Benedict Cumberbatch’s Wife – Sophie Hunter: As an actor, Benedict Cumberbatch’s versatility in his roles is nothing short of amazing. It’s hard to imagine him as anything other than impeccably dressed.
From playing the dashing William Carrey in The Other Boleyn Girl to wowing fans with his detective Sherlock Holmes character in the hit television series. Through excellently styled appearances in The Imitation Game and Patrick Melrose to taking on the role of the infamous Dr. Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the 44-year-old actor has no dearth of accolades for his talent.
Inspiring your journey, one story at a time. #LifeFalcon.
He’s also got it sussed in real life too, with every red carpet appearance a lesson in how to wear formal tailoring properly.
But perhaps his biggest achievement is finding the love of his life, his friend of 11 years and wife of 5 years, actress and theatre director, Sophie Hunter.
Fortunately, Cumberbatch’s other half, theatre and opera director Sophie Hunter – is equally as winning in her style choices. Bright shades, strong silhouettes, and an outpouring of textures, her bold looks are winning companions for Cumberbatch’s proper suits.
Added up, their joint appearances make for some seriously fun style lessons.
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Who is Cumberbatch’s wife, Sophie Hunter?
So what’s known about the attractive brunette, Sophie Irene Hunter is an English avant-garde theatre and opera director, playwright, and former actor.
Sophie Irene Hunter (born 16 March 1978) is an English avant-garde theatre and opera director, playwright, and former performer. In 2007, Hunter made her directorial debut co-directing an experimental play; ‘The Terrific Electric’ at the Barbican Pit in London. Her production was put on following a major win for her theatre company, Boileroom, as they had just earned the prestigious Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust Award.
Beckett is well known for plays including, but not limited to Waiting for Godot, Endgame, and Happy Days.
Hunter attended St. Paul’s Girls’ School in Hammersmith before going on to study modern languages, concentrating in French and Italian, at the University of Oxford. After graduated from college, she resided in Paris for a bit which is where she picked up her drama studies.
She studied avant-garde theatre at the L’École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq before going on to train at the Saratoga International Theatre Institute in New York City under Anne Bogart.
Hunter has performed in and conceived of multiple productions across North America, Europe, and the Middle East. She directed the play 69 Degrees South, Lucretia, Ghosts, and more. Today, she is the co-founder of The Lacuna Theatre Company.
Yet, she was previously the associate director at the Royal Court Theatre in West End and the Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway for Enron.
Sophie’s also a songbird, once recording French-language music album The Isis Project in collaboration with Guy Chambers, who is Robbie Williams’ songwriting partner.
Travel is a passion of hers: she’s directed work in Palestine, Italy, and Africa.
In short, Benedict Cumberbatch and his wife are both involved in the performing arts; however, while Cumberbatch has been sticking to the screen as of late, his wife is more known for her work on the stage and behind it, as she tends to operate solely within the avant-garde theatre world.
Their first meeting:
the two first met in 2009 on the sets of Burlesque Fairytales. Though the two became friends on set, they didn’t actually start dating each other until much later.
At the time of the shooting of the film, Cumberbatch had actually been dating actress Olivia Poulet, his college sweetheart, before breaking up with her in 2011.
Even after that breakup, he went on to date artist Anna James before splitting up with her. But what he might not have realized at the time was that Hunter was his ideal type.
On an occasion in 2013, the actor described his ideal partner as “a woman who can make you feel smart with her conversation skills”.
He added, “A woman who knows that she doesn’t have to get all decked out to look good is sexy. I believe a sense of humor is important. I also think someone who is good at working with others is sexy.” And Hunter fit the bill, being an Oxford graduate, bilingual, and a truly talented person.
When did the couple start dating?
Sophie and Benedict are thought to have started dating in 2013, however, the couple make effort to keep their private life away from the public eye.
Cumberbatch’s sister Tracey Peacock once said: ‘You would have to be a pretty smart cookie to keep up with him. I think that is possibly why he has trouble with girlfriends,’ adding, ‘He is such a lot like Sherlock – he is quick-thinking like him, but not harsh. He’s incredibly well-read. In comparison to some, he is quite an intellectual.’ We have no doubt Sophie can keep up with him.
