As part of Pres. Obama’s farewell tour through the UK, he participated in an open-forum discussion at Lindley Hall on Saturday. It ended up being a substantive event, because… Pres. Obama is pretty wonky and nerdy when you really get him going. You can read some of his comments about an assortment of issues here. Not only were students, civilians and British politicians in the crowd, but some celebrities came out too. Annie Lennox was there, as was Benedict Cumberbatch and his wife Sophie Hunter(batch).
Benedict looked really nice sitting in the audience, as did Sophie. Bendy’s hair is really dark these days because he’s currently filming Sherlock Season 4, so he’s dyed it “Sherlock black.” Sophie looks pretty here too – their baby Christopher is coming up on his first birthday in a few months and I do wonder if they’ll have another. What do you think? While Benedict is a crazy workaholic these days (he’s doing projects back-to-back for months), I bet he loves being a dad and I kind of believe they might go for another one.
I kind of like that they went to Obama’s speech/forum, and I would imagine that Benedict is an Obama-fan. Benedict caused some controversy last year when he was making politically-charged speeches after each Hamlet show, but I guess when he said “f—k the politicians,” he didn’t mean Obama. I would also think that Marvel – Bendy’s new employer – wants him to stop talking politics so much this year, as Doctor Strange comes out in the fall.
Meanwhile, UK audiences will soon see Benedict in The Hollow Crown: Richard III, but America still doesn’t have an air date. Meaning…we probably won’t get it until the fall. In the meantime, please enjoy this Telegraph piece on the making-of Richard III (played by Benedict).
Photos courtesy of WENN, Pacific Coast News, Getty.
He looks tired in these pics, like he needs a vacation.
I was just thinking that-he’s looking very over-worked again.
I was just thinking the same puffy tired eyes just like me and I am not even working that hard.
has he gained weight a bit? i think there’s a roundness/softness to his face, which makes him look better, to me anyway.
more “approachable”.
Dear Ben’s Hairdresser — learn about lowlights.
xoxo — Me
LOL! Well in fairness he’s in full Sherlock hair mode at the moment and probably couldn’t care less. 🙂
That hair colour really suits him.
And I like her dress. (Also she looks like she could be a rather more attractive than usual member of the Windsor family, the mention of royal stuff down the page reminded me)
He also showed up for BBC Shakespeare Live at the weekend. The to be or not to be sketch with him and just about everyone else was quite cute, although mostly for my little boo Tim Minchin, who mistakes Bendy for Eddie Redmayne. Plus you get a bonus royal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEs8rK5Cqt8
To add to this – Judi Dench being “not impressed” by him not showing up to rehearsal. It’s also reported he left right after the sketch.
No, those are lies made up by those wacko “sceptics” who think he’s faking a baby. There are photos of him at rehearsals, and several reports from people who work there talking about him and his wife socialising afterwards.
He missed the afternoon rehearsal to attend the Obama event. See above photos. There are rehearsal photos and BC is not in them. He did attend the evening rehearsal and there’s a pic of him there. A fan on twitter said she saw them leaving (and she’s not a hater either, she raved about SH) and they left before everyone else.
He didn’t have much to do. Everyone else in the sketch did more, but maybe that’s because he didn’t show up for rehearsals.
Too bad that link doesn’t work for those outside the UK. I watched it on BBC iPlayer, the same way I’ll be watching HC instead of waiting for it to be shown here on PBS. Take that, BBC!
Sixer, I co-sign on Kabul Kitchen. Let me know what you think. I’m enjoying 30 Degrees in February too.
Question, if I want to expose my kids (under 10) to some of the best UK reading, any recommendations other than Narnia?
All I have to say about the post is that Ben & Sophie seem to have grown comfortable together over the past year. Those first few months were a little iffy with the shotgun engagement & quicky wedding. I’m curious to see if she’ll get pregnant again this year to give little CCC a sibling. C’mon Sophie, get on the stick!
They actually were in a relationship (but kept it a secret from the press) for at least a year, maybe closer to two before they took it public. The uncomfortableness is just from being unused to paps and being uncomfortable having to suddenly have the relationship in the public eye, I think.
Nope, he was banging Katia in Ibiza a year before SH got pregnant. The year before that, he was hooking up with Lydia Hearst. SH was living in NYC at that time. But keep trying to push that narrative all you want.
Yeah, I read that narrative during his Oscar campaign, Spiderpig. Not buying it. There’s no evidence to suggest they were together more than a few months before she got pregnant.
NUTBALLS – for your kids’ UK reading, try any of the following
– Enid Blyton (widest variety and can suit ages anywhere from 4 to 11, loads of notable series including the Famous Five, Faraway Tree, the Mallory Towers and St Clare’s boarding school series, plus lots of assorted other books)
– Roald Dahl (The Witches, The Twits, Fantastic Mr Fox, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda)
– The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
and if they are very young, then the Paddington Bear series by Michael Bond.
I’m glad I checked this one last time… thanks Teacakes!
I ADORE Tim Minchin. I watch the Jesus Christ Superstar arena concert regularly for the “hot ginger Judas.”
Interesting point about Ben being all “f*ck” the politicians last year yet he shows up to see the US politician speak. So he only doesn’t like UK politicians but other ones are ok? He always says one thing and does another. So sick of this guy and Hunter(batch). Glad to see he’s not getting that many responses on his articles anymore. I guess others are sick of him as well. Awesome!
He’s virtue signalling. They all do it. It means they don’t have to do anything. They just have to be seen to be caring. He and Wifey will return to their mansion and life will go on as normal except that they will feel very special for being so smart.
Unless I missed something, ““f*ck” the politicians” was in reference to those blocking/evading/avoiding refugees, which wouldn’t be liberal ones like Obama but conservatives.
Honestly, I think it’s a combo of too much exposure last year and his posts here were getting too nasty for some of us. But it seems like posts here in general have less comments these days.
Is it just me or is his hairline receding? It’s really high on his forehead. That said I love the little curl. And Sophie’s dress is very pretty.
Just here for a Comet Sophie to bring with me over to the GOT thread