By: Olga Murillo

As the year comes to a close I start to think about when I was first introduced to Benedict Cumberbatch and where I stand with him now. The first time I watched AND took note of who Cumberbatch is was when my little brother made me watch Sherlock. Then it was like baader-meinhof I remembered watching him in other stuff. I had seen him in a movie and other British related stuff. It was hard to get over his face first. I was not sure if he was attractive or weird. I decided that what I was feeling for Cumberbatch was more like what one feels for a not-so-good-looking, borderline creepy rock star. I wanted him, but I didn’t know why. I was attracted, but repelled. It was not until I saw him in action (after season 1 of Sherlock) that I felt that connection that Halpern refers to as “Para-Social.”

My interest furthered when I saw how of a “gentleman” he was. I was not aware of everything we had learned in class yet (I was not in class). I didn’t know that the US media had shined this British gentleman light on him, that is not the way the British view him in the UK. I didn’t know where I stood in this vicious cycle of tabloids and paparazzi. I found out that the way I got over his unconventional face was the same way the media got over it, HIS VOICE. I mean I know some (just two really) British people that don’t sound as sexy as he does. It’s like a gentlemen thing. Colin Firth has it going on, but (as much as I like him) Tom Hiddleston doesn’t. It’s the gent image and that VOICE!

The BBC has recognized that Benedict Cumberbatch’s voice is becoming a thing, almost like JLo’s butt. For more on his voice please see my Jaguar post. Cumberbatch has recently read radio warning of 1944 news for the BBC. Jumping on the boat, getting the United Statsian interested. Of course we melt for the voice. It’s funny how other videos for BBC shows won’t load because we are not in the UK (yes – I have tried. There are some UK shows that are really good), but this video plays without any problem. I believe that they have signed up Cumberbatch to read in order to commemorate the release of the news of The Imitation Game, which, needless to say, Cumberbatch is starring in. The UK is making a big deal about the Royal Pardon to Alan Tuning and the movie. Slowly releasing clips, photos and making Cumberbatch do these extra activities.

That’s him dancing because summer is around the corner.

By: Olga Murillo

Oscar buzz for next year is already being talked about amongst the movie companies. One of the biggest buzz is around Benedict Cumberbatch and the new film in which he is starring. Coming to theaters in November of this year is Morten Tyldum’s take on Andrew Hodges’ book Alan Turing: The Enigma. The film is named The Imitation Game and it stars our celebrity watchman and Keira Knightley – whom I think of as like the British royalty of film for Americans. The movie is about Alan Turing, a British soldier who, with the help of hardly anyone, was able to crack Nazi Germany’s code using the Enigma machine. The movie is said to celebrate Turing’s achievements, but also show his despairing end.

Cumberbatch, who will be playing Turing, has previously acted in roles where sexuality is questioned. The most famous example is his character in the show Sherlock. Cumberbatch plays the role of the Conan Doyle’s detective, who seems to be ambiguously bisexual on the show.

In the 1940s, Alan Turing was prosecuted under British law for homosexuality, and ultimately took his life rather than accept the options the government offered him, which were imprisonment or an injection to try and cure his homosexuality. Cumberbatch will be bringing to life his struggles, achievements, and most importantly his era.

However, I began to question the matter of Cumberbatch being casted as Turing. Was it because Cumberbatch already has great experience in this certain era and sexuality or was it because he is becoming such a hot commodity in the Euro/US film market. Either way the casting would not be disappointed; hot commodity or not it was a role and a script well written. Still, we cannot avoid the fact that when the UK government came out with the Royal Pardon for what they had done to Alan Turing a picture of Cumberbatch in his Turing character was release (picture above). This would not be a challenging role for Cumberbatch, but a rewarding one.

The movie was originally going to star Leonardo DiCaprio and Warner Bros was going to finance it. However, DiCaprio turned down the role and so did Warner Bros. That is when the movie became an entirely British film. Black Bear Pictures picked up the script, casted, and began filming. When word got out about an incredible script and incredible casting to match buzz between the movie distributing companies began to rise. It is said to be an Oscar worthy film with an Oscar worthy cast and what company doesn’t want it under their belt. So distributing companies in the UK began to bid. An outside the UK bidder, The Weinstein Company, bid against the studios and bought the US distributing rights for 7 million dollars. The most a company has ever paid for US rights on a European movie. One of the reasons the Weinstein brothers bought the movie was because of Benedict Cumberbatch. The Weinsteins saw the way the movie was already being subtly advertised in the UK with Cumberbatch and the Royal Pardon and could only see dollar bills coming their way.

By Olga Murillo

Although Benedict Cumberbatch’s birthday isn’t until July 19^th his Cumberbitches and hardcore fans are already getting ready to mail close-to-absurd trinkets and cards telling the gentleman how much they care and wish him a happy birthday.

As fans, we feel a connection to our celebrity and feel the need to tell him/her that we care, that we know them and we are right here waiting. We want to be their friends, we want to BELIEVE we ARE their friends. Hence, the need for so much media to buzz around Cumberbatch.

We want to be in the bedroom with them. On the receiving end, the celebrities just get words, wishes, and heartfelt feelings from a faceless adoring pile of letters (that might end up in the dustbin, anyway).

Although fans refuse to believe our friends, our celebrities, would ever treat our affectionate letters that way. Birthdays become crucial for the hardcore fan.

We want to believe that Cumberbatch, being a caring and and honest person, takes the time to read and store all of our lovely letters. Cumberbatch’s hardcore fans take him and his down-to-earth, sweet character into mind during the brainstorm for creative birthday gifts.

