Back when Benedict Cumberbatch was single and we were in the middle of Cumber-fandom, I would often dream-cast Bendy in various unwritten scripts where he could play a ladies’ man, a hustler, a charmer, anything to show off a different side to his acting chops. Like, four or five years ago, I think he should have actively sought out some romantic roles, because he would have been good at it. Alas, Bendy has rarely played any kind of role like that. Until now… except not really. Benedict is currently working on a miniseries called Melrose, and no, it’s not a fancy remake of the best soap opera of all time, Melrose Place. Which is unfortunate. These are some photos of Benedict filming the series in Glasgow, Scotland over the past few days.
Melrose is based on the books of Edward St. Aubyn, who created the role of Patrick Melrose, a “lothario” and a substance abuser who eventually gets clean (spoiler?). Showtime and Sky Atlantic are producing the miniseries, which means it will eventually appear on Showtime over here, I guess. It’s a five part miniseries, and each episode will be based off one book in St. Aubyn’s series, and each book is pretty much a “day in the life” of Patrick Melrose, a rich, privileged dude with a lot of problems. Bendy is producing as well.
As for these photos… while I got tired of his floppy Sherlock hair, I also don’t really care for Bendy-with-short-hair either. He needs a happy medium, and he needs to give us SOME curls. I think the shorter hair just reinforces how ottery he really is. But… yeah, I’ll watch this. It does seem to be something different for him and that’s good.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
No
I concur.
Not even a little bit. I don’t know why, because I used to genuinely find him a talented and attractive actor, but now he just kind of skeeves me out. Or bores me.
Same here, Anners.
Thirded.
The bloom is off the rose – is how the saying goes.
Poor dear has lost his something special, his sparkle.
I second that no.
Hard Pass
That haircut makes him look too much like Bobby Flay.
Hahahaha! Omg I just spit coffee all over my computer, Rapunzel! So, so true.
no
Nope.
i feel like he consistently pick roles i have no interest in. like emma stone (no actually, i lie. she made a film with yorgos lanthimos recently, and i’m interested in that).
Comet Sophie bought at the top.
Isn’t he already acting like that in real life? I’d rather see Jamie Dornan or Fassbender.😍
Yes. Yes I am. I still like the Beautiful Alien and will watch him in things.
I would as well. 😀
I would like to say and people will agree or disagree with me in this one but Benedict Cumberbatch has a good run in the past few years and I glad he did. It is good to him and God bless him.
What’s not to good to be one anyone is Michael Fassbender. His movies are sinking and he is bitter with tantrums when he is out of the car racing competition when he knows full well that he is not a professional car racer. Michael Fassbender needs to get his 💩 together.
Given all the scandals these days–Fassbender himself has been accused of being violent/gross toward women more than once–I agree with you.
Cumberbatch seems more like an established actor to me now than just fandom famous.
Eh?! There’s one story about his ex that isn’t supported by any evidence and it’s quite questionable. Never heard of anyone accusing him of being gross or violent. He’s actually praised by every co-star.
Yes but I think this is going to be more about the effects of child abuse than anything else because they have to distill the series to make it work in this format. (Also drug/alcohol abuse, as you can see from the makeup.)
Hugo Weaving is in this too, and Jennifer Jason Lee.
No.
I hate the St Aubyn books and I still remember when Benny and Tommy both announced – for seemingly no reason – that they were reading them in interviews in the very same week. What a coincidence! I’m pretty sure I snarked about that years ago, right here on this site. I’m an elephant, Benny, I never forget.
I recall that you definitely did SNARK about that very thing, Sixer dear.
I too never forget.
No alien lizard romantacizing for me either.
I remember that too ! I hated the first book, and went slightly off the two of them for liking it so much. I’m shallow like that…
(Hello Bonzo!)
I was sure it was here that we were talking about it! Elephant Sixer!
Hallooo, Sixer! While I haven’t been here much, I have been enjoying some fine reads and audiobooks to help my ever-decreasing attention span due to internet use. Have you read “Americanah” or listened to Trevor Noah’s read his bio, “Born a Crime”? So very good!!
I loved Americanah!
I’ve been Walter Presenting when not reading.
Any mention of Trevor Noah deserves this cut from his early stand up where he is channeling a very drunk Mandela….forever funny.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1HMZjSqJwmE
Also this one about colonialism
https://vimeo.com/130619176
And Americanah is a fantastic book. Have you read her other books?
There was a great deal of SNARK, well deserved and re-visited SNARK at that. And, apart from the Lothario bit, is this not the same type of character he always plays? As for the Lothario bit, did they learn nothing from Parade’s End?
Quite!
Do you mean his train sex in Parade’s End? I thought that went well. I believed it.
Um…his Parade End character is not a lothario? He is meant to be the opposite of that lol.
