The British actor escaped death 4 times. Keeping a low profile off camera, he made his engagement public in the most traditional British millionaire way
Benedict Cumberbatch is one of the most important actors in Hollywood today (Reuters)
Benedict Cumberbatch is one of the most versatile actors of his generation. The art of interpretation runs through his veins. Born in London on July 19, 1976, he is the son of British actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham. The two-time Oscar nominee for “The Enigma Code” and “’The Power of the Dog” besides being a talented man, is a lucky one. In his 46 years he faced death four times and came out victorious.
It is one of the favorites of movie lovers and one of the favorites among drivers to interview. Billed as “the new king of the impressionists”, Cumberbatch can copy multiple artists like Sean Connery, Tom Hiddleston and John Malkovich.
Belonging to a high-class family, the Briton – who rose to fame for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series – has always been talked about for his work, staying away from scandals. Former vegan and meditator who plays Doctor Strange in the Marvel Universe movies is looking for a way to combine his love of acting and a quiet life, out of the limelight.
As his good friend Matthew Goode, co-star in “The Riddler”, said: “I remember he came over to our house after he finished something at the National Theater and another movie, and my wife said: ‘How are you ? And he was like, ‘Yeah, I’m fine, I mean, I’m unemployed right now…’ He had been unemployed for two days!”
In one of his interviews he said that death has been very close to his heart: “These seismic events give you a perspective on mortality. You realize that you should not worry about the little things. And just to enjoy the ride of being alive.”
A kidnapping in Africa
Benedict Cumberbatch recounted the most violent episode he had ever experienced
Despite the success he has had in recent years, CumberbatchShe hasn’t always had it easy in the acting world. In fact, during a shoot in South Africa, before rising to fame, the actor had a terrible experience: he was kidnapped.
In 2005, he was in Saint Lucia, South Africa, shooting “To the ends of the Earth”, a BBC miniseries. During a break in filming, together with Theo Landey and Denise Black, two of his filming partners, he decided to visit the local beaches.
The problem started when they got a flat tire in the middle of the night. They thought someone was coming to help but they were wrong, six masked men with rifles got out of the vehicle. They quickly turned them on their backs and ordered them to place their hands on their heads. “It was cold and it was dark. We were careful because it’s a notoriously dangerous place to drive,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “They started frisking us and said, ‘Where is your money? Where’s the dope?’ – we had smoked some weed-And at that moment, this fight or flight adrenaline just exploded in my body. I was like, ‘We’re going to die.‘”.
Paralyzed, not resisting, they complied when the attackers forced them to hand over their phones and credit cards. According to the actor from “The Imitation Game”, the assailants put him in the trunk of the car. Once with the vehicle in motion, Benedict’s desperation went further. He started kicking the hood and yelling for help. “I was scared, really scared. I told them, ‘What are you going to do with us? Are you going to kill us? ’”, Said the actor, who feared some act of savagery against him or his friends.
Taken as hostages, they traveled a long dirt road aboard the car that remained in the control of the kidnappers. But Cumberbatch acted so that what everyone feared would not happen and negotiated to be let out of the trunk. He began to talk with the criminals, telling them that what they were doing would only bring them problems, and assured them that he had a heart disease. “I just tried to explain to them: ‘I’m going to die, I’m probably going to have a seizure and it’s going to be a problem for you.I’m going to be a dead Englishman in his car’.”
At these words, the criminals took him out of the trunk and tied him up along with his two friends. The kidnapping lasted the time it took to reach an ATM and withdraw money with the cards of the three victims. Then the men escaped and both Cumberbatch and the other two people escaped unharmed.
In his own words, he changed the way he saw things. He has admitted that, from then on, he wanted to make sure his life was not normal and started looking for new experiences. “He taught me that you come into this world the same way you leave it, on your own. He made me want to live a less ordinary life”, he reflected on the fact.
Death was always very close
Benedict Cumberbatch at the Venice Film Festival, September 2021 (Reuters)
It wasn’t the only time he was on the verge of death.
The first time was when he was just a baby. His half-sister, Tracy, who is 17 years older than him, was babysitting him and left him on the roof and forgot she was there. It was midwinter in London. “ He was in the kitchen with his friends and suddenly he saw snow falling through the window ,” Cumberbatch told GQ magazine.
