Benedict Cumberbatch: An English actor. - "The return of the series 'Eric' on Netflix"
In 2010, the television show "Sherlock" catapulted Benedict Cumberbatch (then 32) to stardom. Following its success, he transitioned to the big screen and landed a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Strange. But since the conclusion of "Sherlock" in 2017, Cumberbatch's screen time on TV has been minimal. Except for the 2018 miniseries "Patrick Melrose," in which he played the titular character.
Now, Benedict Cumberbatch is coming back to his TV roots. On May 30, Netflix will premiere the six-part series "Eric." This marks his first leading TV role in six years.
The Synopsis of Benedict Cumberbatch's "Eric" Series
Set in New York during the 1980s, "Eric" follows Vincent, a puppeteer for the fictional children's show "Good Day Sunshine," which resembles "Sesame Street." One day, his nine-year-old son Edgar goes missing while walking to school.
The absence of his son propels Vincent even farther away from his wife Cassie, who was already distant. Desperate for his son to return, the successful puppeteer spirals into drug addiction. To help bring his son back, Vincent creates a towering, shaggy puppet based on his son's drawings, named Eric.
Despite opposition from his wife and the police searching for the missing Edgar, Vincent attempts to introduce Eric into his show. His hope is that when Edgar sees his imaginary friend on TV, he'll return.
Benedict Cumberbatch's Interactions with the Monster Eric
Benedict Cumberbatch took on the burden of Eric's heavy 20-kilogram costume on set in New York, but primarily worked with the puppet. In Vincent's mind, Eric is more than just a prop - he becomes a living, talking accomplice that airs his hidden thoughts about Vincent's character.
Cumberbatch views Eric as "Vincent's shadow self," he told the BBC. This puppet represents the suppressed parts of the character that Vincent has yet to confront. He believes Vincent's painful past, both emotionally and as a child, has impacted his relationships with his family and work.
Throughout his career, Cumberbatch often embodies characters who inhabit a "gray area," as he puts it. These roles include Sherlock Holmes, Alan Turing in "The Imitation Game," and the painter Louis Wain in "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain." "Each of these characters is complex, with both good and bad sides that make them human," Cumberbatch shared with the BBC. "And behind the hurt Vincent causes, there's immense pain."
Joining "Eric" alongside Cumberbatch is Gaby Hoffmann (42) as Cassie, Vincent's wife, and McKinley Belcher III (40) as the detective Michael Ledroit, searching for the missing Edgar.
"Eric's" script was penned by Abi Morgan (55), a British writer known for penning the scripts of critically acclaimed films like "The Iron Lady," "Shame," and more.
Read also:
- Caught up in the present: the end of "The Crown"
- Through New Year's Eve with TV shows
- What's next for the series hits?
- Which shows will be on?
Source: www.stern.de
