Benedict Cumberbatch admits his controversial Zoolander 2 character was a mistake. Other than his breakthrough role as the titular detective on the BBC series Sherlock, the English actor is best known for his portrayal of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's neurosurgeon-turned-sorcerer, Doctor Strange, his most recent appearance coming in Spider-Man: No Way Home as the one who starts the movie's multiversal mess with a botched spell. Cumberbatch is also currently courting Oscar buzz for his performance as the brutish cowhand Phil Burbank in The Power of the Dog.
Soon before he made his debut as the Marvel superhero in 2016's Doctor Strange, Cumberbatch courted controversy for his character, a non-binary fashion model named All, in Zoolander 2. The 2016 film was a belated follow-up to the hit 2001 comedy written and directed by Ben Stiller, who also starred as the titular dim-witted ex-supermodel. The sequel returned much of the core cast from the first film, including Owen Wilson and Will Ferrell, and added Penélope Cruz and Kristen Wiig. Though Cumberbatch did not publicly address the controversy at the time, he is now opening up years later.
During a conversation with his Zoolander 2 co-star Penélope Cruz for Variety's Actors on Actors series, Benedict Cumberbatch admitted that his character in the movie was a mistake. Though Cumberbatch attempted to explain his intent, he says the role "backfired" on him and in retrospect, should have gone to a trans actor instead. Read what he had to say below:
There was a lot of contention around the role, understandably now. And I think in this era, my role would never be performed by anybody other than a trans actor. But I remember at the time not thinking of it necessarily in that regard, and it being more about two dinosaurs, two heteronormative clichés not understanding this new diverse world. But it backfired a little bit.
Cumberbatch's cameo in Zoolander 2 was first revealed during the film's trailer which featured a joke that many found to be offensive and sparked controversy before the release of the film. At the time, there were several petitions calling for a boycott of the movie, claiming that Cumberbatch's character was a cartoonish mockery of androgynous, trans, and non-binary people. Whether or not the boycott had an effect on the movie's box success is uncertain, though Zoolander 2 did disappoint, hardly making back its $50-55 million budget.
While those who take issue with Cumberbatch's character would prefer he never took the role in the first place, him admitting it was a mistake is certainly a step in the right direction. Cumberbatch also made the right move addressing the controversy even though there wasn't much demand for him to do so, suggesting the mistake does weigh on him. While Zoolander 2 is a slight stain on Cumberbatch's career, he is otherwise known for his profound portrayals of nuanced LGBTQ+ characters in The Imitation Game and The Power of the Dog. Cumberbatch will be seen next in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness this May.
Source: Variety