I am not familiar with everything he has done but if he has not had a serious addict role yet, then no, this would different. Also, difficult.
I tried to read those books and I just couldn’t stomach them. Boy oh boy is the whining and the drug fuelled sob storyline get old, and fast. And I certainly can relate to the abuse part but the wallowing forever just doesn’t do it for me.
So this is a vanity project for Benedict, no surprise there either. *sigh*
I totally agree. The second book is interesting merely for the details about drug consumption and its effects on the body and mind. Having seen this pictures, I find it ludicrous they think he’s looking the part here. Melrose is wasting away, almost on the brink of death, while Benny looks like he’s suffering from a mild hangover.
I read the entire series, glad I did. Don’t usually go for this sort of thing but overall, it works. t’s not straight dramatic fiction—his struggles with the effects of abuse and subsequent addiction are drama but his handling of the class aspects is clearly satiric.
Leigh–they’re filming across different time periods up there. I’ve seen some really rough pics since.
Northstar–Anytime an actor starts a production company, the first set of projects always involve them as the lead because that’s how they establish credibility to attract investors. These sometimes get labeled as “vanity projects” but it ultimately does comes down to necessity. I would deem something like “Swept Away” with Madonna a vanity project but not necessarily this, which I do expect to be quality given the entire cast and creatives involved.
My friend is in an episode of that, he went to France over the summer to film. I’ll watch it for that. Looks kinda cool.
I heard that Cumby is vegan now, which is vaguely more interesting.
I’m highly suspicious when the only source is a Tweet, but if its true, its interesting. Maybe he was just challenging himself to be a vegan during Vegan MoFo (which is during October)?
Nope.
Yet another actor goes to TV. [Or in this case back to TV.] Will Fassbender be next? With the right script, it is sometimes a good move.
When did he ever leave TV? And Brits don’t necessarily work in one medium over another. Many of them bounce around from TV, stage, and film
I know that. I did not express this well. For Fassbender, it would be a very long time since he has done TV, and he is not a stage actor [at least that I know of]
Actually I think premium tv studios like HBO and Showtime have become as prestigious or perhaps even more than film work for an actor. Big studio films are where the big $ is at for an actor, but there’s only so many jobs those films can offer all the many talented, established actors that are in the prime of their career. It’s a better deal for a famous actor to cash in on their fame for well written, high quality work on TV. They’re doing high profile, quality work that keeps them in the public eye, and affords them opportunities for nominations and awards making them more in demand for film makers. It’s better than always waiting for the next movie role to come through hoping the next young thang doesn’t beet you out for it.
Agreed. Nicole Kidman is a great example this year. She has some well reviewed films, but nothing compared to the acclaim she will continue to get for BIG LITTLE LIES.
Exactly. BLL is a good example of all the main cast known as film actors. In the case of BLL it’s the actors that were instrumental in brokering the show. Reese and Kidman were able to leverage their name recognition as film stars for the financing and control (or partial control) of a quality production.
Aging faster than Hiddleston and that’s some feat.
LOL he’s in makeup–supposed to look older and in some shots, bloated from drug use.
What makeup? He’s been looking older than his age and quite thin and worn-out for the last couple of years. I’m not just talking about these photos. And I think what you’re calling bloated is just him pulling a weird face in that last pic of the article. His lack of a definite jawline very easily gives him the appearance of multiple chins.
There’s more shots–he’s definitely in makeup in the blue-shirt/tan coat shots. These are all scenes from when he’s a major addict and is supposed to look worn and either thin or bloated, depending on the time period.
I think he looks fine for his age but the thinner he is for something, the more it will age him. At 41, your skin does not go back.
No one is aging faster than Fassbender.
I liked Benedict as Sherlock, that’s it. Hard pass on this.
I thought the pic was of Bobby Flay
I kinda miss the days when Bendy posts would get 2000 comments, all hilarious.
I loved him as Sherlock and Martin Crieff. I don’t care for the other things he did.
i LOVED LOVED LOVED his martin crieff. high 5 and thank YOU for that
I stopped at the not-Melrose place remake. This HAS to be made. He would be a good Mancini. Or peter? Billy will be cut for extreme lameness.
I’ll watch it. I’m not a hard Bendy fan, but I think he’s interesting, and I love him in Sherlock. I like seeing his interviews especially on Graham Norton show. So I’ll give it a shot although I don’t know anything about the production. If Showtime is involved that seals the deal for me. They’re excellent. A top rate, premium channel network.
I really like him. He looked great as Dr Strange in the latest Thor. Excellent movie by the way. Loki was awesome!!!
They say Melrose is “outrageously funny”. I read the books and I don’t find him in the least funny. I was looking forward to seeing this filmed anyway, but now not so much.