Benedict Cumberbatch was seen at JFK airport in New York today, heading out after several days of intense Oscar campaigning that included his first official red carpet appearance with fiancée Sophie Hunter – click here for a refresher. Over the last couple of days, Cumberbatch has been on American morning television, last night at the CNN Heroes event, and a screening of The Imitation Game for the Academy too. So, basically, the opposite of Michael Fassbender. Cumberbatch isn’t conceding to Michael Keaton, hell no. Cumberbatch is coming at this hard. Harvey Weinstein hasn’t had such a formidable male actor in contention since Colin Firth in The King’s Speech.
If Cumhards made up the Academy, Cumberbatch would win for sure. That’s why I think The Imitation Game was awarded at TIFF. That kind of voting has become like the MTV Awards – not exactly discerning. But, as Vulture just described in their new profile of him, Cumberbatch is the “internet’s boyfriend”. For a while now, Sarah has called it that way too. She has always said he’s “internet famous” but not famous famous. Which is what he and Harvey are trying to change with this campaign – by leveraging his Cumhard support into something more pervasive. Like Ryan Gosling’s appeal?
Cumberbatch invokes Gosling in his interview when asked about career diversity:
“I’ve never had a Gosling moment as a character. I’ve never been the kind of guy who’s made all the girls go gooey,” he says, then puffs up his chest, mockingly. “I think it’s about time I did.”
I just got a flash of Benedict Cumberbatch in a Nicholas Sparks movie. Now I don’t know what’s worse: Picturing him finger-banging like a champion or kissing in the rain.
Click here to read the full Vulture piece.
