Birth name Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch

Birthday 19 July 1976

Star sign Cancer

Birthplace Hammersmith, London

Before following in their footsteps, Benedict Cumberbatch was born to actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham.

He grew up in the Royal Borough Of Kensington And Chelsea and attended boarding institutes Brambletye School and Harrow School.

During his time at Harrow, Benedict was involved in many Shakespearean plays. He also painted oil canvasses and was a part of the rugby team.

Benedict spent his gap year volunteering as an English teacher in India and later studied drama at the University Of Manchester.  

He furthered his acting training at the London Academy Of Music And Dramatic Art, graduating with an MA in classical acting.

Since 2001, Benedict Cumberbatch has had major roles in numerous classic plays in London’s theatres.

He achieved the ‘Triple Crown Of London Theatre’ in 2011 when he received the Olivier Award, Evening Standard Award and Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for his leading performance in Danny Boyle’s Frankenstein.

Benedict landed his first main TV part as Stephen Hawking in Hawking in 2004.

He was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor and won the Golden Nymph for Television Films – Best Performance By An Actor.

While filming a miniseries in South Africa in 2005, Benedict and two friends were abducted and held at gunpoint by a group of locals.

Their abductors eventually set them free without an explanation.

In 2010, the actor achieved international recognition for his role as Sherlock Holmes in the first series of Sherlock. He later won an Emmy Award for the third episode of the third series.

Starting his film career in 2006, Benedict Cumberbatch played William Pitt The Younger in Amazing Grace before gaining supporting roles in Atonement and The Other Boleyn Girl.

He also provided the voice and motion-capture for both the dragon Smaug and the Necromancer in The Hobbit film series.

Benedict’s other films include Star Trek Into Darkness and 12 Years A Slave.

After meeting her at university, Benedict began dating fellow actress Olivia Poulet in 1999. They amicably parted after 12 years together.

He dated artist Anna James in 2011 but the couple separated the following year.