Movies

Benedict Cumberbatch Regrets Playing Non-Binary Model in Zoolander 2

BBG News

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch recently admitted that he feels remorseful about taking on the contentious character of a non-binary fashion model in the film “Zoolander 2,” directed by Ben Stiller.

In the comical follow-up of 2016, the performer portrayed a fashion model identifying as non-binary, called All. Unfortunately, this movie became notorious for its poor performance at the box office, earning only £23 million.

In conversation with Variety, the actor portraying Sherlock Holmes (aged 48) expressed his thoughts on the character as follows: “I’ve had to make amends for that quite frequently.

It’s quite challenging for me to discuss this topic. I hold a deep affection for this particular group, as they were instrumental in creating something truly remarkable in their initial endeavor. Back then, I was an ardent admirer of their work.

‘But it got complicated and it got misunderstood and I upset people.

‘I respect that, so I probably wouldn’t do that again now.’

His role in Zoolander 2 drew backlash from the get-go when the film’s first trailer was released.

Activists supporting the LGBTQ community asked people to refrain from watching the movie due to Cumberbatch’s role in it, as evident by an online petition that suggested boycotting Zoolander 2.

During his scene Cumberbatch wears a fur coat with a black long wig.

‘Are you like a male model or a female model?’ Stiller’s Derek Zoolander asks All.

‘All is not defined by binary constructs’, replies Cumberbatch.

Owen Wilson’s character Hansel then attempts to get a clearer answer.

‘What I think he’s asking is do you have a hot dog or a bun?’ he asks.

‘All is All,’ replies Cumberbatch.

The movie centered on the return of the formerly faded Derek Zoolander and Hansel McDonald to the glamorous realm of haute couture, as they sought to identify the culprit behind the mysterious murders of the globe’s most stunning individuals.

In the follow-up to the cherished 2001 movie, both Stiller and Wilson featured, alongside Penelope Cruz, Kristen Wiig, and Will Ferrell. Also gracing the screen were guest appearances by Joe Jonas, Justin Bieber, and numerous other high-profile stars.

2022 saw Benedict Cumberbatch openly discuss with Penelope Cruz during their Variety’s Actors on Actors chat that there had been significant debate over his role in Zoolander 2, which is quite comprehensible in retrospect.

‘In this era, my role would never be performed by anybody other than a trans actor,’ he said.

However, at that moment, I didn’t immediately associate it with those specific aspects, viewing it more as a story about two dinosaurs, rather than as a reflection of traditional stereotypes struggling to adapt to a more diverse world. Yet, unintentionally, it seemed to have a somewhat opposite effect.

In previous conversations, Ben Stiller, aged 59, has openly shared that the underperformance of Zoolander 2 at the box office wasn’t a pleasant experience for him. Moreover, during David Duchovny’s Fail Better podcast last year, he mentioned being taken aback by the disastrous outcome.

He expressed: “I assumed everyone was eager for this. But then, I realized, ‘Oh dear, I seem to have made a mistake.’ People didn’t show up, and the feedback has been quite negative.

He found it quite alarming when the movie flopped, as he wondered, “Were the signs of its poor quality unnoticeable to me?” or “How could I not have known it would fail?

In simpler terms, he expressed that the aspect of Zoolander 2 that unnerved him the most was losing his sense of humor and the self-doubt that came with it. This revelation took him by surprise and had a lasting impact on him.

The comedy raked in approximately $28.8 million within the U.S., as reported by Box Office Mojo, while earning an additional $56.7 million internationally. Notably, these earnings barely met the movie’s production budget of $50 million.

Critics at Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 22-percent rating, two points higher than the audience score.

Consequently, as the podcast is titled “Fail Better,” the Star of Starsky and Hutch stated that this specific experience in his life allowed him some reflection on his true aspirations.

What stood out to him from that experience was the freedom it provided, as if ‘Zoolander 3’ had become a success and they demanded a sequel immediately, or proposed another film, he likely would have dived into it without much thought.

Instead of juggling multiple tasks simultaneously, I found myself in a position where I could take a breather, confront my thoughts, and dedicate time to projects, including those not comedy-related, for further development.

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2025-02-04 16:36

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