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Starring as “Doctor Strange” in the smash-hit Marvel movie was more than just another film role for Benedict Cumberbatch – it was a chance to reconnect with his spirituality.
The mysticism of the superhero blockbuster held huge appeal for the British actor because before launching his screen career he spent nearly a year teaching English to monks at a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Darjeeling, India.
“It was a truly profound experience,” he tells ENTITY Managing Editor Sandro Monetti in this BAFTA Los Angeles interview.
“Anything life teaches you can be drawn upon and the amount of connectedness, alertness, awareness and being present in the moment in that whole culture has served me every single day of my life whether I’m working or not. I owe them more than I gave them.”
Benedict, 40, adds, “It’s such a gear shift from our western sensibilities to live that stoically. There’s something so basic, grounded and focused and it’s amazing to be among that kind of grace.”
He returned to the Himalayas 20 years later to play the master of mystical arts in “Doctor Strange,” which has earned almost $500 million worldwide. Parts of the movie were filmed in Nepal and filming at sacred Hindu temples there gave him the chance to reconnect with Buddhism.
In the nearly hour long interview, Cumberbatch also talks about his rise to fame, his breakthrough role in “Sherlock” and how he got his start playing female parts at his all-boys boarding school.
It is part of the BAFTA Los Angeles Behind Closed Doors series where Sandro interviews movie stars about their lives and work in front of a live audience of British Academy members.
