood is that he won’t be recording audiobooks or radio shows again for a couple of decades, probably.
Nah, the hotness of him as Khan wasn’t about the costume. Although, the snug black shirt did show off the nice arms he pumped up for it. It was more the way he carried himself, the way he pitched his voice, the perpetual scowl. I don’t know! Sexy villain! If you don’t see it, then you just don’t. Diff’rent strokes, it takes/Diff’rent strokes, it takes/Diff’rent strokes to rule the WOOOOOORLD! Mmmmm
To be honest, I used to be a major fan of a very popular British TV actor and I would wait outside TV studios/theatres to get his autograph. You would not believe the behaviour of his so called fans, some of whom would spit at him, grope him or verbally abuse him if he had to leave. He’s known for being great to his fans and he really is but, Jesus, I’m not surprised that some of them are ambivalent about it. I’ve heard complete horror stories about what he had to go thru and he is still bloody lovely to his fans.
Well, if I was BC I would sign 10 to 15 autographs and say goodnight and thank you to everyone. This is ridiculous! I am looking at those pictures and I am like are those truly fans? Do they like this man’s talent as they claim they do? I actually feel bad for him. If this stage door crap continues, he is going to have a nervous breakdown or be so worn out that his undestudy might take over. Selfish and suffocating crowd is this fandom! Get a grip Cumberbitches! Give the man some space to do his job so you can enjoy a fresh performance and he can be around for the next sherlock series. That Sherlock is a curse disguised as a blessing. It brought him fame to a bunch crazy people.
Have you been there or have you just seen pics and videos? Nothing much happens, people are respectful (and enthusiastic) and he seems to be enjoying himself. Plus, the other actors are doing SD too. I don’t quite understand what the fuss is about. It is a quite ordinary SD, no different from others I have been to. No pushing and shoving, just a bunch of people giggling and taking videos and photos. Why the drama?
It’s getting messy now because the crowds are getting bigger and louder. It’s not just audience members. There was pushing and screaming yesterday, according to someone there.
TBH I think it won’t be an incident but resident noise complaints over the yelling that may end it.