Benedict Cumberbatch: connected to life - Magazine Ecuador

El actor inglés es uno de los más respetados y admirados de su generación. Su carácter moldeado a la perfección para cada personaje se une a la fuerza profunda de su voz. Sus personajes son una revelación de su compromiso con la industria y sus seguidores…

By Yenny Nun.Photos: Getty Images, Yenny Nun.

He was born in London, on July 7, 1976.Both his father, Timothy Carlton, and his mother Wanda Ventam, are actors.Benedict studied dramatic art at Manchester, before starting his career in English TV.Among his films and series are Sherlock, Star Trek: Into Darkness, The Hobbit, The Initation Game for which he nominated the Oscar, Patrick Melrose, a series that deserved a nomination for the Golden Globes, and Avengers, Infinity War.

Very reserved in terms of her personal life, Cumberbatch is married to the actress and director of Opera, Sophie Hunter, 36, whom she met in 2009 when they filmed burlesque Fairytals.The actor chose to announce the commitment in The Times of London, and although he ceased to be the most wanted single in Great Britain, for his fans, he is the artist "Favorite".

The couple has three children: Christopher of 5, Hal de 3 and Finn, a baby who was born recently.

Benedict is Buddhist and tells that extreme sports such as Skydiving, Scuba Diving and Run by Moto are passionate about.In addition, the Prince of Charitable Organization founded by Prince Carlos who is in the aid of low -income youth in England is a ambassador of The Prince..It also usually donates its paintings and drawings for these purposes and, on the most advertising side, it is the face of Dunlop tires and luxury cars, jaguar.

He points out that he began acting when he was a student of the Harrow School in London and that later, at age 19, for a season he taught English in a Tibetan monastery in India and spent several months in Nepal where he learned meditation and techniques from Mindfulness.

Very nice, cordial, with the typical sense of English humor, we virtually talked with him (he is in New Zealand), where he spent quarantine with his family and where he is currently filming The Power of the Dog, his newfilm directed by Jane Campion and will open the next Venice Film Festival.The tape had started its filming, but it had to be interrupted as a result of the pandemic.

He explains that beard is being allowed to grow, by the character of Phil Burbank, which he plays on the tape.Recently two other films staring The Couer and The Mauritanian in which he makes a duo with Jodie Foster.Both films are inspired by real events.The first is the story of an common man who is recruited by the English Secret Service to carry and bring secret documents between the Soviet Union and England, during the Cold War.In the second, it embodies the prosecutor in charge of the accusation against an Arab detainee from Mauritania and a prisoner in Guantanamo.

How has it been to live the pandemic in New Zealand?

This is a horrific crisis for millions of people and has affected their lives in a devastating way.I realize that we had a lot, good luck and it was pure chance that together with my family, we were in a small country like this, where immediate precautions were taken.I think Jacinda Ardern's leadership has been extraordinary and inspiring.Neozylalands have behaved wonderfully, have helped us, welcomed and have been very generous with us.

New Zealand is the country that goes to the avant -garde in the fight to eliminate Covid 19, are you still with restrictions?

We are at level 1, the one with fewer controls.There is still a certain social distancing in meetings of several people and it is a country that is not admitting any foreigner.In my case, when we arrived with my family, we had to go through a strict quarantine.In general, no one is accepted to enter, unless it is someone from here who is back.Here, the disease was almost eradicated.For how long? Nobody knows.Perhaps it will depend on border controls, but on the other hand they need tourism income.It still remains to balance a lot to return to "new normality".Little businesses have suffered a lot, and not only here, but around the world.

What can we tell us about your family life?

I am married to a beautiful woman and we try to always be together.We have the rule of maximum two weeks, we have never been separated by more than that time.Now we are very lucky to be together, including my parents.And it has been difficult for my mother and father since this country is not her home, but we have tried to protect and care for them;They are in the 80s, a high -risk age and my potato is asthmatic.Luckily they already vaccinated and nothing makes them happier than being together with their grandchildren and their daughter -in -law to whom they adore.

Why before his marriage he decided to announce his commitment through a publication in a newspaper?

Because that is the standard way to announce commitments in England, perhaps an old -fashioned formula.But it's how I would have announced anyway if it was not in this strange, high position, to be a famous actor.It was to normalize something that is deeply personal for me.I knew that the world would find out, but I didn't want to advertise it anymore from the account.It was an announcement for my family and for friends, because although I do not believe it, after our commitment, I had to return to the tables where I was playing Ricardo 3 (laughs) so I didn't have time to spend hours on the phone inviting people.

Do you find something positive about the pandemic?

The gift of this forced opportunity is that I have been able to be with my family and have time only for them.It coincided with a very formative stage in the life of my children and also, I brought my parents.I usually do not speak much of my personal life, but these are extraordinary circumstances.I have enjoyed our privacy and connection with nature, a much deeper, educational and nutrient experience than life in a city.Following this pandemic, I have been able to pause, to meditate on those that human interaction means, which means the value of friendship, communication and connection.In addition, I have been connecting with my colleagues in the United Kingdom, and trying to be productive.I have spent moments that I will treasure with my family and that if it weren't for this crisis, I would never have lived them.Luckily none of us has become ill.

Real life stories

In The Courier, who recently premiered in Chile, his character must lose weight a lot.How do i do it?

I lost weight over a long time, which was the best option.They gave me three months to achieve it, what was fantastic and coincided with the birth of our baby.It was a combination of a strict diet and exercises, including a lot of swimming in cold water, a lot of yoga, pilates exercises to get the muscles to release their fat.It was hard.I lost like ¾ of my muscle mass.And it was noticed, which was important for our history of this English spy captured by the Russians in the time of the cold war and sent to the Gulag.Then, it was even harder to recover the lost weight that I should also achieve little by little.

