Benedict Cumberbatch – Bio, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Age, Children, Mum, Gay

Quick Facts

Being an actor is one of the most influential careers there is and Benedict Cumberbatch can boldly beat his chest as being a very influential one. About a decade and a half after professionally launching his show business career, Times Magazine in 2014 found him worthy of a spot on their list of the World’s Most Influential People.

The English actor has a filmography that many in the industry can only but wish for. An incredibly talented entertainer, Cumberbatch has active careers both in theater and on the screens. Follow us as we take you through the highlights of Cumberbatch’s very enviable life and career.

Benedict Cumberbatch Bio (Age)

Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch was born in London, England, on the 19th day of July 1976 to already established actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham. With theater in his genes, it was no surprise to his parents when young Benedict leaned towards acting at a very early age.

His parents had tried to steer him away from the spotlight by sending him to a boarding school at Harrow, but despite initially being attracted to painting and rugby, Benedict retraced his steps to acting. He was part of many school plays especially Shakespearean and by 12 years old, his drama teacher realized that he was the best schoolboy actor he’d ever worked with in his career.

After Harrows, Benedict Cumberbatch honed his acting skills studying drama at the Victoria University of Manchester, as well as classical acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. By 2000, he began acting professionally, first in theaters before adding TV roles.

Who Is His Mum?

As earlier stated, Benedict Cumberbatch was born with artistic genes. His mum Wanda Ventham was born on the 5th of August 1935 in Brighton, Sussex, England. As a young girl, she had wanted to be an visual artist but after working as a scenic painter for the Connaught Theatre, she caught the acting bug and made the decision to chase acting full-time. To hone her acting talents, Cumberbatch’s mother enrolled at the Central School of Speech and Drama, graduating in 1956 and immediately beginning her professional career.

Like her son Benedict Cumberbatch, Wanda Ventham is an exceptional stage actress as she is a film and TV actress. However, she is best recognized for her TV roles, particularly her role as Col. Virginia Lake in the science fiction TV series, UFO. As with most actor families, Ventham has acted alongside her son. She played his mother while his biological father also played as his father in the hit series, Sherlock.

Wanda Ventham might be far from her prime, but she isn’t ready just yet to give up on acting as she remains active. You can watch her on episodes of the 2018 TV shows Holby City and Father Brown. Since 1976, she has been married to Timothy Carlton. Her previous marriage to James Tabernacle which lasted from 1957 to 1974 produced a daughter Tracy. Tracy and Benedict are her only children.

Gay, Wife, Children

Benedict Cumberbatch is not a gay man as evidenced in his past relationships with women (he once dated actress and screenwriter Olivia Poulet) as well as his current marriage to a woman. The English actor is married to Sophia Hunter who was his longtime friend prior to tying the knot on Valentine’s day of 2015.

As Sophie also has a career in show business, it gives little to wonder how they were able to stay friends for 17 years before marrying each other. Hunter’s artistic side is channeled behind-the-scenes as a theater and opera director. Also English, she was born on the 16th of March, 1978. The couple has two children – Christopher Carlton and Hal Auden born in June 2015 and March 2017 respectively.

Net Worth

Benedict Cumberbatch has been incredibly successful at his career and one wouldn’t be wrong to name him one of Britain’s most successful actor. He’s had big roles upon big roles a greater number of which he has aced, thus giving rise to the exponential success he has experienced.

From his first main role in a TV film which was that of Hawking in Steve Hawking, Cumberbatch turned heads, earning a BAFTA nomination. His fame went a notch higher in 2006 with his role in Amazing Grace. His most outstanding small screen role remains the titular character in BBC/PBS TV series, Sherlock.

Benedict Cumberbatch has had roles in a number of big blockbusters, among them; 12 Years a Slave (2013), The Imitation Game (2014), and The Hobbit film series where he played both Smaug and the Necromancer. Perhaps, Cumberbatch’s biggest role which contributes a great deal to his earning is the Marvel Comics character Dr. Stephen Strange which he began portraying in Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2016. All of these and more have helped Benedict Cumberbatch amass a net worth of $30 million.

Height

In addition to his striking blue eyes and jawline, another striking physical feature of the British actor is his height. He stands at a towering 6 feet and thanks to his slender build, he mostly appears to be even taller.

Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.