Benedict Cumberbatch Recalls Singing Onstage at a Pink Floyd Concert: ‘I Thought I Was Going to Die’
Benedict Cumberbatch is an iconic actor who shows astonishing range across his projects. The Power of the Dog and Spider-Man: No Way Home indicate a big year for him. However, the A-list actor even has certain aspects of performance that terrify him. Cumberbatch recalls a time where he sang a section of “Comfortably Numb” on stage at a Pink Floyd concert that terrified him.
The history of Benedict Cumberbatch’s acting career
Cumberbatch is an English actor whose works span various mediums long before taking the stage at the Pink Floyd concert. He started in theatre in 2001, which earned him an Olivier Award nomination for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for portraying George Tesman in Hedda Gabler. Cumberbatch would go on to earn another two Olivier Awards for his theatre talent.
The actor moved into television and earned critical acclaim for performances such as Sherlock Holmes in the show Sherlock. Cumberbatch also broke into the film industry with movies such as Atonement and War Horse. Perhaps his biggest role to date is playing Doctor Strange in Marvel Cinematic Universe titles such as Doctor Strange and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Benedict Cumberbatch said he thought he was going to die singing onstage with Pink Floyd
The Los Angeles Times interviewed Cumberbatch, Oscar Isaac, Javier Bardem, Peter Dinklage, Andrew Garfield, and Jared Leto about their big films this year. Cumberbatch talked at length about his time working on Netflix’s The Power of the Dog as well as the pressures of singing live. He recalled a terrifying moment of his own that includes live vocals.
“It wouldn’t be called singing, but it was the most near I’ve ever come to having a heart attack: I stepped [onstage] at the very end of a Pink Floyd gig,” Cumberbatch said. “David Gilmour persuaded me to come on and do the Roger Waters part in ‘Comfortably Numb,’ which is, as you know, it’s hardly singing, but I was wondering where the crash team was, because I just thought I was going to die.”
‘The Power of the Dog’ awards attention
Cumberbatch is getting serious awards attention for playing Phil Burbank in The Power of the Dog. Writer/director Jane Campion aids the actor in bringing his abrasive character to life in a nuanced way. Many awards analysts are projecting that he might ultimately win the Oscar gold for his performance.
The actor already earned a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for The Imitation Game. However, he lost out to Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything.
Cumberbatch is already nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama. He continues to display a wide, dynamic range across all of his performances.
The Power of the Dog is currently playing in a few select theaters. Additionally, it’s playing on the Netflix streaming platform for audiences to enjoy it from the comfort of their own homes. The Power of the Dog is sure to be a serious awards contender in other categories, as well.