Long time fan and creator of the UK’s mega Cumberbatch fan site, Naomi Roper has an alternative for this confusing birthday card/gift process. For the past couple of years Roper and John Grant, Cumberbatch’s agent, and Cumberbatch himself have collaborated to make the fans money more useful than to give gifts to Cumberbatch who already has millions of dollars and no doubt everything he needs.

Every year Roper contacts Cumberbatch’s people and they tell her which charity Cumberbatch would be delighted to help. The first year Roper participated, in 2012, her website and its fans donated to The Teenage Cancer Trust (which is the same fund to which Cumberbatch suggested people contribute to help Stephen SUtton, the young cancer patient who recently died).

So this way the fans get to express their love by donating money to a charity that Cumberbatch loves, instead of mailing him some sweater he won’t receive, let alone wear. Naomi Roper knows too well about sending Benedict Cumberbatch fanmail. In her Contact page, she straightforwardly states,

“If you wish to send fanmail to Benedict please contact: Benedict Cumberbatch, c/o Conway Van Gelder Grant, 3rd Floor, 8-12 Broadwick Street, London W1F 8HW

Please note that due to the volume of mail he receives Benedict is unfortunately unable to respond personally to fanmail but is hugely appreciative of everyone who takes the time to write.”

Roper knows the sad feeling of discovering that Cumberbatch is not really our friend, so she lets the fans down very gently by ambiguously stating that Benedict Cumberbatch appreciates the people who take the time to write.

We can’t face the fact that he does not wear our sweaters or read our letters or even open them. However, our hard dying love won’t stop there. We will raise the money and comment beautifully on the charity website along with our donation and Cumberbatch will get the media coverage.

A sly move from John Grant, or as the media will say a resourceful tip off. Or he himself will post a picture holding a proactive sign saying something along the lines of “Help the youth” or “Look around you UK! Your future is in need.”

This year, for Cumberbatch’s 38^th birthday, fans will be able to donate to… drum roll please… The Prince’s Trust, a youth charity.
 The Prince’s Trust is a program in the United Kingdom that was started by Prince Charles in 1976. It was created to help the “disadvantage” youth that are either unemployed, struggling in school, are in care, homeless, struggle with mental issues, or need financial support. The program offers jobs, help in education, and it has special training classes along with many other programs to help improve the youths’ situation.

A great cause for someone like Cumberbatch who is for the people – or at least the media says so. Be ready to see massive media coverage this summer of Cumberbatch shaking hands with the disadvantaged.

And of course he would want Prince’s Trust to be the charity of his choice this year since he recently became an ambassador for the program. Maybe as an ambassador he will continue to donate to the program past his 38th birthday. But one thing we know for sure, as an ambassador, we will see massive media on the trust and on Cumberbatch in action with disadvantaged kids.

By Olga Murillo

I agree with Lexie when she say that Benedict Cumberbatch jumped on the bandwagon to help Stephen Sutton, the young cancer patient whose case was recently taken up by a bunch of celebrities, in order to improve or advance his own image.

Although, as Lexie writes, Cumberbatch does not need that extra press, his support for the kid does perhaps help make him seem more respectable. There were already a handful of celebrities offering funds to help out young Sutton, who unfortunately passed away in the early hours of yesterday.

I ask myself, where are these people now? Coldplay, Jason Manford, Simon Pegg, and Russell Brand? I am sorry to sound harsh – but when the money is spent and the article about Cumberbatch (and the other celebrities) helping Sutton has been published, where does the support go?

Does the viewer/reader/CumberWatcher move on and count it as one of his good deeds or do we brush it off as spotlight press that is no longer meaningful.

Will these stars continue to give money to the Sutton family and their charity? So far they haven’t published any statement.

I always thought that when several celebrities joined one cause, in this case the plight of one boy, it was like a competition to see how much attention each celebrity can get for  the cause).

Benedict Cumberbatch coming in late in the game for Stephen Sutton, did help the young man rack up some press. And also, why not fund a different kid, instead of one who is already getting funding and support from others?

There are many children out there who cannot afford the medical assistance they need. Why not brighten someone else’s life?

Maybe this doesn’t happen because no one else has picked out another suffering child to focus on. A celebrity might worry: Would his choice of a different child be considered  worthy of the attention of other celebrities?

Did John Grant (Cumberbatch’s agent) make the assumption that the Sutton child was a good bet for suport from Benedict because there was already a critical mass of respected media covering that one child?

Really, just find another child – make your own damn story. Try doing it because you want to, Benedict, not because John Grant thinks it was a good idea for your image!

John Grant, one of the 9 agents for Conway van Gelder Grant, manages Cumberbatch from the shadows. Cumberbatch’s name is so well known that Grant’s name is unnecessary. It’s not like Tom Cruise and Pat Kingsley where her name is attached to Cruise. John Grant, managing great upcoming British actors, allows Cumberbatch to float around and be his own person.

It looks as if Cumberbatch owns his own life and that is because Grant knows how to do his job. Grant knows not to get involved in pushing a celebrity’s  “personal life.” Still, articles like “Cumberbatch uses public transportation and buys his own soup” manage to leak into the media.

Grant plays it safe with Cumberbatch and allows him to publicly live a “normal life.” His celebrity image is one that seems down to earth and common.

Except for the fact that he is a celebrity and well-known actor, to his fans he seems almost human.

So Grant has done a good job. Nothing but good and respected press. Which brings me back to Stephen. Grant, flawlessly executing his job made it look like Cumberbatch cared at the moment when he too joined up with the other stars on behalf of Sutton.

And we ate it up. We believed he truly cared for Stephen Sutton and people in his situation.