He Almost Didn't Audition for Sherlock. The Casting Director Had to Chase Him Down.
2026/06/17
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He Almost Didn't Audition for Sherlock. The Casting Director Had to Chase Him Down.
Most actors would do anything to land a BBC lead role. Benedict Cumberbatch almost skipped the audition entirely.
In 2009, when Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss were developing their modern reimagining of Sherlock Holmes, Cumberbatch was already committed to a busy theatre schedule.
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The casting director, Kate Rhodes James, had seen him in a stage production and was convinced he was the one. When his initial response was lukewarm—he was genuinely uncertain whether a BBC pilot would go anywhere—she pushed back.
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