Benedict Cumberbatch is a British actor whose name might not tell you too much, but if I told you that he’s the one who played Sherlock Holmes or Alan Turing in The Imitation Game, some bells would surely ring. He appeared on television pretty often, but also on the big screen, theater and radio.
Although he played roles in Hollywood films such as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, War Horse or The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Benedict is best known for his detective role in the BBC’s television show Sherlock. He might not be the richest British actor out there, but he has a decent net worth estimated at $40 million in 2021.
Early Life
Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch was born in London on July 19, 1976. He’s the son of the television actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham, so he had acting in his blood since birth. His parents tried to steer him away from a life on the stage, but despite that, he fell in love with theater.
He attended the Harrow public school, got into dramatic arts and started working in various Shakespeare plays. After graduating, he took a gap year and volunteered as an English teacher in Tibet, and upon his return, he did exactly what normal children do when parents tell them not to: the opposite. He attended the University of Manchester to study drama and become an actor.
Subsequently he continued his training at the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art graduating with a masters in Classical Acting.
Acting Career
Benedict had his career debut in theater and television in the early 2000’s and his first major movie appearance was in 2006 in the film Amazing Grace. Atonement and Starter for Ten followed in 2007.
Two years later he starred in the film adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Marple: Murder is Easy as a novice detective, role which probably led to Cumberbatch’s portrayal of Sherlock Holmes later in 2010. The series still runs today and brought the actor a good number of awards and distinctions ever since, plus over $500,000 per season.
Other notable films in which he starred are 2013’s 12 Years a Slave, The Imitation Game (2014) or Doctor Strange (2016), Thor: Ragnarok or the last Avengers: Infinity War movies.
Theater, Television and Other work
Outside of the big screen, Cumberbatch has also done a lot of work in theater, television, radio and as a narrator. Theater was his main passion and he appeared in plays such as A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Romeo and Juliet and Frankenstein.
In television, aside his casting as the detective Sherlock Holmes, he had many other roles in shows or TV films like Dunkirk, Hawking, The Last Enemy or To The Ends of The Earth. He also worked in radio or used his voice as a narrator on a great number of occasions in documentaries, audiobooks, commercials and even short films.
Besides that, in 2013 together with other names in the industry he launched the production company SunnyMarch Ltd. We don’t know how great he is when it comes to investing, but Benedict also makes some good bucks from endorsements, around $300,000 yearly.
Houses and Cars
The English actor owns a stunning Tuscan style mansion in the Hidden Hills part of Los Angeles, California. With seven luxurious bedrooms, a swimming pool, a tennis court, a home cinema, bar, gym, library and a five-car garage, the property rises to match the hefty price tag of $14 million.
Cumberbatch once declared that the LA residence is only temporary and he would never leave his life in England behind to move somewhere else, so he will keep his new $3.5 million London house as a permanent residence after moving from his bachelor pad.
While the Englishman is the new brand ambassador for MG Motors in China, he drives an Alfa Romeo Giulia for which he paid around $40,000.
Benedict Cumberbatch Net Worth Over Time
Cumberbatch might not be the richest actor out there, but surely he worked hard to earn his decent fortune.
In 2007 he received $246,000 for his role in Starter for Ten . Since 2010 he gets paid over $500,000 per season for his famous detective role. The year 2013 brought him $230,000 for 12 Years a Slave and in 2014 he earned $1.2 million for his role in The Imitation Game and $946,000 for Black Mass.
His earnings rise to around $1 million for main roles, and with the various supporting roles and endorsements he can get some decent yearly revenues. Slowly but surely he brought his net worth to the $40 million of today.
Last update: January 2021.
