Benedict Cumberbatchhas become one of the most recognizable British actors of recent times thanks to his roles in various mainstream movies and TV shows. From serious dramas to comedy movies aimed at children, Cumberbatch has evidently demonstrated his incredible versatility in adapting to any role he takes on. He is an actor withthe rare ability to effortlessly maintain a larger-than-life stage presencewhile still allowing for great levels of emotional depth and nuance.
This article celebrates some ofCumberbatch’s best characters in both movies and TV. Whether he’s portraying the most famous detective in the world, a fire-breathing dragon, or an emotionally complex ranch owner, these are the characters that have truly cementedCumberbatch as one of the most respected actors in Hollywoodtoday. These roles have earned him a devoted global fanbase and innumerable levels of critical acclaim, including a Primetime Emmy Award and nominations for two Academy Awards (viaIMDb).
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8Phil Burbank
The Power Of The Dog (2021)
Cumberbatch stars in Jane Campion’sThe Power of the Dogas Phil Burbank, a wealthy ranch owner in 1925 Montana. Phil is a gruff, unhappy man who doesn’t trust anyone, especially local widowed woman Rose Gordon (Kirsten Dunst). Phil even goes so far as to belittle Rose’s son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), highlighting the ranch owner’s indiscriminate cruelty.The Power of the Dogis a slow-burn, psychological drama, with Phil at it’s core.
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The role that earned Cumberbatch his second Academy Award nomination, Phil Burbank, is far more than just an angry old man, but an emotionally complex character. Cumberbatch masterfully grapples with the tension of Phil’s rough and rugged exterior with his hidden insecurities and inner torment, re-establishing his ability to dive into the most challenging roles in the movie world. Phil’s complexity as a character, coupled with Cumberbatch’s portrayal, easily earns himself a spot on this list.
The Power of the Dog
Cast
The Power of the Dog is a Western drama film adapted from the novel by Thomas Savage. When a widow and her son move into a ranch, she captures the attention of a kindly gentleman named George, much to the chagrin of his brother, Phil. After they marry, Phil’s temper begins to flare, and he begins to torment the two – but his behavior may spell disaster when his new nephew’s darker side comes to light.
7Agent Classified
Penguins Of Madagascar (2014)
Cumberbatch lends his voice to the ultra-serious wolf leader of a spy organization called the North Wind, Agent Classified,in 2014’sPenguins of Madagascar. Classified was designed as a character to be cool, authoritative, and constantly serious, meaning that much of his comedic value comes from his interaction with the zaniness of the titular penguins. Cumberbatch also brings his accent to the role,adding further layers of humor to an already hilarious movie.
The role showcases not only his ability to be authoritative as an actor, but also Cumberbatch’s wicked charm and the ability to play off other characters.
Even in an animated role, Cumberbatch’s voice work is able to stand out for its incredible comedic timing and the deadpan nature that characterizes Classified. The role showcases not only his ability to be authoritative as an actor, but also Cumberbatch’s wicked charm and the ability to play off other characters. Classified is suave, dangerous, and serious, and brings a lot toPenguins of Madagascar, in terms of plot as well as jokes.
Penguins of Madagascar
Penguins of Madagascar is a DreamWorks animated film that follows Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private as they team up with a spy organization called the North Wind to stop an evil octopus named Dave from taking over the world. It features the voice talents of Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, and Conrad Vernon in the lead roles with Benedict Cumberbatch, John Malkovich, Ken Jeong, Peter Stormare, and Annet Mahendru in supporting roles.
6William Ford
12 Years A Slave (2013)
Inthe gut-wrenching historical drama12 Years a Slave, Cumberbatch plays William Ford, a plantation owner in the American South. While Ford himself is a generally good-natured man, his position as a slave-owner leaves him morally compromised in the eyes of audiences, making him one of the most complex characters Cumberbatch has ever portrayed. Even though Ford saves Solomon (Chiwetel Ejiofor) from being lynched,it is still impossible for viewers to truly take a liking to the character.
