Bumbles Cumbersnap has not done ONE interview in the UK press to promote his run in Hamlet. While it would not have mattered either way – Hamlet was always going to be a sold-out show – it would have been nice to see a few print interviews from Lord Otterbatch. Instead, Benedict sat down with CNN Talk Asia for a much-hyped interview which will air over the weekend, I guess. CNN put some clips online, so now we get to enjoy Bendy Cumber’s delicious voice as well as his words.
On longevity:
On the British Invasion of Hollywood:
On Sherlock being sexy:
On being a Sex Symbol. “I feel monstrously uncomfortable talking about this…it’s just truly strange. I’ve been around a while now before this face which I’ve woken up with for 38 years now, a little bit longer, and I just go that’s the way I look and the first sort of few years of my career nobody sort of battered an eyelid. I didn’t cause any stares, wasn’t on the front page of any magazines or in polls or in calendars or on coffee mugs or god knows what else. And now it has just, yeah, it’s gone a bit berserk. It’s fun, it’s funny and it’s amusing. If you take it seriously I think you’re doomed really. Cause this ain’t going to last forever and hopefully my acting career will last at least as long as I last. I still giggle when people sort of fall about if they meet me in the streets or something. I find it funny. I’ve had the same face for however long I’ve been doing it, over 10 years now and it’s only recently it’s that face that’s garnered more attention or whatever, obsession. And I, yeah, I genuinely still find it quite amusing. So long that may continue because it keeps you a bit grounded.”
Sherlock. He says he almost said “no” to playing Sherlock Holmes: “I was very wary having done roles which were challenging and terrific and, you know kept a good career going. I was very wary about stepping into the limelight and the populist role like Sherlock Holmes but the minute I saw who was involved and read the script and the quality of it I thought I’ve got to do this.”
I’m adding a bonus video below of CNN’s “Best Bits.” The only thing that really struck me was that Otterbatch now claims he had qualms about stepping into the iconic role of Sherlock Holmes because he didn’t really want to be famous. Girl, STAHP.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
It must be annoying being asked the same question for 5 years.
At least he wasn’t asked to “twirl” and tell us what brand he was wearing.
At least give us the overdone “how will you balance parenthood and work!!”
Ohhh wait, that’s only for females!
Well, yes, it can be difficult to talk about things that don’t exist.
Snort
One must be a female otter to see it.
*snickers
lol He’s about as sexy as a Turtle.
He looks like Chris Martin to me.
This
Lol!!
Thank you! What sexiness? He looks like what happens when you cross a cucumber with an asparagus.
he should be because he’s so not sexy. not even approaching sexiness.
He and I share this feeling re: his sexiness.
+1,000. Ughhh.
I wonder how many men who resemble him, who previously might have been characterized as odd-looking, have benefited from the perception of him as sexy.
hahah. I hadn’t even thought of that. So true though.
Those guys are not posh millionaire actors, so I doubt they have more luck with the ladies.
don’t they just see people calling them ugly all the time tho?
He’s not really sexy, his voice well that’s another matter. And i think he’s (and his fans) are confusing the character of Sherlock with the actor as there is something about the CHARACTER that is strangely sexy but doesn’t really translate to the actor.
And as for not talking to the UK press, is he taking PR lessons from the Dolittles? Feed the international press but piss off the UK ones cause they don’t write nice things about me.
this back from mg china, not for hamlet
Cucumber batch and sexiness in the same sentence 😭😂 It’s too early for this.
I understood his sexiness when I saw Sherlock. His off-screen statements, attitude and behavior over the past year diminished it, however.
Same here and I purposely avoided watch Sherlock for ages cause I can’t be doing with everyone banging on about how ‘ooooh you must watch this!’
I’m stubborn, then I watched it and fine, I agree lol
Ah, me, too. Sherlock did it for me.
To this day, despite all of the terrible PR/Harvey crap,BC is an amazing actor. And yes, I have loved Sherlock Holmes forever. There is something Ben brought to Holmes that just made me love him more.
Count me in. Before any internet hysteria, I watched the first episode as it premiered on PBS. I remember thinking “this show is bizarre and that dude is WEIRD looking,” but that cute guy from The Office was in it, so I kept watching. Over the following week I couldn’t stop thinking about it/him. I couldn’t wait for the second episode, and by then was like “Martin who?” He’s hot, ON THE SHOW.
He’s so full of s**t in this interview.
Oy vey. I seem to remember him and Gatniss and Freeman saying they thought Sherlock would be a niche thing, certainly not “populist” and that it becoming what it is was a surprise.
