Benedict Cumberbatch on surviving kidnapping and life anew
Actor Benedict Cumberbatch spoke about a traumatic experience from 20 years ago. While working in South Africa, he was kidnapped and held for several hours.
In an interview with Variety before the premiere of his new film "The Thing with Feathers" at the Sundance Festival, the 48-year-old actor recalled the events of 2004. At that time, while filming the BBC miniseries "To the Ends of the Earth," Cumberbatch and his friends were returning from diving when they got a flat tyre. When they got stuck at the roadside, they were attacked by six men. The attackers robbed them, forced them to drive for several hours, and then abandoned them tied up in the middle of nowhere.
"It gave me a sense of time, but not necessarily a good one," said the actor. "It made me impatient to live a life less ordinary, and I’m still dealing with that impatience."
This "near-death" experience fuelled his desire to take risks. "It made me go, "Oh, right, yeah, I could die at any moment," he confessed. "I was throwing myself out of planes, taking all sorts of risks."
Currently, as the husband of Sophie Hunter and the father of three sons – Kit (9 years old), Hal (7 years old), and Finn (6 years old) – Cumberbatch sees life differently. "But apart from my parents, I didn’t have any real dependents at that point. Now that’s changed, and that sobers you," he admitted.
"I’ve looked over the edge; it’s made me comfortable with what lies beneath it. And I’ve accepted that that’s the end of all our stories," added the actor.
Benedict Cumberbatch's new film
His new movie "The Thing with Feathers," based on Max Porter's book "Grief is the Thing with Feathers," tells the story of a young father grappling with reality after the sudden death of his wife.
Benedict Cumberbatch shared how having children makes the passage of time feel more real. Reflecting on his youngest child turning six, he realised he would be over 60 by the time they turned 21. He described how quickly time seems to pass and how becoming a parent brings a significant shift in priorities, leading to a deeper appreciation for the things that truly matter in life.
He acknowledged that he often reflects on the passage of time, especially since becoming a parent. He noted that parenthood naturally leads to more frequent thoughts about mortality.
