Benedict Cumberbatch has slowly become one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Most people became aware of him from his critically acclaimed take on a modern Sherlock Holmes in the BBC show The Imitation Game and is part of the ever-popular Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Strange.
While Cumberbatch's rise to fame might seem like a case of overnight success, he slowly built a solid career with small roles in smaller projects before getting his big break. He has become a star thanks to roles like Sherlock and Strange, but there are plenty of his roles fans might not be as familiar with.
Updated on May 8th, 2022 by Colin McCormick: The release of the MCU sequel The Power of the Dog and Cumberbatch is a bigger star than he has ever been. But if fans are still curious about some of the past roles in his career that they may have overlooked, there are plenty more projects they can get caught up with.
Four Lions (2010)
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Roku, Vudu, Tubi, Kanopy, Pluto TV, and Plex
Cumberbatch doesn't often get the chance to show off his comedic side, but he did have a brief role in the hilarious dark comedy Four Lions. The controversial movie stars Riz Ahmed as a man who, along with his blundering friends, attempt to become terrorists.
Despite the subject matter, the movie is incredibly funny and a very sharp bit of satire. Cumberbatch has a great small cameo late in the movie as a police negotiator who is new at the job and desperate to make a good impression.
The Last Enemy (2008)
Though he has become a huge movie star now, Cumberbatch has also had a very successful career on television as well. One of his earlier starring roles was in the British miniseries The Last Enemy. Cumberbatch plays a mathematician who is hired to consult on a new government surveillance program which brings him into a vast conspiracy.
Given the superhero world in which Cumberbatch is best known for now, it is fun to see him as a more grounded hero in this thriller.
Fortysomething (2003)
Another early television project Cumberbatch was a part of was Fortysomething. It might seem like an odd fit for Cumberbatch to be in a quirky sitcom, but he is also ed by acclaimed actor Hugh Laurie in the series.
Laurie plays a suburban family man going through a midlife crisis and coping with his ability to hear the inner thoughts of those around him. Cumberbatch plays one of Laurie's three sons which is a fun ing role to see the actor in.
Stuart: A Life Backwards (2007)
- Available on HBO, HBO Max, DIRECTV, and Spectrum on Demand
Though they would work together later on bigger projects, Cumberbatch teamed with fellow future superhero star Tom Hardy early in his career for the drama, Stuart: A Life Backwards. Cumberbatch plays a young writer who befriends a troubled young man (Hardy) and begins examining his life, including his childhood trauma.
It is a lot of fun seeing these two future superstars working together as up-and-coming actors. It is their chemistry together that really makes the movie something worth seeking out.
The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain (2021)
- Available on Amazon Prime Video
Given how big of a star Cumberbatch has become, it is rare for any of his recent movies to get overlooked. But with the anticipation of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and his Oscar-nominated performance in The Power of the Dog, Cumberbatch's work in The Electrical Life of Lois Wain failed to gain much attention when it was released last year.
Based on a true story, Cumberbatch stars as 19th-century English artist Louis Wain. As he gained notoriety for his surreal paintings of cats, Wain's own mental state began to decline.
The Fifth Estate (2013)
- Available to rent on Apple TV
Julian Assange is a big name in the news right now and has been a controversial figure for quite some time. The founder of Wikileaks, Assange is the kind of real-life personality Hollywood loves to explore. But most people won't there was, in fact, a film made about Assange with Cumberbatch playing the man himself.
The Social Network-like real-life drama. But even the harshest critics pointed to Cumberbatch's performances as the highlight of the film.
Hawking (2004)
- Available to rent on Apple TV
Long before The Theory of Everything, Cumberbatch played the famed physicist in this made-for-television movie. Like The Theory of Everything, the film looks at the earlier years in Hawking's career with his studies into the beginning of time, and his battle with motor neuron disease.
Cumberbatch has the distinction of being the first actor to play Hawking on screen. While the film is now overshadowed by the success of the later film, it was a well-regarded telling of Hawking's story. Cumberbatch was singled out for his convincing portrayal of the man.
Starter For 10 (2006)
- Available on HBO, HBO Max and Max Go
Cumberbatch is usually known as a serious dramatic actor, but even in those roles, he has shown a talent for comedy. Perhaps it's no surprise then that one of his first film roles was this charming British coming-of-age comedy.
The film centers on a young aimless university student who wins a spot on a student quiz show. Cumberbatch plays the uptight captain of the quiz team. While he was just a fresh-faced newcomer in the film, he was surrounded by other soon-to-be stars like James MacEvoy, Rebecca Hall, Dominic Cooper, and James Corden.
August: Osage County (2013)
- Available on Fubo, Showtime, DIRECTV, and Spectrum on Demand
Before headlining his own films, Cumberbatch was making a solid career playing as part of large ensembles. One such role was as part of the massive star-studded cast of the family drama, August: Osage County. Based on the play by Tracy Letts, the film follows a dysfunctional family who reunite when the patriarch goes missing.
Cumberbatch shared the screen with superstars like Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan MacGregor, and Chris Cooper. He played the shy and awkward nephew of Streep's character in the film. While the movie itself received mixed reviews, the ensemble was largely praised.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2012)
- Available on Fubo, Showtime, Max Go, DIRECTV, and Spectrum on Demand
There have been plenty of adaptions of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy stands out among these films for Gary Oldman's acclaimed performance as le Carré's famous spy George Smiley, which earned Oldman his first Oscar nomination.
The film follows Smiley's return to the spy game to hunt down a Soviet mole. While Oldman is the star of the film, he is backed up by a stellar cast of British stars like Tom Hardy, Colin Firth, and Mark Strong. Cumberbatch has a significant role as Peter Guillam, Smiley's trusted right-hand man.
