Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange has become integral to the Marvel Cinematic Universe since his debut in 2016. The intense training for fight scenes can be rigorous enough, but the emotional side is much more distressing, according to him.
The English actor’s most recent appearance was in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where he portrayed the Sorcerer Supreme to his fullest potential. Behind the mystical effects and stunning cinematography, Cumberbatch divulges the hardship of playing the character.
Benedict Cumberbatch Reveals The Hard Truth About Playing Doctor Strange
In an interview with The Talks, Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch confessed the difficulty of delivering emotional scenes in Marvel movies because of time constraints:
“It’s all smoke and mirrors! It’s not some sort of acting gym where you’re stripping off layers of self to reveal a layer of truth all the time. You are working to do some of that, but in the heartbeat of making a massive film like The Avengers, for example, it can be tough getting that one moment of emotion absolutely nailed in five minutes because that’s all the time they have because of the other, bigger things around it.”
Since a lot of things are happening all at once and there is a universe to save from alien threats, there is no time for superheroes to internalize and mourn. The actors had to immediately switch emotions while still coping with the last blow. Cumberbatch noted that superhero movies are not like regular dramas where a character goes through something and it develops their personality over time:
“Well, precision is one thing. In this instance, it’s not a massive development of the character, it’s about how to service the story at the same time as balancing the integrity of a now much-loved part of the Marvel cinematic universe.”
He also praised his co-star Robert Downey Jr., who played Iron Man, saying the actor was wonderful to watch and that he learned a lot from observing people.
How Benedict Cumberbatch Coped With The Pressure Of Starring In Marvel Films
Indeed, the heavy responsibility of a role and the duty to give it justice must be exhausting not only for Benedict Cumberbatch, but for all actors of MCU. When asked about stress management, he revealed what helps him deal with the pressure of being an actor:
“The noise, yeah. It’s very helpful for that. You know, I am glad I had that experience before I began my career, and also that I came to fame late in my career, comparatively. It definitely helps to rebalance and reboot and go, ‘Oh, that’s where you’re at, that’s what’s dragging you away, how to find your center again. Being in the present and in the moment is in the heart of what we do as actors.’ Amongst the smokes and mirrors of it all, it is about being present.”
As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand, there is always a challenge for all actors and creative staff to surpass previous endeavors. When all was said and done, there remains more to explore within a character as powerful and mysterious as Doctor Strange.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is available on Disney+.
Source: The Talks
