7 Details About Benedict Cumberbatch's Wife, Including Rumors Their Marriage Is Only For Publicity
They're expecting their third child together.
Getty Actor Benedict Cumberbatch is well-known for his successful career and legions of fans. However, he's also quite the family man.
It was recently announced that Cumberbatch, 42, and his wife are currently expecting their third child.
So, who is Benedict Cumberbatch's wife?
The actor has been happily married to actress Sophie Hunter, 40, since 2015.
Here are a few details about Sophie Hunter and her relationship with the actor.
1. They've known each other since 2009.
Cumberbatch and his lady didn't get married until 2015, but they actually met back in 2009. They starred together in the movie Burlesque Fairytales, which was released in 2010.
2. Her family line has distinguished roots.
Hunter's grandfather was General Sir Michael Gow GCB, Knight Grand Cross, Order Of The Bath. He was an equerry to the Duke of Gloucester, Prince Henry in the 1950s. An equerry is an appointed officer who's in charge of providing transportation, usually in the form of horses. He eventually became the Commander-in-Chief British Army of the Rhine and Commander Northag, the Northern Army Group of Nato.
3. She has a very successful career.
After Hunter received her education at Oxford University, she went on to become an accomplished director and playwright. Hunter has been the director of many plays and operas in Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. She even won the Samuel Beckett Award as the writer and director of an avant-garde play, The Terrific Electric, in 2007. In addition, she was the co-founder of the Lacuna Theatre Company.
Hunter seems dedicated to her career.
In an interview, she revealed how important her work was to her, saying, "I was always encouraged to think; (my parents) championed the idea of the independent woman. You spend a lot of time studying and you want to do something with that. Something that's tangible like creating a show, writing a screenplay, making a difference."
4. Hunter is also an actress.
Before she starred in Burlesque Fairytales, in 2009, Hunter acted in an even bigger movie. In 2004, she played opposite Reese Witherspoon in the film Vanity Fair. The role was considered her breakthrough performance. She appeared in a TV movie called Friends and Crocodiles with actor Damian Lewis, which was also made in 2004.
5. Their engagement wasn't announced through social media.
In 2014, the actor and his then-fiance decided to take the "old-fashioned" route of announcing their engagement. Instead of heading to Twitter or Instagram like most celebrities do these days, the couple's engagement was announced in the marriage section of British newspaper, The Times.
Since they didn't use any social media for the announcement, a source for Cumberbatch made an official statement instead, “I am delighted to confirm this morning's announcement that Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter are engaged.”
They married the following year on Valentine's Day.
6. The couple have two children together, with a third on the way.
Cumberbatch and Hunter recently divulged that they're expecting a third child together. The new baby will be joining the pair's other two children, 3-year-old Christopher and Hal, who is only 18 months old.
7. Some fans believe that the marriage is all a publicity stunt.
Cumberbatch has many devoted fans, a number of which believe that his entire family life is just a PR stunt.
In an interview with Vanity Fair in 2016, the actor opened up about his thoughts on the Internet conspiracy.
"There are people who believe that my wife is a PR stunt and my child is a PR stunt ... I think really it's to do with the idea that the 'Internet's boyfriend' can't actually belong to anyone else but the Internet. It's impossible he belongs to anyone but me. And that's what stalking is. That's what obsessive, deluded, really scary behavior is."
However, Cumberbatch also admitted that he finds some other fans lighter online comments to be quite funny.
Sloane Solomon is an editor and writer for YourTango who covers pop culture, lifestyle, and love and relationships.