Benedict Cumberbatch

[twodollars]

Oct 15, 2013 21:45:34 GMT -4 FotoStoreSheila said:

I find him almost offensively unattractive. If an actress was this ugly, she'd never work. I want to start an Amanda Plummer fandom, just for spite.

I'd agree. I think the closest would be Martha Plimpton who is unfortunate looking but has never had the kind of career that Cumberbatch has now. She also can act circles around him as well. But, it's always been easier for men in hollywood. Nothing new.

[kostgard]

I don't know if I agree that Plimpton can act circles around him - she's very good (and I always clap with glee when she shows up on The Good Wife), but he's pretty darn good too.

There of course is a double standard in Hollywood, and it's in looks, weight, age, etc., always with dudes getting the advantage. I'm in the camp who doesn't find Cumberbatch hideous (and I don't even want to get into it because every. Single. Thing on the internet about him devolves into arguments about his looks and I'm just worn out on that topic), but he doesn't have conventional leading man looks and it doesn't hold him back. Sucks for the ladies, but it's been that way in Hollywood, and honestly, in real life since forever. The bottom line is that ladies (generally speaking) will look to other things like personality, sense of humor, etc., when deciding if she finds a man attractive, while men are far more prone to judging a woman solely on her looks. And while men are less likely to give a crap about a male actor's looks as long as they like the work he does, a lot of ladies are more likely to not be interested in ladies who aren't "pretty" just like the dudes.

So an unconventional-looking dude can be buoyed on a wave of fangirls and males who appreciate his work and ride it to career heights, that wave almost never comes along for unconventional-looking ladies because neither girls nor guys are lifting her up. Every now and again one can kinda break through (usually through being funny like Melissa McCarthy or Rebel Wilson), but they are the exception. Sucks and it's wrong, but it's the way it goes.

All that said, I believe that BC would have had a solid career even without Sherlock (he'd already been steadily working ever since he graduated and gotten a lot of positive notice), he just wouldn't be all over Tumblr and flooding airports in Japan with screaming girls whenever he visits. But despite the screaming fan girls, he's still very much a character actor. I'm sure the craziness will blow over sooner or later, but he won't be unemployed when it does.

[Coffeecakes]

Oct 15, 2013 21:45:34 GMT -4 FotoStoreSheila said:

I find him almost offensively unattractive. If an actress was this ugly, she'd never work. I want to start an Amanda Plummer fandom, just for spite.

Omg yes. I actually wince when I see him. He's charismatic and all, but he is so hideous looking, it doesn't go beyond me thinking he has a nice personality. So to me the whole notion of thinking he is awesome does not, repeat does not translate into magically thinking he's hot.

[Mutagen]

Oct 15, 2013 21:45:34 GMT -4 FotoStoreSheila said:

I find him almost offensively unattractive. If an actress was this ugly, she'd never work. I want to start an Amanda Plummer fandom, just for spite.

Yep. He can't help how he looks, but it's why I was SO uncharitable when he went through his whiny stage a while back about "posh-bashing" and Elementary.  Thank your stars  you were born with a penis and a lack of melanin and shut up.

[Deleted]

I've always enjoyed him as an actor, but it really tickles me how much the Daily Mail hates him. They write about him like they do female celebrities. Yup, they hate him THAT much.

[Mutagen]

Oh man, I almost linked that DM article! It's kind of interesting, albeit obviously best taken with a mountain of salt.

[Augustus]

The Daily Fail hates everyone according to the following criteria: well educated, leftist liberal, immigrant (especially if you can be sort of seen as Muslim), woman, LGBT and/or currently out of a job. No, actually, just do this test to see how much you're hated by the Daily Fail. Surprise, I'm hated by them!

[Deleted]

Hee, I'm hated too but that was pretty much a given once I answered the Muslim question ;-)

As for Benedict, ever since I watched all the Sherlock episodes a few months ago (yeah, late on that), I do get his appeal as an actor. He really has a sort of magnetic screen presence. I still don't find him attractive looks-wise but I get why others might.

[sueli]

Oct 16, 2013 8:36:16 GMT -4 @ronette said:

I've always enjoyed him as an actor, but it really tickles me how much the Daily Mail hates him. They write about him like they do female celebrities. Yup, they hate him THAT much.

Am I the only one who thinks he looks a bit like Dennis Quaid at certain angles (see second photo at link)?

[Deleted]

Yeah he does he look like Dennis sometimes. He's on the cover of Time Magazine. He's getting a bit ubiquitous (yeah, word of the day) but I'm ok with it....for now.