Benedict Cumberbatch – From Baker Street to Blockbusters

May 4, 2012 PBS Wisconsin Leave a Comment

A while back, when I was intent on seeing all the Oscar nominated films, I saw Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy in the theater. While I can barely recall a single detail from the film, the one thing that sticks with me is how throughout it I noticed people around me lean and whisper “Oh, that’s that guy from the PBS show.”

Benedict Cumberbatch, “that guy” who had a role in Tinker Tailor opposite Gary Oldham, is best known for his role in Masterpiece Mystery! “Sherlock.” Though he certainly isn’t a household name in America, his star is rising, and the premiere of Sherlock, Season 2 on PBS on Sunday, will certainly give a boost to Cumberbatch’s star power. There’s already evidence that the new Sherlock is on the cusp of big things. A fantastic New York Times slideshow and article offers a profile of Cumberbatch’s roles from Sherlock to Star Trek (by J.J. Abrams and slated for 2013).

NPR has taken notice too. Friday, Morning Edition’s David Greene spoke with Cumberbatch on his blockbuster roles and even made an attempt to leak information about Sherlock 3.

Turns out our little Sherlock star has some big opportunities ahead of him. But no matter the fame that awaits, Benedict Cumberbatch will always be, to many fans, the that guy from the PBS show. You can see that guy again this Sunday in Masterpiece Mystery!: Sherlock, Season 2 on Wisconsin Public Television.

Bonus Material:
One other not so well known television star behind the success of Sherlock is writer/producer Steven Moffat. You can listen to Fresh Air’s interview with Moffat in which he speaks about his work writing for Doctor Who and Sherlock and on casting Cumberbatch as Sherlock.

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