'I'm Not Brad Pitt': Benedict Cumberbatch Rejects Sex Symbol Status, Dismisses 'Derogatory' Hollywood Stereotypes

Benedict Cumberbatch opens up about 'derogatory' Hollywood stereotypes while discussing his sexiest man alive status. Read on to know what the actor said.

Ipshita Chakraborty
Written by Ipshita Chakraborty , Entertainment Journalist
Updated on Jan 23, 2025 | 02:11 PM IST | 45.9K
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness still (image courtesy of Marvel Studios)
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness still (image courtesy of Marvel Studios)

Benedict Cumberbatch recently looked back on being a sex symbol and how he differs from Hollywood stars such as Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Speaking with Variety about his new film The Thing with Feathers, the 48-year-old actor rejected the concept of being a "typical movie star." He said his fame came via his role in BBC's Sherlock, but it was unusual to try to determine why people might think he is attractive.

"I’m not Brad; I’m not Leonardo; I’m not a typical movie star. People were scrambling for ‘Why is he at all attractive to us?’" he said.

He thinks about growing old but does not waste much time trying to determine why people are attracted to him. While appearing on the cover of People's Sexiest Man Alive issues, Cumberbatch confessed he dislikes the word 'celebrity,' claiming that it somehow diminishes the meaning and unifies all public personalities.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar actor added, "But for me to guess and try to understand that is so f------ weirdly navel-gazing. I’m not sitting around thinking, ‘Why am I sexy?’ I worry about myself in the mirror as I age, like every other f----- does."

The Doctor Strange star did not care for being celebrated as much, indicating how different, mostly unimportant, reasons why some people achieve celebrity status—including acting, being on a reality show, or selling things.

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He reflected, "It’s so derogatory and just lumps anyone famous together. Am I a ‘celebrated’ person? Well, for what? For selling cheese? For being on a reality show? For doing something outrageous? For being an actor?"

Benedict Cumberbatch has a new movie, The Thing with Feathers, premiering on January 25 during the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. For his future with Marvel, Cumberbatch stated that Doctor Strange would not feature in Avengers: Doomsday (2026), but he does make an appearance in Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).

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About The Author
Ipshita Chakraborty
Ipshita Chakraborty
Entertainment Journalist

Ipshita is an Entertainment Journalist at Pinkvilla with an M.Phil in English Literature. They speci...

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