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Credit: Inside the MagicSome fans just can’t stand actors who play iconic characters, and Benedict Cumberbatch faced a fan who probably left his family terrified until the police arrived.
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After starring as Sherlock in the BBC series, Cumberbatch’s career has been full of great roles. He played Smaug in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy, and Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with other minor roles here or there. Recently, the actor had gone on a hiatus to spend more time with his family, leaving the actor to be home, thankfully, when his house was under siege.
According to the DailyMail, a 35-year-old chef named James Bissel broke into Cumberbatch’s home with a knife in hand and was screaming threats at the actor. He was a chef at a five-star Beaumont Hotel in Mayfair. On May 10, the chef also assaulted another location and caused criminal damage, which he admitted after the police arrested him.
Bissel shared his plan with a local shop after purchasing some pita bread, claiming that he should attack his home and burn it since he knows where the actor lives. He reportedly shouted several times, “I know you’ve moved here; I hope it burns down,” while he waved his knife around. Benedict Cumberbatch and his family, including his three children and wife, were home and could hear the assailant as he approached their house.
After breaking the gate, the enraged chef tore out the intercom and damaged the garden before the police arrived. Bissel fled the premises, but his DNA was left on the damaged intercom allowing the authorities to arrest the chef.
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While Cumberbatch has become more involved in his children’s lives, they have had several sleepless nights. No reason was given in court for why Bissel attacked the actor’s home. Cumberbatch’s fame has led the actor to have some great moments in Hollywood, but it seems there is a cost to being famous as it attracts some of the worst people to assault your home.
The actor will return to the MCU in the next couple of years as Doctor Strange (perhaps as the Sorcerer Supreme once again) and is guaranteed to be a major part of the Multiverse Saga with Avengers: Secret Wars (2026) right around the corner. It’s unclear when to expect Cumberbatch to return to the MCU as Marvel hasn’t announced any project with the actor. For now, the actor will have his hands full with taking care of his children, ensuring they feel safe and protected, and preventing another incident like that from happening again.
Do you think Cumberbatch will encounter more violent fans? Let Inside the Magic know what you think!