After landing a SAG Award nomination this morning for his work in Jane Campion’s Netflix Western The Power of the Dog, Benedict Cumberbatch spoke with Deadline about his recently-announced, f…
Cumberbatch, who is playing the title character in Anderson’s latest, said he is “over the moon” about the opportunity to work with the filmmaker, with production set to start soon, and also “a little bit nervous” as he is before every job. “[Anderson’s] greatness is a fact. He’s wonderful. What a rewarding director for audiences, for actors—the style, the work, the aesthetic, and also the heart and soul of him,” he opined.
For Cumberbatch, the reception of both the film and his performance has been satisfying, given the aspirations with which he entered the industry. “I started this job wanting to earn a living, sure, to practice my craft and make my parents proud, who are both actors, and as they have for who they are as well as their career, garner the respect of my peers,” he explained. “So, this is huge. I feel massively humbled and honored.
He feels the film’s resonance comes down to “the power and potency” of Campion’s storytelling and exceptional work on the part of the entire cast, among other factors. “It’s a massive, massive story on a very, very small scale, [with] performances captured in extraordinary cinematography and an amazing landscape,” he says. “It’s really a psychodrama about family, about love, about identity—big, big themes. And yet it has this momentum of a thriller, as well.
Cumberbatch was nominated today in the category of Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role. His competitors at the ceremony scheduled for February 27 are Javier Bardem (