In his role as Ford, Cumberbatch was able to bring his acting gravitas to a supporting role that was able to elevate12 Years a Slave. The highlight of the movie is, of course, Ejiofor’s performance, but Cumberbatch is able to bring an unsettling sense of humanity to the movie that catalyzes the storyline and makes it more heartbreaking when Solomon is sold to the far more cruel Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender). Ford is an incredible character, demonstrating the horrors of complicity in the face of injustice, and Cumberbatch was able to capture the moral cowardice of the plantation owner.
12 Years a Slave
Directed by Steve McQueen and based on the 1853 memoir by Solomon Northup, 12 Years a Slave tells the story of Northrup, a free black man from New York who, in 1841, is captured and sold into slavery in the south. Separated from his family, and forced to endure intense brutality at the hands of his new masters, Northrup works tirelessly to stay alive and regain his freedom. The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Northrup, with a cast that includes Lupita Nyong'0, Michael Fassbender, Paul Dano, and Benedict Cumberbatch.
5Patrick Melrose
Patrick Melrose (2018)
Based on the semi-autobiographical novels by Edward St. Aubyn,the 2018 miniseriesPatrick Melrosesees Cumberbatchtake on the role of the titular character. Patrick is a wealthy Englishman, with the show following the eponymous character across different stages in his complex and fragmented life. From the trauma of his abusive father and negligent mother, to his battles with addiction and attempts at recovery, Cumberbatch delivers a breathtaking performance here.
Patrick Melrose is likely one of the most demanding roles of Cumberbatch’s entire career, with the actor being required to bring a wide breadth of emotional complexity to the role. Cumberbatch captures the true essence of dark humor in certain scenes, withthe delivery of this humor being accompanied by a biting wit that reveals Patrick’s true vulnerability.Patrick’s self-destructive tendencies and his difficult journey to recovery was a role that earned Cumberbatch near-universal acclaim and a BAFTA award for Best Actor (viaBAFTA).
Patrick Melrose
Patrick Melrose is a miniseries based on the novels by Edward St Aubyn. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the titular role, the series chronicles the life of Patrick Melrose, a troubled man grappling with the traumas of his dysfunctional upbringing and substance abuse. The narrative traverses different periods in his life, exploring themes of addiction, forgiveness, and the long-lasting impact of childhood experiences.
4Alan Turing
The Imitation Game (2014)
Cumberbatch portrays real-life mathematician and cryptanalyst Alan Turing inThe Imitation Game, the man often credited with cracking the German enigma code during the Second World War.The Imitation Gameof course, focuses on Turing’s exceptional intellect and his ability to crack the code, but does also not shy away from exploring his personal life, particularly his persecution by the British government for being gay. Cumberbatch’s portrayal of Turing is truly spellbinding, and earned the actor his first Academy Award nomination.
It’s a role that pays true homage to the brilliant mathematician while acting as a sensitive acknowledgment of the injustice that Turing experienced at the hands of the government despite helping the Allies immensely in the war effort.
Turing is realistically depicted as intellectually sharp and socially awkward,with a deep-seated vulnerability that only Cumberbatch could bring to the role. It’s a role that pays true homage to the brilliant mathematician while acting as a sensitive acknowledgment of the injustice that Turing experienced at the hands of the government despite helping the Allies immensely in the war effort. The tension between genius and social isolation is also on full display here, with Cumberbatch providing an exceptional depiction of the personal pain behind Turing’s achievements.
The Imitation Game
The Imitation Game stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing, the real-life British mathematician and computer scientist who was instrumental in decoding the German spy code machine Enigma during WWII. The film focuses on Turing’s work during the war and his personal life during that time, as well as the tragic story of his life after the war and his death in 1954. Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Charles Dance, and Mark Strong also star.
