Benedict Cumberbatch Reveals How Fatherhood Has Deepened His Emotions
Benedict Cumberbatch discusses the transformative impact of fatherhood on his life and acting career.
“Becoming a father alters the way you perform,” said the 49-year-old Marvel star in an interview with The Times of London published on Friday, November 7, noting that being a dad to his three sons made his “emotions paper thin.”
(Cumberbatch shares his children—Christopher, Hal, and Finn—with wife, Sophie Hunter.)
“It’s not always about parallels between your experiences and your character’s; it’s about becoming a channel for feelings you previously weren’t,” he elaborated. “Movies like Barbie can make you cry, while others can evoke anger.”
Cumberbatch is set to star in the film adaptation of Max Porter’s novel, Grief Is the Thing with Feathers. This story focuses on the sudden loss of his character’s wife.
“After my father passed, I remember a babysitter taking care of my brother and me. We played his favorite game where we kicked each other until someone begged for mercy, laughing,” Porter shared, reflecting on how his own father’s death shaped his artistry. “The babysitter couldn’t understand why we were cheerful. Did she expect us to stop being boys and wallow in sadness?”
On an especially emotional scene from the film, Cumberbatch remarked, “During the scene where the father packs his wife’s clothes and smells her cardigan, several crew members left the set because they couldn’t stifle their tears.”
Previously, in a January 2025 interview with Variety, Cumberbatch opened up about fatherhood’s effects on him.
“Having kids changes your perception of time dramatically,” he explained. “My youngest turns 6 tomorrow, and I realize I’ll be in my 60s when he’s 21. Time flies so fast. It shifts your priorities and alters how you value your life.”
He continued: “It weighs on you. Becoming a parent makes you more conscious of mortality.”
Cumberbatch typically keeps his family life private. However, he discussed his children while accepting his Hollywood Walk of Fame star in February 2022.
He expressed admiration for Hunter, saying, “Together, we’ve built an incredible family of three extraordinary little beings. They’ve taught me so much and also challenged much of what I thought I knew.”
He also shared that his kids treat him just like any other dad, unbothered by his Hollywood fame. “If anyone wonders if I can handle the ego boost of this celebration, I often hear, ‘Shut up, Daddy,’ or get hit in the face. That’s a daily reality for me, so thank you for keeping me grounded, boys. Maybe one day, we’ll sneak out together in disguise and take a photo at daddy’s star. You’re my little stars, and I adore you.”