An below is right, he’s said this before
i think it being as big as it is is a surprise, but it is sherlock holmes, it would be silly to think it’s not going to get public attention, especially with how much $ they spent on it
the bigger issue isn’t become famous per se but famous only for it, it can be hard for actors to escape the shadow of an iconic character
They all had different opinions, although I still think they all knew it would get some attention. Sue Verte said she thought it would have more of a cult following but that the leads were going to become huge off it.
So, they thought the show would have a passionate following, not become a global hit like it did, but would cause the actors to break through to the next level.
This was taken before Hamlet–gotta be from April-ish?
It’s not ‘now claims’, though Kaiser. He said that about Sherlock years ago, after Series 1. It’s a pretty common concern for actors with roles like that. Not because you’ll become famous, but because you’re exposed and there’s a chance the public/industry won’t see you outside of that character or as a real actor anymore. And he references that very thing later in the interview lol.
He didn’t want to step into the limelight or a “populist” role? The only reason I became aware of this guy is because he pursued roles in a good chunk of the established geek/pop-culture properties I’ve loved since childhood – Tolkien (successful), Star Trek (successful), and Star Wars (unsuccessful). And I’m not much of a Marvel follower, but even I know he went full court press for that Dr. Strange part. Or maybe he just discovered his great love for the populist limelight after Sherlock?
Well, he’s talking about what, 5 years ago? Before he knew how it would pan out.
Look, you’d have to be an absolute moron to not have concerns about taking those types of roles, especially at first. It can work out great or okay like it did for him, or it can screw over your long-term career.
“nobody sort of battered an eyelid”
Really….should that be “batted?” And can I please just say I HATE the phrase “sort of…” I mean, you either DID or you did NOT. How would one even “sort of” bat an eyelid….?
Also the sexiness part….to me he looks like someone whose nose is always running and needs to be wiped, you know what I mean?
My guess is he did say “batted” and an American, who was maybe dumb, transcribed it, thought he said “battered” because his accent is non-rhotic.
As he should be, dude looks like a horse, talking about how sexy that is, is disturbing.
He could play the lead role of Alan Strang and the horse in Equus. A true acting challenge instead of this small time Hamlet person.
Or Mr. Ed in a remake of Mr. Ed.
I find him very attractive but it’s the whole package, looks, voice, etc….he’s totally my type!
If I had to chose between Cumbersnuggles and Hiddlestone though I’d struggle! I guess it’d go down to who’s hair looked the best on the day!
I also find him attractive. I think his face is pretty. His voice is like velvet. And yes, I think he’s sexy. Would I hit it, given the chance? Most definitely! And that has nothing to do with his fame/celebrity status, except for the fact that I probably wouldn’t know he existed without it.
I guess it comes down to peferences. People are as different in their sexual preferences as in everything else in life. Where would the world be if only Hollywood actors were considered sexy? Not many people can live up to the standards of sexy set by the media or Hollywood. Just saying, if people find the Cumberbatch (or anyone else for that matter) sexy, why question that? Some are attracted to his fame, some to his character in SH, others are just genuinely pleased by his physical apperance. Live and let live!
Pretty much every actor playing a character like Sherlock Holmes has said this at one point, so…
Imo he would have been better off saying no in terms.
He isn’t the only British actor that is sexy.
Saw another bit of this on good old Tumblr. He was worried about the Mark Hamil Effect, lol, not being famous alone.
He is a lovely thoughtful man, that is attractive in its own right.
As for his looks, I don’t know if it works the same way for everyone but I get used to people’s looks with time. And when I’ve known somebody for a while I look through their looks and I kind of see them in my mind’s eye as a composition of their personality. Looks don’t matter anymore, only how I feel about that person.
The more amusing part of this thread is trying to figure out how ugly jokes are funny to anyone over the age of 7.
I couldn’t agree more @ both En and Kelli. There should be a “like” button.
I think he’s beautiful and sexy. I also think he and his wife make a lovely couple. There. I said it.
Me too! He comes across as a total sweetheart. He is very talented.
Well, yeah, nothingness is a scary thing to contemplate.
Despite the quite awful haircut he’s sporting in that interview (Ben, don’t ever do it again please), I find him pretty and sexy in a nerdy/geeky sort of way. Not everybody likes conventionally handsome men. Thank heaven we are not all the same. Also, may I add, I prefer him in his Last Enemy/Hedda Gabler incarnations rather than the super muscular Star Trek look, which was maybe the closer he ever got to conventional beauty. So there. 🙂
Talented+ unconventional look + lean body + not stupid is sexy to me (and apparently thousands of other women. Thank God)