Benedict Cumberbatch Talks Grief, Strictly & His Annoying Travel Habit

Benedict Cumberbatch, his starring roles have included Sherlock, Doctor Stephen Strange in the Marvel Universe and of course Alan Turing in the Imitation Game which earned him an Oscar nomination. Well now he's back in The Thing With Feathers, it's a new horror that explores grief and our Tyler has been catching up with him. This film right now is one of the rawest depictions of grief that I've ever seen. What sort of different place as an actor did you need to go to to be able to give a true reflection of the dad? I think a very honest place where I let my own emotions come through more perhaps than any other. It was less imagining. Well obviously there are circumstances in the film, God forbid, that aren't mine but it was that sort of rawness of just existing in that space of loss, of feeling what that is like. And it was really important for me as you touched on to explore the idea that's culturally not that present of what male grief is and that it's alright to feel feelings that are utterly overwhelming and to feel that you're not in control and that things are unmanageable or chaotic. Thank you for being vulnerable and doing it, you know, that's my job. It's my job but thank you. Yeah, you've got to pay for it, don't get me wrong. Not very much. But you know, that was also part of the reason of really wanting to champion this extraordinary film adaptation of an extraordinary novel. When you're proper going through it in life, the littlest and most petty things can just be that one thing to tip you over the edge. So I want to know from you, what's some of those little petty things on a day-to-day basis that could be the thing to tip? I can hear very loud voices, four in particular, as in my immediate family, my three boys and Sophie just, yeah, they've got a long list I think, I tip quite easily. I tend to be someone who stays calm, stays calm, stays calm and then it's like, will you put that sock on? It's just one thing that just drives me over the edge. What about people that sort of butter toast and then transport the crumbs over to the bowl? You really want to get something to... Do you clap when the plane lands? Our children quite like doing it, it's very sweet. What about watching your favourite series and then realising you've got to wait a week until there's another episode? I'm alright with that, I'm alright with that. You're not just binging on a Sunday? No, because otherwise it means A, I get some sleep, because otherwise I'm up until God knows when and have to get up God knows when and that's always a disaster. But no, I'm quite grateful for that. The streamers have kind of boxed us, ruined us, you know, the way you get episode dumps and the entire thing and you're like, oh no, one more of The Bear, one more of Severance and you're going like this for the rest of the day. Now, one thing I did struggle with is that I'm scared of crows at the best of times. Wow, okay, warning, there were crows in this film. Exactly. There was a moment where a crow had to hop on me and that was quite nerve-wracking. There was this whole thing where they put a bit of plastic on my face because he had to hop really near my chest and sort of peck at some food on my chest as he went up. And you know, they look, they carry this weight of story and myth and imports as they do in our culture. In reality, you see them in the flesh and you think, what, are you going to come and peck my eye out? You know, they feed on carrion, they're kind of extraordinary, magical birds and they're very, very smart. There was a moment as well where the crow and you were having a moment. That was a moment of letting go on set, yeah. You showed some moves right there, some moves of letting go. Some very whiskey drunk moves, yeah, and grief moves. And it is strictly season at the moment, so your good friend Judge Rinder did it, I have done it. You've done it as well, haven't you? That's where I met my now fiance. Oh yeah, of course. Would you ever dive in? No. At least you're honest with it. No, I'm very honest. I would love some private dance lessons, but I would not go anywhere near that. And you officiated Rob's wedding as well. I mean, this is a long shot. If finally me and Molly lock down a date in the future, by any chance are you around to officiate? I mean, we could talk diaries. I mean, I'm in the endgame now. Thank you so much and congratulations on the film, my friend. Thank you so much. And Benedict's new film, The Thing With Feathers, is out today. And that's a wrap for this video. We hope you enjoyed it. We have all the best moments from the show right here on the channel. And if you like this video, then we think you'll love this one. See you next time.