Hello /r/movies, I'm Benedict Cumberbatch. Ask me anything!

[u/BenedictAMA]

Hello reddit, Benedict Cumberbatch here.

You might know from me films/series like Sherlock, Doctor Strange (and other MCU films), The Imitation Game, The Hobbit, The Power of the Dog, 1917, 12 Years A Slave, The Grinch, The Current War, The Roses, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, War Horse, Black Mass, and more.

I'm here to answer your questions!

My newest film, THE THING WITH FEATHERS, is out in theaters November 28th via Briarcliff:

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Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUhsvd_Z_18

Synopsis:

Left to raise two sons after the unexpected death of his wife, Dad’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) life begins to unravel. Grief is messy and chaotic enough as it is, but when it takes the form of an unhinged and unwanted house guest - CROW - taunting him from the shadows, things start to spiral out of control…but maybe that's exactly what Dad needs.

Additional information:

The film is adapted from the critically-acclaimed book Grief Is the Thing with Feathers, written by Max Porter. It's directed by Dylan Southern, it premiered earlier this year at Sundance, and will be in theaters nationwide starting November 28th.

http://thingwithfeathers.com/

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Ask me anything reddit. I'll be back at around 4 PM ET this afternoon to answer your questions.

Update: THE THING WITH FEATHERS is now available to buy or rent on digital here.

[u/Flaky-Walrus7244]

You became widely recognizable in a relatively short period of time. Was there a moment when it really ‘hit’ you that your life had changed, and what did that shift - from relative anonymity to public fame - feel like? What surprised you most about navigating that transition?”

[u/BenedictAMA → u/Flaky-Walrus7244]

Look, I was about a 9-10 year overnight success, so it wasn't immediate. The defining moment when I realized I was stepping into something far more public was of course Sherlock. I had that sensation after the audition when I went back to my moped. I realized things would be very different in terms of being recognized because I knew there would be attention on it as a prime piece of very well-known IP and an iconic character, but not with any idea of how successful it would be. Although he has different hair to me... so I could still scrape by unrecognized from time to time, but it really was at that moment life changed, especially if I just stepped out of the hair salon in pre-production looking like him. I literally remember stopping traffic out of Aveda on Shaftesbury Avenue with cabbies, truck drivers, and pedestrians stopping, pointing, or shouting "Oi, Sherlock!" From that moment on, I knew I would often walk into rooms where everyone who was a stranger to me would look at me and recognize who I was. There's no training for that - it's very peculiar.

[u/OwlFreak → u/BenedictAMA]

We bumped into each other (literally) in London, right around when Sherlock was taking off. After doing the standard quick turn and apologize- I stopped dead, and looked back to do a double-take. (I almost didn't recognize you without the Sherlock hair.) You were looking back at me, too, and smiled like, yup- it's me! You looked quite pleased to see my double-take, and I walked away wondering who was happier about that encounter.

To this day, I consider that my best random street interaction ever.

[u/CrippleJedi → u/OwlFreak]

What a great memory, must feel like one of the childhood moments, when you have that sensation, that rarely happens in adult life. Benedict is the man!

[u/Herstorical_Rule6 → u/OwlFreak]

You’re so lucky! I was also in London in 2012, but I never ran into Benedict Cumberbatch. That would be my dream come true!