Before Benedict became known to the world as "Doctor Strange" for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he was familiar to TV fans as Sherlock Holmes, the intelligent and astute detective of the BBC series "Sherlock" based on the books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. While the show received success and opened doors for Cumberbatch and his on-screen buddy Martin Freeman (as Dr. John Watson), the actor said that his mom didn't even think he could look the part.
Speaking with GQ, Cumberbatch revealed that when he got the lead role on "Sherlock" nearly 10 years ago, the very first thing his mother said was that he didn't look like the iconic sleuth. Cumberbatch's mom, actress Wanda Ventham, criticized that her son didn't have the "right nose" for the character. But this didn't stop the actor from taking on the role. He has a healthy attitude about the criticisms he receives in his line of work.
Cumberbatch understands that even his most staunch supporters, such as his mother, can become his critic because everyone has their biases. But the "Sherlock" star was also raised by his parents to believe in what he can do so that he can achieve something great.
Since "Sherlock" exploded on television after four seasons, Cumberbatch has been a powerhouse in show business. Mainstream audiences are well aware of his other works because of the accolades he received for being Sherlock Holmes.
Speaking of the series, Cumberbatch seems to be keen to return to Baker St. and revisit his famous character on "Sherlock" season 5. The actor has said in interviews before that no one is closing their doors on the show thus it has not been canceled by BBC. Only, the stars of the series are now busy with other projects, so there's a long break between season 4 and season 5.
Both the lead stars of "Sherlock" are doing one movie after another. Series creator Stephen Moffat and Mark Gatiss are also tied to other projects, specifically "Dracula," which is also on BBC. Cumberbatch said he loves doing the show with the cast and the crew. So, if the time is right and their schedules jive, then they can all go back to do "Sherlock" season 5.
Meanwhile, fans of Cumberbatch can look forward to his new political drama "Brexit: The Uncivil War," where he plays Dominic Cummings, the strategist behind Britain leaving the European Union. The show runs every Monday nights on HBO.
