Yahoo Movies Benedict Cumberbatch ‘flattered’ to be called ‘the man of the festival’
It’s most definitely the year of Benedict Cumberbatch at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, but the “Fifth Estate” star – who has three films total at TIFF and is being called the “man of the festival” – said he’s “a bit embarrassed” by all the attention.
“There are lots of other amazing men at this festival – a few of them are at this table,” Cumberbatch said at “The Fifth Estate” press conference on Friday morning, motioning toward the film’s director Bill Condon and co-star Daniel Brühl. “But I’m flattered... I can take a compliment.”
Cumberbatch stars as embattled info-warrior Julian Assange in “The Fifth Estate,” a ripped-from-the-headlines political drama based on the rise of secret-leaking organization WikiLeaks. The timely techno-thriller opened the 38th edition of TIFF on Thursday night, and Cumberbatch’s two other films (the star-studded “12 Years a Slave” and the ensemble family drama “August: Osage County”) are both slated to play in the coming days.
Cumberbatch's TIFF 2013 lineup is truly impressive, but the “Sherlock” star said he’s just happy to be involved such a diverse assortment of projects.
“The prerogative for me is difference and variety, so I’m thrilled that these three so different and extraordinarily brilliant films are all showcasing at this festival.”
While very much the star of the press conference (nearly every question was directed at the English actor), the “Sherlock” star remained humble and gave full credit to the respective casts and crews of “The Fifth Estate,” “12 Years a Slave,” and “August: Osage County.”
“I’m a very small cog in the films I’m involved in, a very proud cog in those wheels. God, that’s a terrible metaphor!” he said.
The 37-year-old actor also had kind words for his “Fifth Estate” co-star Daniel Brühl (one of Yahoo! Movies’ TIFF up-and-comers).
“I remember seeing Daniel in ‘Good Bye Lenin!’ and when I heard he was going to play Daniel Domscheit-Berg I was over the moon,” Cumberbatch said. “He’s an actor of real skill, integrity, and subtlety.”
After heaping praise on Brühl, Cumberbatch grinned and jokingly whispered “I love you, Daniel” into the mic to a ripple of laughter.
But the "Fifth Estate" presser wasn't all laughs and flattery. Cumberbatch was asked what he thinks will become of the real-life Assange, who has been holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for more than a year under a threat of extradition. Assange faces allegations of sexual assault in Sweden, charges that he has repeatedly denied.
“It’s very complicated and I'm not a legal expert,” Cumberbatch said. "What I'd like to see is the man able to carry on doing his work as the founder of WikiLeaks. Beyond that, due process has to take place in whatever form that takes."
"The Fifth Estate" opens on Oct. 18. The 2013 Toronto International Film Festival runs from Sept. 5 to 15.
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