14 DAY TRIAL // Benedict Cumberbatch is full of surprises these days: in November 2014, he confirmed that he and theater actress Sophie Hunter had gotten engaged, and now we get official word that they’re also expecting their first child together.
Or a Cumberbaby, as the Internet has already dubbed it.
A rep for the actor has already confirmed the news, after Page Six obtained unofficial confirmation from sources close to him, who revealed that Sophie was a few months along. But all the tell-tale signs were already there, if you knew where to look.
Not really a surprise announcement
After the engagement news broke, Cumberbatch, who is usually very guarded about his personal life, finally found the freedom to go public with Sophie, whom he’d been dating since earlier last year.
Cumberbatch is now campaigning for an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for “The Imitation Game,” so he’s been working the circuit, from attending smaller but very important award shows to doing countless interviews with the press, both written and on TV.
On many of these appearances, he’s had Sophie on his arms, but it was only their most recent that really got people talking: the Palm Springs International Film Festival, which took place last weekend. As you can see in the photo attached to this article, not only was Sophie wearing a very loose gown but she also made sure to always pose with her clutch in front of her tummy, which is common practice for any celebrity looking to mask a baby bump from prying eyes.
Side photos revealed that she had a protruding tummy – and it wasn’t there before.
So in between this red carpet appearance and the actual confirmation, there was a lot of speculation on whether they were having a baby, with most fans already deciding in favor.
“I am delighted to confirm that Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter are expecting their first child. They are both over the moon,” says the rep.
The Internet goes wild over the Cumberbaby
Benedict Cumberbatch might not be fully mainstream yet (like, say, George Clooney or Brad Pitt), but he’s one of the biggest stars right now – and it’s all thanks to his ever-expanding and very loyal fanbase, known collectively as the Cumberladies.
They have been there for him all along, when he was still to go international, and have been rooting for him to become an A-lister, trusting he had it in him. The Cumberladies are smart, well spoken and funny – and occasionally have a very dirty mind, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Well, the Cumberladies are having a blast with the Cumberbaby news, taking to tumblr and social media to vent, to share their joy or to occasionally rant. Most of them are clearly happier about the Cumberbaby than they are about the second royal baby. Some of them are sad that the Cumberbaby will come before the “Sherlock” special airs on Christmas 2015, and some even imagine he or she will be graduating college by the time season 5 airs, assuming there will be one.
No word on when Sophie is due, but with Benedict still doing media rounds, fans will probably get an answer or at least an estimation soon.