Benedict Cumberbatch recounted a life-altering experience from over 20 years ago while filming the BBC miniseries To the Ends of the Earth in South Africa. During a road trip, Cumberbatch and friends were robbed and briefly abducted, facing a terrifying near-execution. Although unharmed, the incident sparked an adrenaline-seeking lifestyle, with him indulging in extreme sports. Now a father of three, Cumberbatch reflects on how parenthood has shifted his priorities and deepened his understanding of life’s temporality. He acknowledges that the near-death experience instilled a sense of urgency, leading to ongoing struggles with patience and a profound awareness of mortality.
Benedict Cumberbatch has opened up about a terrifying experience more than 20 years ago that shaped his life in extraordinary ways.
The 48-year-old actor was in his 20s when he was on the set of the BBC miniseries To the Ends of the Earth in South Africa in 2004.
He was on a road trip with friends during his free time when his car got a flat tire.
While they were on the side of the road, they were robbed and abducted by six men who forced them into a car.
They were driven in a car for hours, then taken out and ordered to sit down and be executed before the kidnappers could escape.
Although the actor and his friends were not physically harmed, it has irrevocably changed him, he revealed in a new interview with Variety magazine, where he also opened up about his fears about aging.
Benedict Cumberbatch has opened up about a terrifying experience more than 20 years ago that shaped his life in extraordinary ways.
The 48-year-old actor was in his 20s when he was on the set of the BBC miniseries To the Ends of the Earth in South Africa in 2004.
“It gave me a sense of time, but not necessarily in a good way. It made me feel anxious about living an unusual life, and I still deal with that impatience.” he said.
This experience turned him into an “adrenaline junkie” who enjoys skydiving and participating in extreme sports to relax.
“The near-death experience accelerated everything, and I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, yeah, I could die at any moment,'” Cumberbatch admitted.
“I was taking all kinds of risks and throwing myself out of planes. But apart from my parents, I had no real dependents at that point,” he admitted.
The actor is now a father to three children, sons Christopher, 9, Hal, 7, and Finn, 6, with his wife Sophie Hunter, and they celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary on Valentine’s Day.
He admitted that having a family has “changed” his thrill-seeking self, adding: “It’s calming.”
‘I’ve seen it from the other end. It allowed me to feel comfortable with what was underneath. And I accepted that this is the end of all our stories,” Cumberbatch said.
He added about being a father:This sense of time becomes even more deeply ingrained when you have children.
“It gave me a sense of time, but not necessarily in a good way. I felt a sense of impatience in living an unusual life, and I still struggle with that impatience,” he said. Ta.
This experience turned him into an “adrenaline junkie” who enjoys skydiving and participating in extreme sports to relax.
“I was taking all kinds of risks and throwing myself out of planes. But apart from my parents, I had no real dependents at that point,” he admitted.
“I’m thinking, ‘By the time he’s 21, I’ll be in my 60s,'” she added of her youngest son, who just turned six earlier this month. It’s crazy. It went by so quickly.
“So there’s a big shift in priorities, and it’s a completely different set of values for what you do with your life,” he added.
The actor continued, “It’s a burden for me.” When you become a parent, your thoughts turn in a more mortal direction. ”
The actor is preparing to return as Doctor Strange in the long-awaited Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday.