Marvel's latest television offering, Iron Fist, was the binge-watching choice for the weekend following its release. Although the show was not generally well received, fans were impressed by many of the secondary characters introduced. Iron Fist's Danny Rand teams up primarily with Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick), but it also introduced Davos (Sacha Dhawan), whose (future) alter ego as the Steel Serpent has been hinted at for some time.

Now, Dhawan has revealed that another actor in the Marvel family may have helped him get the part of Davos -- Benedict Cumberbatch. In a recent interview, the actor tells the story of how Cumberbatch e-mailed Marvel to put in a good word for him, while the two were working together on Sherlock. While working on a multi-day fight scene, they spent a lot of time chatting in between takes, which is when Dhawan mentioned that he was auditioning for a part in Iron Fist.

Speaking with Radio Times, Dhawan said:

"...[Cumberbatch] pulled out his phone and started typing away on his phone. And I thought ‘that’s a bit rude!’ And he went, ‘By the way, I’m just emailing a contact at Marvel.’

“I could obviously say hey, maybe Benedict got me the part,” said Dhawan. “But [either way] he really helped get the word through that I’m coming to test, and that he enjoyed working with me. And I know he has a bit of clout as Sherlock, you know. Maybe that tipped the balance…”

Obviously, no-one is suggesting that Dhawan only got the role because of his work with Cumberbatch, as he is a fantastic actor in his own right. However, with the MCU's interconnected nature, it makes sense that actors who are already part of the Marvel family would have some small weight when it comes to casting new actors as well. It's also lovely to hear an actor as well-known as Cumberbatch happy to make contacts to help out a lesser-known actor.

Of course, this doesn't reveal anything else about Davos's future in the MCU, such as whether he will truly become the Steel Serpent or how he could appear in The Defenders. However, there have been hints that he will return for the next season of Iron Fist, so perhaps he and Cumberbatch will appear on screen together at some point in the future.

Iron Fist season 1 is now available on Netflix. The Defenders will arrive sometime in the summer, with The Punisher coming later this year. Daredevil seasons 1 and 2, Jessica Jones season 1, and Luke Cage season 1 are now available on Netflix. Premiere dates for the newest seasons of Jessica Jones, Daredevil, and Luke Cage have not yet been revealed.

Next: Iron Fist: Who is Steel Serpent?

Source: Radio Times