What was so special about the engagement announcement?
The intriguing thing about the engagement was that The Imitation Game actor actually flew to Edinburgh to ask the permission of Hunter’s mother Katharine before he proposed. Once that was done, the actual announcement wasn’t made in a typical way on social media platforms as many celebrities tended to do.
Instead, the news was published in an old-fashioned way — through a post in the newspaper.
You could hear the sound of a million hearts breaking when a Cumberbatch engagement announcement appeared in The Times in November 2014.
‘The engagement is announced between Benedict, son of Wanda and Timothy Cumberbatch of London, and Sophie, daughter of Katharine Hunter of Edinburgh and Charles Hunter of London,’ it read. ‘That’s what I would have done if I wasn’t famous,’ the actor later explained.
And then they were married
The pair then tied the knot on the most romantic day of the year, 14th February, in 2015, opting for a low-key ceremony in the 12th-century church of St Peter & St Paul near Brighstone on the Isle of Wight.
Showbiz guests included a friend of the couple Tom Hiddleston, and Benedict’s on-screen nemesis Andrew Scott (who famously played Moriarty in Sherlock).
Sophie’s Wedding dress
Sitting FROW side at Burberry? The hottest labels from Erdem to Christian Dior lining up to dress her? After Sophie Hunter found herself propelled into the A-list world her sophisticated and elegant sartorial splendor was noted.
Her stylist Nicholas Drake said the key to her red carpet success is simple: ‘Sophie is very discerning and decisive about what she likes and does not like. [Anything too] frilly, frou-frou, or with too much surface decoration [won’t work with her aesthetic].’ Her custom-made Valentino wedding dress was revealed on social media in all its glory.
The gown’s designer, Valentino, revealed her ornate, near silver wedding dress on Instagram with the candid behind-the-scenes shot and the caption: Beautiful Sophie Hunter with Creative Directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli prepping her couture dress for her March wedding to Benedict Cumberbatch.
Do Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter have kids?
Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter have two children together: Hal Auden Cumberbatch and Christopher Carlton Cumberbatch. They welcomed their first child, Christopher, in 2015.
Their eldest child, affectionately known as “Kit,” soon had a baby brother. Hal was born in 2017, less than two years after the couple had their first.
With two (or possibly 3) little ones at home and thriving careers to match these two have definitely been quite busy as of late. With two kids under five running around the household, things tend to get a bit hectic especially if that household is quite large.
It was reported that Sophie Hunter was pregnant with their third child in 2018.
Hunter debuted her baby bump on the 2018 Emmys red carpet alongside Cumberbatch; however, there were no reports of her pregnancy after that, and the couple’s third child, whose name is reportedly Finn, has not been seen to this day.
Does Sophie Hunter have Instagram?
Sorry to disappoint, but Sophie eschews all forms of social media. Likewise, you won’t find Benedict Cumberbatch tweeting or ‘gramming either.
The Sherlock actor explained why he has yet to join the Twitter game: ‘I think if I did you’d very soon be disappointed because it really is a skill – it’s a skill I genuinely don’t have,’ he said. ‘Tweeting is about being pithy. I think tweeting would take so many hours of editing I’d be lost for doing my job.’
Sophie has royal connections
Sophie Hunter comes from a very distinguished family. Her late grandfather was General Sir James Michael Gow GCB, Knight Grand Cross, Order of the Bath, who worked with Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester in the 1950s.
Other Asked Questions
Does Sophie Hunter really own and run her own fansite?
Yes, she owns it. The Report’s own domain name research uncovered it in January 2016. She is the registered owner of the website, even though the information she makes publicly available lists non-existent people or “SH Central” as the owners.
Is she an opera and theatre director?
Sophie Irene Hunter is an English avant-garde theatre and opera director. She is the co-founder of the Lacuna Theatre Company and is an artistic director of the Boiler Room. Hunter is also an associate director at the Broadhurst Theatre. She has directed and conceived numerous theatre productions throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and in North America.
