Benedict Cumberbatch is a person.
Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch CBE ( born 19 July 1976 ) is an English actor who has performed in film , television , theatre and radio . He is the son of actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham . Cumberbatch graduated from the University of Manchester and continued his training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art , obtaining a Master of Arts in Classical Acting . He has starred as Sherlock Holmes in the series Sherlock since 2010 . His performance in The Imitation Game earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor .