Nika has kindly translated the above Teleweek interview with Benedict Cumberbatch(originally posted by Sherlock Series on LJ). It reads a bit like a cut and paste job from other interviews but again always really interesting to see international press for him.
Benedict Cumberbatch: I like all sorts of silly things!
British actors are known to be a secret golden reserve of Hollywood. This tall blonde man with an unpronounceable name is a new discovery. Cumberbatch was noticed after his brilliant portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in the TV series. And now a more large-scale movie with Benedict comes to the theatres - “War Horse”.
A boy from high society and a son of famous actors, he, naturally, received a splendid education. He graduated from two first-class schools - Brambletye and Harrow - and was going to become a lawyer. But actor genes prevailed. Now Benedict Cumberbatch has on his résumé acting in movies produced by such Hollywood heavyweights as Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson. However the 35-year-old actor still treats his unexpected success and life in general with typical British humour.
Cumberbatch sounds like farting in the bath. On Monday morning I can’t say it myself.’
I had come up with a rather funny answer to the question, “With whom are you going to work next?” - I said, “If Spielberg doesn’t call me, I am going on vacation.” But one day my agent told me, “Great news! I just talked to Steven Spielberg and he turned out to be a big fan of yours”. I almost fell off my chair. This is how I got my part in “War Horse”.
My time management is a real disaster! The phrase I say all the time is “Sorry, I am late”.
My first role in a school theatre was Titania, the queen of the fairies. Considering the fact that I studied at an all boys school, imagine, what my classmates would say. Luckily, I played rugby, so nobody questioned my masculinity.
The worst thing about being an actor? No day regimen and no proper meals.
I was an only child, so maybe that’s why I want to have many children. I think, it would be easy to accomplish - all you need is the right time with the right woman.
“When I am asked, ‘are you Sherlock Holmes?’ I cautiously answer, ‘No, I just look like him a bit”. And then try to leave quickly - no reason to bait the lunatics. A normal person would have asked, ‘Are you Benedict?’”
I would like to ride through the desert, just like Daniel Craig, and shoot at aliens (“Cowboys and Aliens”). I like all sorts of silly things!
I am horse-faced, and when I look at myself in a mirror, I think, ‘I wouldn’t mind being someone like Jake Gyllenhaal for a day. I wonder, what he doesn’t like about himself?’
My motto: enjoy your life journey and don’t think about the destination. Treat others well and and then perhaps you will receive some unexpected pleasures too.
Unfortunately, there are more good actors out there than good roles.
Text by Olga Oktyabreva
(Translation from Russian into English by Nika D.
www.fox-rain.org
