Benedict Cumberbatch Has A Hard Time Playing The Emotional Parts Of Dr. Strange

Doctor Strange has emerged as one of the most important characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When the character was first introduced to the live-action franchise with his 2016 self-titled film, fans and critics were appreciative of the psychedelic visuals on full display but less so enthused about how Strange's first romp was similar to Tony Stark's journey in "Iron Man" (via ComicBook.com). Nevertheless, Marvel found their footing with the character shortly after, having him serve as a comical but powerful aide to Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland) in their threequels.

"Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" doubled down on the idea of the Sorcerer Supreme acting as a mentor and powerful ally as he trudged across the multiverse, helping America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) understand her powers. In its review of "Multiverse of Madness," Looper praised Cumberbatch's ability to turn the character into a household name in such a short amount of time, saying, "Cumberbatch, who in a mere six years has taken the odd, distant Strange from the comics and turned him into possibly the most beloved (still alive) Avenger not named Spider-Man."

Being a close confidant to many of Marvel's premier characters means Doctor Strange has to have an empathetic, understandable side to him. Luckily, Marvel was able to nab Oscar-nominated Benedict Cumberbatch for a multi-picture deal. While Cumberbatch is no stranger to emotional scenes with films like "The Imitation Game" and "12 Years A Slave" under his belt, the British star says he often finds it difficult to bring some of Strange's most intimate and emotive moments to life.

While speaking with The Talks, "Doctor Strange" star Benedict Cumberbatch opened up about the Marvel machine, which continues to pump out a steady stream of action adventures in its 14th year. The conversation began with Cumberbatch highlighting the importance of mindfulness and meditation, which he attributes to helping him stay grounded and, in turn, become a better engaged actor. "'Being in the present and in the moment is in the heart of what we do as actors,'" the actor said. "Amongst the smokes and mirrors of it all, it is about being present."

The interviewer pressed on, asking Cumberbatch to define what "smoke and mirrors" is. "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," the actor replied, jumping into how his continued tenure as Doctor Strange can be daunting. "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."

When it comes to the behemoth "Avengers" films which feature dozens of characters, it can be difficult to find the time and space to properly get into the mindset of a character. Production on "Infinity War" and "Endgame" lasted a year (via Collider), with only a small portion of both films dedicated to Strange's character. With such limited time to get the best take, it's understandable that Cumberbatch finds emotional scenes tough.