Benedict Cumberbatch speaks candidly on difficulty of playing emotion in Marvel movies

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The Doctor Strange star has opened up on the constraints of Marvel

Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Marvel star Benedict Cumberbatch has spoken candidly about the difficulties of playing emotional scenes in the MCU. The actor plays Doctor Strange in the franchise, most recently appearing in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. 

"It's all smoke and mirrors! It's not some sort of acting gym where you're stripping off layers of self to reveal a layer of truth all the time," he told The Talks. "You are working to do some of that but in the heartbeat of making a massive film like The Avengers, for example, it can be tough getting that one moment of emotion absolutely nailed in five minutes because that's all the time they have because of the other, bigger things around it."

He added: "Well, precision is one thing. In this instance, it's not a massive development of the character, it's about how to service the story at the same time as balancing the integrity of a now much-loved part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So, I learn on every job. I would like to think I learn. I learn by watching other people. It was wonderful to watch Robert [Downey Jr.]. It is wonderful to watch him, and to watch people who really know what they are playing inside out." 

It's unclear when we'll next see Cumberbatch in the MCU, but the Multiverse of Madness mid-credits scene introduced him to Clea, then both characters headed through a cosmic rift to another dimension – so it's safe to assume Strange will be back eventually. 

In the meantime, the next Marvel release to arrive is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which hits theaters this November 11. 

Molly Edwards
Molly Edwards
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.