Marvel Star Reveals Acting Secrets and Personal Insights
Benedict Cumberbatch is demonstrating the art of professional crying during an intimate conversation at London's Soho Hotel. The two-time Oscar nominee shares his unique approach to emotional scenes that sets him apart from other actors.
'What makes me despair is when you see actors trying to squeeze tears out,' Cumberbatch explains, before launching into an impression of strained acting. 'They're attempting to be lost in grief, but actually they're just shutting everything off.'
The Marvel icon had plenty of opportunity to perfect his technique while filming The Thing With Feathers, where he plays a graphic novelist grappling with sudden widowhood and single parenthood.
The Science Behind A-List Sobbing
Cumberbatch reveals that the secret to authentic crying lies in using the same diaphragmatic muscles employed for laughter. 'I told Tom Holland about this once,' he recalls, referring to his Spider-Man: No Way Home co-star. 'Then Tom told everyone: "Ben gets himself to cry by laughing." I don't, but it's using the same physical mechanism.'
His method involves staying open, relaxing, deep breathing, and cultivating emotional thoughts. 'You manifest a thought and then start feeding and feeding that thought as you generate this engine of emotion,' he says, demonstrating before breaking character with a grin. 'Acting is a weird job, isn't it?!'
A Bold Adaptation of an 'Unfilmable' Book
Joined by director Dylan Southern, Cumberbatch discusses their daring adaptation of Max Porter's award-winning novel, previously considered unfilmable due to its unconventional lead character - an 8-foot-tall talking crow.
'Early reactions dubbed it "the movie where Benedict Cumberbatch battles a giant crow,"' chuckles Southern. 'Which massively oversells the action elements.' Cumberbatch adds: 'I would watch that film though - but maybe with Godzilla's budget.'
Rather than relying on expensive CGI, the production team created a physical crow through sculptor Nichola Hicks and actor Eric Lampaert, with David Thewlis providing the sarcastic voice. 'Crow had to feel terrifyingly real,' explains Cumberbatch, who also produced the film through his company Sunny March.
Embracing Vulnerability and Challenging Male Stereotypes
The film marks a departure from Cumberbatch's usual roles as eccentric geniuses, instead casting him as an ordinary father. 'There's been a lot of "otherness" in my back catalogue,' the 49-year-old North Londoner acknowledges. 'This character is not far off me. I am a father now and an Englishman of a certain age.'
Cumberbatch addresses the film's central theme of grief head-on, despite the word being removed from the movie title against the filmmakers' wishes. 'I hated taking grief out of the title,' he admits. 'If you don't want to see a film about grief, don't see this film. But this is about something we will all need to go through.'
He specifically challenges traditional male emotional restraint. 'There's an acceptance that English Men of A Certain Age are more likely to say "No, I'm alright" and hide their grief,' Cumberbatch observes. 'This film allows you to understand that it's human to be out of control, to feel vulnerable.'
Director Dylan Southern agrees, noting the powerful audience reactions to the film's emotional honesty. 'We wanted to make a kind film, and I hope it's a kind film,' he says. 'But best to bring tissues.'
The Thing With Feathers will be released in UK and Irish cinemas from November 21.
