Benedicts parents may have accepted his decision to pursue acting as a profession when his talent and passion became obvious, but his mother still expressed concerns about whether or not it was advisable to perform under the name Cumberbatch. Not because his full name is so unusual his agent recommended he use his real name for exactly that reason but because the surname has some unfortunate historical associations. In 1705, Bristol-born Jacob Cumberbatch departed England to start up a new colony in Barbados, and his descendants owned several plantations in the Caribbean and profited from the slave trade until its abolition in 1834. To this day, the surname is a common one in that part of the world, and the current New York transport commissioner Wanda Cumberbatchs ancestors were among those who had taken the name of their slave masters. Benedict Cumberbatch has acknowledged his regrettable family history and appeared in more than one film dealing with the subject matter, playing a plantation owner in 12 Years a Slave and calling his appearance as William Pitt in Amazing Grace a sort of apology for the actions of his ancestors. Fortunately, Cumberbatch is a likeable character and his popularity shows no signs of slowing, so while theres no way of making amends for his forefathers part in one of historys more shameful episodes, hopefully he can restore some measure of pride for future generations. Cumberpeople come and comment below.
I watch movies and I watch sport. I also watch movies about sport, and if there were a sport about movies I'd watch that too. The internet was the closest thing I could find.