Sadly, in 2021, Tracy died of cancer after living with the disease for seven years. The actor said it was horrible to learn of her death, but he remembered Tracy fondly. “She had nothing to do with this world. It was markedly different.” , one of the most prestigious private schools in London. About to fall asleep in his room he felt that the floor shook from an explosion. He didn’t realize what was happening when the glass shattered. A cloud of dust enveloped him, his ears ringing. Scared, desperate, he ran to his parents’ room. “They asked me: ‘Are you okay?’, ‘Are you okay?’. I told them no, I couldn’t hear with one ear.”
What had happened was that a car bomb had exploded next to the Israeli Embassy. , injuring 30 people. The whole area was filled with screaming people and sirens, but around Benedict everything was silent. Days later, the actor regained his hearing.
The fourth time he had a near-death experience was when he finished high school. He decided to take a year off, but instead of going out to travel the world with a backpack, he decided to teach English to some monks in Tibet.
One of those days, the Briton decided to go exploring in the mountains with four friends. With some crackers and a piece of cheese for everyone, they set off for the adventure. Everything seemed to be going well until, finally, , they got lost. They walked aimlessly for two days. On the verge of dehydration, they squeezed the mosses they found on some stones to get a little water.They slept in an animal barn that smelled like excrement and had hallucinogenic dreams brought on by altitude sickness. Finally, they found the house of a Sherpa, who fed them and brought them safely to the monastery.
A great love and a traditional marriage proposal
Sophie Hunter and Benedict Cumberbatch at the LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles, California, USA, November 6, 2021 (Reuters)< p class=”paragraph”>Discreet personally, the Englishman has rarely wanted to go into details about his private life. It is known that he had a twelve-year relationship with the actress Olivia Poulet , whom he met at the University of Manchester, and was one of his great loves. They separated before the actor became known worldwide, back in 2011.
After his separation, the interpreter enjoyed being single. After a brief romance with the designer Anna Jones , he was very close to the American model and heiress Lydia Hearst , although this adventure did not prosper either. A few months later, and despite his incipient fame, the gossip press discovered him along with the actress Alice Eve.
The actor had met the actress and renowned theater director Sophie Hunter in 2009 during the filming of the thriller “Burlesque Fairytales”, but, at that time, she did not attract his attention, since she only had eyes for Poulet. But four later, they met again by chance. It was love at second sight and they realized that they were made for each other.
The announcement of their engagement was as surprising as their courtship. The couple made it public in a very British and traditional way, through an ad in the society classifieds section of The Times newspaper. “Announcement of engagement between Benedict, son of Wanda and Timothy Cumberbatch of London, and Sophie, daughter of Katherine Hunter of Edinburgh and Charles Hunter of London”, read the notice dated November 5, 2014.
The actor traveled to Edinburgh to make a formal request to Sophie’s mother.
Benedict Cumberbatch poses with his wife Sophie Hunter at his star on the Hollywood Walk, in February 2022 (Reuters)
Three months after their engagement, the couple tied the knot at a ceremony on the Isle of Wight. The couple chose Valentine’s Day to seal their love in front of their closest family and friends. “ It was a magical day” , said her spokeswoman, who, following the indications of her client, preferred not to go into more detail about the wedding.
Shortly after their marriage, Benedict and Sophie became parents to their son, Christopher Carlton. On March 3, 2017, they expanded the family with the birth of Hal Auden and on January 11, 2019, they welcomed their third son, Finn.
They became the actor referred to in Esquire magazine. “I really like my job. When I work, I want to work hard. It has to be worth leaving my family and home to do it. For them, this sounds weird, but I guess it’s to validate that I’m not there.”
Recent owner of his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he also recently revealed the curious way in which he found out about his nomination for the 2022 Oscars. In an interview with The New York times, said that everyone heard the news before him, since he was sleeping when the nominations were confirmed and had not turned on his mobile. “So I turned it on and explained to three slightly confused little faces what it meant and why I was laughing and smiling so much, and they had different answers. It was a lovely moment to share with my children.”