14 DAY TRIAL // Benedict Cumberbatch, no matter how hot (or not) you think he is, is far from the typical Hollywood “hottie,” even though he has been topping these lists quite a lot in recent months. He is the first to admit that he has a “weird” face, but he points out that there are many benefits to looking out of the ordinary.
If you’re not a fan of his work, we should mention that Cumberbatch has been working steadily for almost a decade, even if it’s just now that he’s attained international icon status, mostly thanks to his amazing work on BBC One’s “Sherlock” series, a modern take on the classic detective novels.
After “Sherlock,” he landed several parts in major Hollywood projects (including “The Hobbit,” “Star Trek Into Darkness” and “The Fifth Estate,” to name just three of the most mediated), which literally made him one of the hottest commodities in showbiz.
It’s not just that Cumberbatch is popular that’s making his fanbase expand by the day: he’s also incredibly talented and versatile, has a silky and very distinguished / posh voice, and, yes, he’s odd-looking in a way that pleases the eye.
“It’s the blessing of having a weird face — somewhere between an otter and something people find vaguely attractive. Or just an otter, which is attractive,” Benedict tells The Hollywood Reporter in a new interview.
You will find this excerpt from the chat in the first video. If you feel like you have an hour to spare to spend with Benedict, the second video is the full THR Interview.
“I have grown up with this face and it has been in the industry for ten years and now it’s getting on these ‘hotties’ lists... and I was nowhere near the thousandth hottest when I started… so I’m sure it’s just projection, which is flattering for the work, I suppose,” the actor continues.
“I started out not a typical beauty… I have a long neck and a long face, that is usually period. That is some kind of inbreeding weirdness… so I will run with that… I can wear some high collars and get a horse or two. I’m fine with that. But not all the time. Sometimes I’ll just get a collar in the 21st century drama and turn it up, as you’ll notice I did in Sherlock,” he jokes.
That’s another thing that fans love about Cumberbatch: his sense of humor, even when it’s directed at himself.