His role in The Mauritanian, he also revolves around another political prisoner ....

Yes.I accepted the role when the movie was just being developed, script inspired by the autobiography El Diario de Guantanamo, by Mohamedou Ould Slahi.It is the story of an imprisoned man by mistake, for 12 years of his life.Tortured multiple times in Jordan, Bagram and Guantanamo who managed to survive insisting that he was innocent.History is a will on how the human spirit does not give up in front of adversities.Mohamedou, has the same strength that my character Greville Wynne, in The Courier.They are special people who do not bend against adversities, becoming sources of inspiration for other people.

What role does Fodie Foster have?

She plays Nancy Hollander, the lawyer in charge of defending Mohamedou and I am.He requested his Christian conscience, finds the inhuman and very little "American" process.For my part, I decided to be part of this story and help the script, incorporating into the project early.

And what can ahead us about his character on the tape that he is filming now?

Phil Burban is an incredible man, who I think would have acted very well during this crisis, because he is a human being of many resources.It has multiple defects, it is a tortured soul, but still, everything you decide.Interpreting it, I have learned that I would like to be a producer of important things instead of a consumer of them.Produce much more satisfaction, regardless of the results.

Working in a movie after another, it seems that never for.Is it the type of person who always needs to have a full calendar?

Nope;Athough it does not seems.What happens is that they have presented me too many excellent projects impossible to reject.As Sherlock says, - one of the characters I have interpreted - "a change of work is as satisfactory as a vacation".And I think it's true.Every time another movie started, I use different energies and engines, so I don't tire.But I don't consider myself a ‘worldoholic’ and in the background I am incredibly lazy.What I like the most is relax, see friends and be with my family and go on vacation.

Meditate and practice mindfulness.Has it helped in front of what is happening?

Very much and I would recommend it to all, regardless of your activity or profession.It is a great help, especially for famous people.With this method, we managed to enjoy the moment, this day, the here now.It is the power of the mind to form your reality, it helps us to have those little moments throughout the day, which we enjoy thoroughly.For me, it's super important, it's my ground cable.When I am too tired, I take about 10 minutes to meditate and worry about my internal traffic.

But the most important thing is to have around you people who know you and who are present in your life, whether family, friends or colleagues.

You.He has played several superheroes such as DR.Strange.What special power would you like to have?

I would like to be able to walk towards a different dimension for which after finishing my job in a movie abroad, being able to return directly where my family, without taking a plane or suffering from Jet Lag.Just get where I want to go, that would be my special power that I would choose.

What would you say is your best attribute?

Es difícil para mi decidir, quizá You.has already noticed.But I would say that the sense of humor, in general, is a great attribute in the closet of a human being.I use it more to express love than as an offensive weapon.In addition, I think that having a good sense of humor regarding oneself, is something very important.In my case, humor influences what I do and how I do it.But also, the sense of humor of the people around me influences me, especially when I work with people much more fun than me.

What do you think of arrogance?

Arrogance closes people in listening and learning from other people, especially when you are part of a team, as is the case in my profession.I think I'm not arrogant, I always have the personal and professional support of my colleagues.I feel very sure about what I do about my work because an army of people is around me daily.

Did he use his sense of humor when the queen decorated it?

No, because I was something scared, I felt a lot of humility and respect.It was a very short ceremony, but a very beautiful moment that I will always remember.

It has thousands of fans on social networks, including Cumberbitches.Why do you think it's so popular?I announced on Twitter that I was going to interview it and had never had that reception ...

(Laughs) I can't answer that question, but I think my fans are incredibly intelligent, they know how to measure, they are creative, inspiring, young people of spirit, of all ages, of both sexes and very determined.There was a confusion at the beginning with my last name that derives to the name you mentioned ...

What causes are passionate about?

The defense of human rights is very important for me.I work with a charity institution called Liberty in England helping the most needy in my country and defending discrimination immigrants.

I am also worried about the environment and I feel a hypocrite saying it since I went up to airplanes, almost every day.But I'm glad the agreement that EE.UU.He signed with China to reduce carbon emissions;It is a great step in the right direction.

In addition, I am worried about the abuse of labor laws, where some workers are almost slaves, as in Bangladesh.

Is reputable to dress very well.What is your favorite designer?

I don't have a single stylist!I choose the clothes that make me feel more comfortable.I guide my tailor taylor, whom I met when I worked in the Sherlock Holmes series.Many designers want to dress me, which is very flattering, but it is also free promotion for them.

What kind of clothes do you wear at home?

You wouldn't want to see me on that facade!.Super baggy clothes like polerones and loose pants (laughs).It is a relief, after using for months of times in many of my films.

How does it stay in such a good way?

Let me touch wood.I stopped smoking and that helps.I shouldn't have told him because if I appear again, they will say that I lied.But I have not smoked for a month and I die for smoking now.No, I'm joking (laughs).I try to eat healthy and not eat too late at night.In addition, I try to exercise daily, at least half an hour with elongation exercises and walks.Also, I take some vitamin supplements and I try to sleep 8 hours.

Finally, what are the 3 things that you are most grateful?

The great love I have in my life with my wife.It is incredible to have found someone to love and also love me with the same intensity.Not many people manage to find the love of their life, it was a true miracle that we met, considering how busy we were both (laughs).Sophie is something that I am incredibly grateful.I am also grateful for my good health and the health of my family and, finally, that I am still working here, it is one of the opportunities that have been presented to me in my professional life.For me this is a kind of golden moment.