Here are some photos of Chiwetel Ejiofor at the premiere of Secret In Their Eyes several weeks ago. The film has already bombed, no surprise, because it looked absolutely awful. But Chiwetel still has to hustle for it, which is why he sat down with Vulture for an interview published this week. He seemingly came to America straight from Nepal, where he was filming scenes for Doctor Strange with Benedict Cumberbatch. This comes up in the Vulture interview, and Chiwetel says some words about the craziness of the Cumberbitches.
Doing the play ‘Everyman’ in London over the summer: “I had a terrific summer in London doing Everyman at the Olivier, one of the best experiences that I’ve had, really. Especially because the summer was slightly hysterical in London. People don’t get that much sun there, so everybody gets a little mad when the sun comes out!”
Whether he signed on for multiple Marvel films: “Obviously, the idea is that you’ll be part of something that could have more incarnations, but that’s sort of not the focus. The focus is that you just want to make the film that you’re making as good as you can make it. That’s what I’m in engaged with at the moment. It’s a really fascinating project.”
On fame & the Cumberbitches: “Yeah, I just don’t think about it. I don’t worry about it, primarily because there’s nothing you can do about it. This is something that I’m very grateful for, but on the whole, people are very respectful with me. They’re nice, and they ask for an autograph or photograph, and it very rarely has any kind of hysterical quality to it. That’s the thing I don’t respond very well to, and I see it very often with friends of mine. For example, I’m working with Benedict Cumberbatch at the moment, and people have that quality when they’re around him. They get a little hysterical about it, and that is really odd to watch. To be in the center of that is very peculiar…. Each actor influences the people who go to see their movies in totally different ways. It’s fascinating to see that distinction in action, but I’m sort of glad it’s not something I contend with.”
Whether he’s playing Baron Mordo in Doctor Strange: “In a strange way, I don’t want to answer that question, if you don’t mind. Because I feel like it’s linked to things I shouldn’t get into. I hope it will be interesting when we bring the film out to see what those characters are like — or what they’re not like. You’re gonna have to wait and see!”
I get the feeling that he’s trying to be nice about the Crazy Cumberbitches, but look at his word choices: hysterical, odd, peculiar. While I feel sorry for Benedict because he does have legitimately crazy-stalker fans, he also creates mass hysteria with just random fans. Even in Nepal, as it turns out. I do think Chiwetel is probably grateful that he doesn’t have to deal with that, and that he just gets to do his work without a lot of outside drama. Still… if he had crazy Chiwetebitches, maybe he would get more gossip, more fame, more buzz. And that would bring bigger roles in better films. I’m just saying… he’s playing second-fiddle to Benedict Cumberbatch in a big Marvel movie. Chiwetel is an actor who could USE some internet-stardom and Tumblr drama.
First look at Chiwetel Ejiofor as Baron Mordo in Nepal filming Doctor Strange with Benedict Cumberbatch.
#baronmor… pic.twitter.com/Fct8zij4PS
— Doctor (@_DrComicBook) November 7, 2015
Photos courtesy of WENN.
As for the fans in Nepal, that seemed to have PR all over it. I think BC is just as much as a famewhore and a entitled douche as the kardashians .
no I think those kids in Nepal were excited. Sherlock/Benedict is quite famous in Asian countries. Plus nothing ever happens in their capital so yes those kids who know him would try and get a picture of the Dr Strange shooting!
“Chiwetebitches,” lol. Eh, he has a decent number of people drooling over him, I think. I think most actors are probably better of without a crazy subculture of rabid fans.
Although it’s no surprise I’m bummed that Secrets bombed, a friend of mine was in it! She said Chiwetel was lovely, also no surprise.
Secrets bombed because it’s a bad remake of an incredible movie, El secreto de sus ojos, from Spain and Argentina. Watch it, it’ much better the the american version!
Ha! Not that i disagree with your point about the original, but I don’t think you can say Secrets bombed because it was a bad remake. If quality determined box office, we would have more films like ‘Carol’ and a lot less crap like ‘Transformers’!
Chiwebaccas maybe? LOL
I support this motion! hahahaha.
Haha yeah. Chewy, we’re coming for you.
