Since finding global fame in the breakthrough British TV series Sherlock, Benedict Cumberbatch has managed to carve a career doing big feature projects (Doctor Strange, Avengers: Infinity War) and intelligent ones (The Imitation Games, Hollow Crown ). He is also a revelation on stage (theatre).
Known for his iconic portrayal of Sherlock Holmes (across multiple seasons), Benedict has, in the age of gender bias, decided that he will make sure that his female co-stars are paid as much as he is from here on now. In fact, he will not be signing any new projects until his demand for equality is met.
Speaking to Radio Times, the 41-year noted, “It’s about implementation. Equal pay and a place at the table are the central tenets of feminism. Look at your quotas. Ask what women are being paid, and say: ‘If she’s not paid the same as the men, I’m not doing it’.”
Some recent examples of pay inequality include The Crown and All the Money in the World.
“I’m proud that [my friend and partner] Adam and I are the only men in our production company; our next project is a female story with a female lens about motherhood, in a time of environmental disaster,” Benedict added. “If it’s centered around my name, to get investors, then we can use that attention for a raft of female projects. Half the audience is female. And, in terms of diversity, Black Panther is now the third most successful film of all time.”
As for the actor, you can follow him in Patrick Melrose, a five-part series that was released in 2018 with Benedict starring in the titular role and reminding us just why he is such a miraculous acting giant.
