Benedict Cumberbatch (born July 19, 1976) is an acclaimed English actor known for his work in film, television, and theater. He has won a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA TV Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, and has received multiple nominations for Academy Awards, Golden Globes, SAG, and BAFTA Awards for his roles in The Imitation Game (2014) and The Power of the Dog (2021). Cumberbatch gained international fame as Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series Sherlock (2010–2017) and has starred in notable projects like Hawking (2004), Parade’s End (2012), Patrick Melrose (2018), and Brexit: The Uncivil War (2019). His film credits include Star Trek Into Darkness, 12 Years a Slave, The Fifth Estate, and Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He also voiced Smaug and Sauron in The Hobbit trilogy. A graduate of the University of Manchester and LAMDA, he has performed in numerous stage productions including Frankenstein and Hamlet. He was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people in 2014 and was appointed CBE in 2015 for services to the arts and charity.