” Still… if he had crazy Chiwetebitches, maybe he would get more gossip, more fame, more buzz.” Can’t agree more. There are always two sides of a coin. Chiwetel is no click bait so when he received his CBE only one pic was published about the event. When Benedict received his, he got it from the Queen, with video footage from inside and outside. See you can always bitch about the burden of having fans but at the end of the day they also mean work for an actor. But I think the only one who has fans others should envy is: Eddie Redmayne. Way less drama and only support.
… except that if he had a larger following, more judgement and more consequences for missteps will be heaped his way. Cumberbatch got a huge pass for that ‘colored people’ comment, but you can bet your life if Chiwetel had a minor faux pas, even if it was in his private life, clutching of pearls and ‘He’s dead to me’ would be flying all over the place.
Why do you say that?
Perhaps Ben got a pass (did he?) for coloured because a lot of people didn’t realise it was now offensive when it wasn’t a few years ago. A few years ago you couldn’t use the word black.
Really? You live in a country where you couldn’t the word black a few years ago? What country is that?
I don’t think Cumberbatch got a pass. There were probably a thousand articles about it.
If he wasn’t a major click-bait nobody would’ve even noticed it because it was an honest mistake and was in the middle of a speech about supporting POCs.
Colette in the UK a few years ago you were scared to use the word black. It got to the stage where blackboards had to be called chalkboards (although whiteboards is ok!) and people complained about Baa, baa, black sheep!!
Oh please neutral, I live in the UK too and the only people I ever heard talking about ‘omg we can’t even say blackboard now!’ were white people who for the most part had barely spoken to a black person in their life and mostly followed up with how ‘political correctness is ruining this country’ or some other BS. No actual black person cared.
But if you are told by someone of whatever colour that it is offensive to say a particular word, how do you know whether or not it is actually offensive or just the pc brigade.
I think what many people don’t realize is that the proper way to refer to POCs is different from country to country, language to language and maybe we should be more cognizant of that.
I know that “black” is extremely offensive in several countries and is an equivalent of the n* word in the US. People from these countries will not ever say black, no matter what you tell them.
The proper way to describe blacks for them is using their race , which starts with n*.
I am pretty sure if POC was translated in other languages and used it could be perceived as mocking of offensive.
In the global world when transitioning from country to country, from language to language we need to allow some room for misunderstanding and give people a break, unless we are sure their intentions are not good.
Black is not equivalent to the “n” word in the USA. Another misstatement.
@SusanneToo. I would never, ever have used the “n” word I have always known that one to be extremely offensive.
@neutral. Nobody with any sense or any feelings would ever use the “n” word. EN made the untrue statement that black was its equal in the USA which is ridiculous, but par for the course for EN.
I have been on this earth long enough to see POC prefer to be called colored people, Negroes, blacks, African Americans. When I was very little I called them “Franks” because my Grandma had a hired hand on the farm named Frank and I had ever seen a dark skinned person before. He was kind to me and I adored him. Whenever I saw a POC I would yell “Frank”! at the top of my lungs. My parents would always shush me like I was doing something wrong that I never quite understood. One day I wouldn’t stop yelling “Frank”! despite much shushing. I was eventually vindicated because it was indeed my beloved Frank💕
cat woman wonderful story. my friends daughter used to call every black man Micheal Jordan during the Bulls’ hey day. I got a kick out of it
I spent 40 years as the librarian at a 100% A-A school. Over the decades I watched the Sears Subject headings go from colored to Negro to Afro-American to Black, finally to African-American. In the pre-computer days we had to pull every card, liquid paper over the outdated term and type in the new one.
Our faculty/staff ratio was 70% A-A and 30% Caucasian. I’m very PC and used the term African-American, but all my A-A colleagues continued to use Black.
The article makes it seem like Chiwetel’s career is in a slump because he has no crazy fans. I’d wager he’s just as successful as Benedict ( and a better actor IMHO). I think most actors are better off without the mass hysteria Cumberbatch has to deal with, and sometimes actively inspires.
I agree, I also don’t think it matter that he is second bill to Cumberbatch in this marvel movie. In twelve years a slave Cumberbatch was second bill to him. Both of them are going to play both leads and character parts.
