I've been reading the books. It's the origination, it's the primary source. You should always go back to the books. Benedict Cumberbatch More Quotes by Benedict Cumberbatch More Quotes From Benedict Cumberbatch If I'm playing someone who's smart, suddenly every character I've played is smart. If I'm playing a bad guy, every character is a bad guy. I suppose it's that thing where people want to see a through-line to understand you. I mean, you know, I have played pretty ordinary people too. Benedict Cumberbatch smart character mean I'd love to meet Julian [Assange], and time permitting, and his will permitting, I'm sure it will happen at some point. Even though he's been very critical of the film [The Fifth Estate], he's been very polite about me and my work, and I feel the same way about him. Benedict Cumberbatch assange film way I think now with fundamentalists, people who treat belief with a total lack of humor or empathy for any other viewpoint than their own - they, to me, are the enemy. And those people are born out of desperate extremes. Benedict Cumberbatch empathy people thinking I'm interested in art for all. I don't want it to be only the sons and daughters of Tory MPs who get to see my plays. Benedict Cumberbatch daughter art son [Season 4 of Sherlock Holmes will be] myopically dark. You're talking about the end of the universe darkness. You can't see in front of you and would walk into everything dark. Benedict Cumberbatch ends dark talking We're living through a time where we are fighting wars fostered by politics, admittedly not on the same scale as the First World War, but with equally tragic realities for our soldiers and their families. Benedict Cumberbatch fighting war reality Honestly, it's very satisfying, and I'm very, very happy about how successful the last few years have been... It's great for the people who supported me early on to see the success I'm enjoying now. Benedict Cumberbatch successful people years There's so much in the 21st century that is stymied by bureaucracy and mediocrity and committee. Benedict Cumberbatch bureaucracy mediocrity century It was great. I got to hang out with him [Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins], and I kept a straight face for a bit and then I started giggling because I know Martin, I don't know Bilbo. For Martin to be sitting there playing Bilbo is amazing. He's going to be amazing, he's going to be fantastic in this film. Benedict Cumberbatch film sitting faces Sherlock [Holmes] is on the side of the angels, but don't think he's one of them. He uses similar means, but it seems to be for a better purpose, one would hope. Benedict Cumberbatch angel mean thinking I just increasingly enjoy the quiet moments when I can be on my own with my friends and family, or with a book, having a live experience. That's really what I crave, and I always have done. Benedict Cumberbatch quiet-moments family-and-friends book Upper class to me means you are either born into wealth or you're Royalty. Benedict Cumberbatch wealth class mean It's difficult because nothing's preordained by plan and you can't control it. That's one of those joys and thrills and nerve-racking realities of being an actor. A lot has to do with luck, no matter what your talent or contribution can be. Benedict Cumberbatch luck joy reality I still find to give an interview to be difficult, as any person who deals with the press will tell you. That's why it's nice, with this one, to talk to a friend. But sometimes with a coffee and a friendly smile, I suddenly start talking without thinking about how it's going to be read. Benedict Cumberbatch coffee nice thinking Sometimes during a conversation with a journalist - where you are answering things you never normally talk about, not even with some of your closest friends - you end up being quite confessional, and you don't think about the amplification of that. No matter how fancy these journalists are, they have editors or political leanings behind their publications, which means that, basically, they're going to shape what you've said into an article they've already written. So you have to be really careful with your words. Benedict Cumberbatch political mean thinking I think I'm a very good driver. Apparently, the cause of road rage - as with most anger - is some kind of superiority complex, which, god knows, cars foster. Benedict Cumberbatch car kind thinking My massive motivation in life is to make parents proud. But even that has to stop at a point. Benedict Cumberbatch motivation proud parent When I was young I became kind of a party animal. I had a massive crash. My health suffered. I was just overdoing it. That person could not be further from the one who emerged from that earlier experience. I regressed massively. Benedict Cumberbatch party kind animal I really cannot get over the generosity of our Tibetian teacher. He said, "Don't punish yourself. You're going to be a student at a university in the north of England. You need to have your experiences and have your fun, and not judge yourself. Don't live in guilt and regret." Benedict Cumberbatch regret fun teacher Writing in French is one of my ambitions. I'd like to be able to dream one day in French. Italian and French are the two languages that I'd like to know. Benedict Cumberbatch ambition dream writing