Benedict Cumberbatch has had an incredible career so far, from playing the famous detective Sherlock Holmes on TV to playing Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His remarkable range and versatility as an actor have garnered him quite a fan following and even his co-stars look up to him as a source of inspiration.
Benedict Cumberbatch shocked his critics when he starred as the popular fantasy villain, Smaug, in the billion-dollar Hobbit trilogy. Wearing a grey suit and portraying a dragon through motion capture technology, he perfectly captured the menacing dragon through his dedication and acting genius. And it was his portrayal as Smaug that inspired his Marvel co-star to become one of the most lethal villains in the MCU.
Benedict Cumberbatch Inspired His Marvel Co-star To Play A Villain
Working with Motion Capture Technology is not an easy job and most A-listers would rather give up the opportunity than to don a weird grey suit. However, when it comes to Benedict Cumberbatch, he was not even a slight bit embarrassed, as is evident from his many behind-the-scenes clips. It was these clips and Cumberbatch’s extreme dedication that inspired his Marvel co-star, Josh Brolin, to star as the popular Marvel villain, Thanos.
“He’s crawling around like a snake and he’s snapping his tongue out, doing this incredible performance and I saw that and was like, alright, that’s the bar. This is not b*llsh*t. This is something you have to sink your teeth into — conviction, embarrassment, all that kind of stuff.”
Watching Cumberbatch acting unhinged in a grey suit, made Brolin realize that playing a CGI villain is not always bad. And hence, the Deadpool star decided to join the cast of Avengers: Infinity War as Marvel’s greatest and most famous villain, Thanos.
Josh Brolin Was Apprehensive Of Starring As A CGI Villain
It is only understandable that Josh Brolin was apprehensive about working with motion capture technology and ultimately playing a CGI-ed villain. Unaware of the process, he had no understanding that the experience was more practical than just working in front of a green screen.
“I’d never done anything like that — motion capture. I thought I was going to be behind a bunch of lights and a bunch of cameras, but it wasn’t like that. It was practical, working with people. It’s a phenomenal process.”
But looking at Benedict Cumberbatch’s marvelous performance as a ‘dragon’ in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, convinced him that there is more to it than just showing up on set and wearing a weird suit.
Thanks to Cumberbatch, the star went all out and played one of the best Marvel villains to date.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is available for streaming on Max, while Avengers: Infinity War can be viewed on Disney+.
Source: YouTube