I agree. I don’t the hysteria is good. Every single thing is so amplified.
Like that cameo in Zoolander. Regardless of what people think of it, if anybody else did it, nobody would’ve published an article about the petition because it wouldn’t have been click-baity.
Agree with this, I don’t think most actors want Cumberbatch level of fans. Don’t get me wrong they enjoy the adoration but the intensity and level if obsession can be very off-putting to most.
I like him and I wanna see him on the top. There’s this serene self-confidence about him that it’s so rare.
I agree! He is so incredibly handsome, a good actor, and apparently an intelligent, thoughtful person. I want the world to heap accolades at his feet. But he seems to be living the life he wants, though. (I love that this site covers him a lot.)
As much as he is deserving of Batch level fame, I am glad he doesn’t have to deal with the Batch level of crazy, obsessive fans because there is nothing normal about that. And actually, I’m okay with the level of press-there is such a thing as TOO much coverage. The constant saturation of BC is part of the reason I lost my buzz for him. “I can’t miss you if you don’t go away”, as they say.
I agree. I wonder if Chiwetel has ever glimpsed the Fassy fandom? It gets pretty hysterical, odd, and peculiar too. ;P
I believe him. I would believe almost anything he said, cause he’s so pretty.
Secret in their Eyes may have (deservedly) bombed but Chiwetel’s other fall release, The Martian, is doing just fine. And I think that he has the most screen time in it of any actor not named Matt Damon.
I was pretty upset they didn’t hire an actual Indian actor to play Vincent KAPOOR (we’re hardly ever present in American movies) but Chiwetel’s presence made me get over it.
Secret in their Eyes is a remake that just didn’t need to happen. Everyone just go watch the original lol.
BC is not a big star though. He does not put butts in seats . He has a very dedicated fandom and name rcognition but he is definitely no huge star . Also on tumblr cumberbitches are the worst and i can see why someone would be weary of them
Well, he put around 100,000 butts in the Barbican theatre’s seats; or doesn’t that count?
Hiddleston has Tumblr/internet hysteria and his career is not as good Ejiofor. That thing is overrated anyway, despite all the attention someone like Hiddleston gets online he isn’t able to open movies.
Ejifor doesnt need that stuff. And besides i doubt he wants to be gossip worthy. He is a different personality to Cumberbatch and Hiddleston, very modest and low-key.
Well he is a few years older than Tom.
Even a few years ago when chiwetel was Toms age, he had a better career. He also won a lot of awards from a very young age. As far back as in 2000 when he was only 23 he was winning all the awards at the london stage. Hes had a CBE for almost 10 years. Hes just so low key about his achievements that people don’t realise how successful hes been.
Once again, I HIGHLY encourage everyone here to watch the original movie, El Secreto de sus Ojos. Trust me, it deserved that Oscar.
I saw it. It’s very good, still want to see the remake for chiwetels performance.
Agree. 10/10 film and so much better than this one.
Most established actors don’t have a hysterical fandom.It is definitely not a requirement for success. It is better not no have it. Chiwitel doesn’t need it. He is a fine talented lovely man just as he is, and that is enough.
Cumberbartch fandom is similar to Twihards or the boy bands fandoms. I am not sure what is it in him that inspires such strong feelings of ownership and division.
Out of about 20 actors I am a fan of, Cumberbatch is the only one with such an exhausting fandom. Will it ever blow over?
It will, it always does. Once Sherlock ends, this will be over. Give it a couple of years.
He’s not on a tv show that appeals to teens, so why would he have that type of fanbase? I highly doubt he wants it. He’s not that type of actor. He’s the Daniel day Lewis type of actor.
” The film has already bombed, no surprise, because it looked absolutely awful. ”
Oh man, what a disappointment. Do not watch this film. The Argentinian original was absolutely perfect.
They dumbed this film down sooooo much and while Julia and Nicole were excellent (Julia really was and Nicole did her best through the botox/surgery/whatever), Ejiofor was sold short by a poor director who made him overact (he’s been good in everything else so I assume poor directing and editing and script to lame).
Spoiler: How the eff could they have such a cynical ending? In the original, the very ethical but troubled cop would never have done that.