Benedict Cumberbatch lived up to his superhero status after he saved a ‘petrified’ family from a herd of cows while on holiday.
The Doctor Strange star, 45, said his extensive training while filming his role as a cattle wrangler on the Netflix drama The Power Of The Dog helped when he was faced with the scary encounter over summer last year.
Benedict plays ranch owner Phil Burbank in the critically-acclaimed drama, and he said director Jane Campion urged him to stay in character throughout filming, even when on his breaks.
During an appearance on The Graham Norton Show on Friday, the Oscar-nominated actor said his two months spent living on a ranch in Montana enabled him to “part the waves” of cattle to help the stricken family.
“I came back from shooting the film in August and we were off to the beach. To get there we had to cross a field and in the field was a petrified family who just couldn't move, they were frozen because of a herd of cows with calves,” he explained.
“I thought, 'I can do this,' and I just sort of parted the waves of cattle. The family was like, 'That was incredible. Hey, aren't you Sherlock?’ It was very un-Sherlock activity!” Benedict laughed.
The dad-of-three heaped praise on filmmaker Jane, and thanked her for encouraging him to really immerse himself in the role.
“Jane encouraged me to stay in character. She was very secure about all the things I was insecure about and said, '’Do whatever you have to do to feel ownership of this very different lived experience’,” he told host Graham.
“So, I went off to Montana for two months to find out what it is like to live on a ranch and to experience all those things you see in the film. It was incredible and so far from anything I have ever done,” Benedict added.
The Avengers: Infinity War star also discussed his Best Actor nomination at the Academy Awards next month, and said he was delighted to be up for an Oscar alongside his co-stars Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
“Whatever happens on the night the whole raft of those nominations are so richly deserved and obviously I am thrilled that the four of us as a cast are nominated,” he shared.
He also teased the possibility of letting his hair down at the ceremony’s star-studded afterparty.
“We are going to be awesome on that dancefloor – it’s going to be great no matter what happens,” Benedict quipped.