3Smaug
The Hobbit Trilogy (2012–2014)
Peter Jackson’s second take on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth came with the release ofThe Hobbittrilogy, and while there are numerous criticisms that may be leveled at the movies for stretching one book into three movies, Cumberbatch’s portrayal of the dragon, Smaug, is certainly not one of them. Smaug is a fearsome dragon who hoards the gold of Erebor, and terrorizes Bilbo (Martin Freeman) when he enters the Lonely Mountain to try and find the Arkenstone.Smaug is one of the most formidable villains of the last 20 years, and his villainy is a testament to the exceptional performance of Cumberbatch.
Smaug wasn’t just a CGI villain, but was brought to life via motion capture and an incredible vocal performance from Cumberbatch. The layers of menace, arrogance, and threat that Cumberbatch brings to this role are astounding, amplifying Smaug’s evil for all to see. Even though Cumberbatch himself is never seen on screen, the scenes that feature Smaug, particularly his conversation with Bilbo, are some of the trilogy’s greatest and most memorable moments.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, directed by Peter Jackson, continues the journey of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) alongside Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and his company of dwarves. As they travel to reclaim Erebor from the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch), they encounter new allies and dangers.
2Doctor Strange
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (2016 - Present)
Doctor Strange was first introduced to the MCU in the 2016 movie of the same name. Cumberbatch plays Stephen Strange, a brilliant yet completely arrogant neurosurgeon who loses the use of his hands following a horrific car crash. After embarking on a spiritual and magical journey to heal himself, Strange eventually becomes the Sorcerer Supreme, and wields great power over the mystic arts and even the Time Stone itself. SinceDoctor Strangewas released, Strange has become a central anchoring figure in the MCU, particularly in thefight against Thanos inAvengers: Infinity WarandEndgame.
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Cumberbatch is able to bring Strange’s character to life in the best way, incorporating a razor-sharp wit with a true sense of spiritual wisdom in the mystic arcs. His journey from arrogant neurosurgeon to Sorcerer Supreme is one of the MCU’s finest character arcs, and would not have been possible without Cumberbatch’s exceptional gravitas. If the MCU’s future planning is anything to go by, there is still more to come from Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange, meaning that audiences will be treated to seeing a lot more of the emotionally complex sorcerer.
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange follows the journey of a brilliant yet arrogant surgeon, portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch, whose career is derailed. He finds redemption under the tutelage of a mystical sorcerer, learning to harness mystical powers to protect the world from dark forces. Released in 2016, the film expands Marvel’s cinematic universe into the realm of mysticism.
1Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock (2010–2017)
Whilethe quality of the BBC drama,Sherlock, gradually declined after the second season was released, a constant factor of greatness that kept audiences tuning in was Cumberbatch’s performance as the titular detective. As Sherlock Holmes, Cumberbatch was launched to international stardom, and was able to truly capture the sense of intellectual genius, yet cold detachment, that defines the character. Cumberbatch’s depiction of Sherlock is likely the most iconic in history, as the actor manages to make the detective incredibly likable while maintaining a constant sense of alienation.
Cumberbatch as Sherlock is the definitive modern adaptation of the iconic detective, and remains his greatest and most iconic role.
Through his adventures with John Watson (Martin Freeman), Sherlock was able to become a pop culture phenomenon in his own right, largely thanks to Cumberbatch’s incredible acting. Sherlock’s ability to deliver fast-paced dialogue and navigate intricate mysteries is crafted in a way that doesn’t speak down to audiences, but also leaves them constantly in awe of the detective’s genius and slight arrogance. Cumberbatch as Sherlock is the definitive modern adaptation of the iconic detective, and remains his greatest and most iconic role.
Sherlock
In this incarnation of Sherlock from creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman assume the roles of Sherlock and Watson as they establish their partnership and begin solving strange mysteries throughout the U.K. and beyond. Set in a more 2010’s modern setting, Sherlock’s eccentric and complex nature is accentuated as he solves seemingly supernatural crimes with unparalleled intellect while struggling to connect with others on a human level. Meanwhile, Watson blogs the stories summarizing their cases while building a strained but caring friendship with his new partner.
