Benedict Cumberbatch is an English actor and producer who has risen from acclaimed stage work to become one of the most recognizable screen stars of his generation. Born Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch on 19 July 1976 in Hammersmith, London, he grew up in a family of actors and trained at some of England's most respected drama institutions before conquering television, film, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
His breakthrough came as Sherlock Holmes in the BBC's Sherlock (2010–2017), a performance that earned him a Primetime Emmy and made him a global star. Two Academy Award nominations followed — for playing Alan Turing in The Imitation Game (2014) and Phil Burbank in The Power of the Dog (2021) — before he took up the Cloak of Levitation as Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In interviews, Cumberbatch has said he will return as Stephen Strange in Avengers: Doomsday, which arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026.
Quick Facts
Full Name: Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch
Born: 19 July 1976
Age: 50 (as of October 2026)
Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, England
Occupation: Actor, producer
Breakthrough: Sherlock Holmes in BBC's Sherlock (2010–2017)
Spouse: Sophie Hunter (married 14 February 2015)
Children: Three sons
Honors: CBE (2015), Primetime Emmy Award, BAFTA TV Award, Olivier Award, two Academy Award nominations
Early Life
Benedict Cumberbatch was born on 19 July 1976 at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in Hammersmith, London. Acting was the family business: both of his parents, Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham, were professional actors, and he has an older half-sister, Tracy Peacock.
He was educated at Harrow School, studied drama at the Victoria University of Manchester, and later earned an MA in Classical Acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) — a classical grounding that shaped his precise, commanding stage and screen presence.
Career
Cumberbatch first made his mark on the stage, winning the Olivier Award for Best Actor in 2011 for Frankenstein at the National Theatre, where he alternated the roles of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature with Jonny Lee Miller. Television then made him a star: his modern-day Sherlock Holmes in the BBC's Sherlock (2010–2017) earned him a Primetime Emmy, and his devastating turn in Patrick Melrose (2018) won him the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor.
On film, he played Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), voiced and performed Smaug and Sauron in The Hobbit trilogy (2012–2014), and earned Academy Award nominations for Best Actor twice — as codebreaker Alan Turing in The Imitation Game (2014) and as rancher Phil Burbank in The Power of the Dog (2021).
In 2016 he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Strange, reprising the role in Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). Within the MCU he has shared the screen with fellow Avengers featured in our Robert Downey Jr. biography and our Chris Evans biography, as well as newer Marvel stars such as the subject of our Florence Pugh biography. He was appointed CBE in 2015 and named to the TIME 100 in 2014.
Avengers: Doomsday and Upcoming Projects
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026, with its first official trailer released on July 20, 2026. Read our full guide: Avengers: Doomsday (2026).
Whether Doctor Strange appears in the film has been the subject of some confusion — all of it attributed to Cumberbatch's own interviews. He initially told press that Strange would sit out Doomsday, then corrected himself, saying, "I got that wrong, I am in the next one." Press reports also quote him teasing that Strange will be "quite central" in Avengers: Secret Wars, dated December 17, 2027. One caveat: Marvel's official Doomsday cast announcement did not list him, so the studio has not officially confirmed his appearance.
Beyond Marvel, his recent work includes The Roses (2025) opposite Olivia Colman and The Thing with Feathers (2025), and he received the Time Machine Award at Sitges in 2025. Marvel's 2026 slate also features Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026).
Watch the Official Video
Watch the official trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, released by Marvel Entertainment:
FAQs
How old is Benedict Cumberbatch?
Born on 19 July 1976, Benedict Cumberbatch is 50 years old as of October 2026.
Is Benedict Cumberbatch in Avengers: Doomsday?
According to his own interviews, yes — though he first told press that Doctor Strange would sit out the film, he later corrected himself: "I got that wrong, I am in the next one." Marvel's official cast announcement, however, did not list him, so his appearance is not officially confirmed by the studio.
What is Benedict Cumberbatch's most famous role?
Sherlock Holmes in the BBC's Sherlock made him famous, while global audiences know him best as Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Is Benedict Cumberbatch married?
Yes. He married theatre director Sophie Hunter on 14 February 2015, and the couple has three sons.
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