He may play literature's greatest detective on TV and be the Master of the Mystic Arts in the MCU, but actor Benedict Cumberbatch proved that you don't need to be a superhero to help someone in need when he provided some real life heroics. The actor lived up to his alter egos when he stopped a mugging in London. We heard different things about how this actually went down, but now Benedict Cumberbatch has given his side of the story. The actor explained what exactly happened when he stopped the mugging, saying:
Basically what happened was... I saw a bicycle delivery guy getting surrounded by some guys on a very cold November night, and I just stopped the Uber that we were in and got out and tried to intervene, tried to calm the kids down, who were riled up. Tried to calm [the messenger] down, who looked like he was about to fight for his life.
Essentially Benedict Cumberbatch saw someone in trouble and choose to help even though it wasn't his problem. He was in a car on the way somewhere and he not only recognized what was happening, but also had the will to act, stopping the Uber, getting out and inserting himself in a potentially dangerous situation. It wasn't flashy, there were no spinning kicks or astral projections; he just got out of the Uber and talked with the parties involved to try to diffuse the situation before someone got badly hurt. He also told Ellen on her show that he wasn't really thinking about the potential for knives or weapons in that sort of situation, and he just jumped between the muggers and the delivery guy.
Benedict Cumberbatch sort of downplays his actions, clearly not wanting more to be made of the situation than what it was. Despite his reluctance to boast or be seen as a hero because of what he did, you can tell that his actions made a difference and he did something that not everyone would have. Inserting yourself in that kind of tense situation can go bad quickly, especially when you're outnumbered. He had no idea if there were weapons in play or if he would become the new target for the muggers. And if the messenger was like a cornered animal, about to fight for his life, there's no way of knowing how he would react to Benedict Cumberbatch running up to him or trying to calm him down. He could have lashed out in an effort to defend himself.
Not everyone is great in a crisis or possesses the will to act in that kind of situation, so the fact that Benedict Cumberbatch not only stopped the mugging, but also did so in a way that deescalated the situation without violence shows that he shares some of the traits of the characters he plays.
Speaking of characters Benedict Cumberbatch plays, Doctor Strange is currently dust, but the smart money is on the fact that he has a big plan that will allow the Avengers to prevail over Thanos, giving them that 1 in 14,000,605 win. After that, he would presumably be back for Doctor Strange 2, which director Scott Derrickson seems to still be teasing.
Keep an eye on our guide for everything going on in the MCU, and take a look at our release schedule for all the onscreen heroics you can look forward to the rest of this year.
