The renowned British actor Benedict Cumberbatch is well known for his depictions of intellectuals, owing to his distinctive name, deep, resonant voice, and propensity to play upper-class roles. He became quite well-known for his depiction of a contemporary Sherlock Holmes in the television series Sherlock (2010-), which led to him landing a string of important parts in blockbuster films.

Here are some of his iconic lines:

“Someone will always hate what I say. There’s always going to be somebody spitting blood about my wooden-faced, toffee-named, crappy acting.”

“You could stick a knife in my thigh, and I wouldn’t tell you. [But] pull the hair on my head the wrong way, and I would be on my knees begging for mercy. I have very sensitive follicles.”

“I can feel infinitely alive curled up on the sofa reading a book.”

“Because reading is one of the joys of life, and once you begin, you can’t stop, and you’ve got so many stories to look forward to.”

“The further you get away from yourself, the more challenging it is. Not to be in your comfort zone is great fun.”

“Metaphorically speaking, it’s easy to bump into one another on the journey from A to B and not even notice. People should take time to notice, enjoy and help each other.”

“I’ve seen and swam and climbed and lived and driven and filmed. Should it all end tomorrow, I can definitely say there would be no regrets. I am very lucky

“I am very flattered. I have also become a verb as in ‘I have cumberbatched the UK audience’ apparently. Who knows, by the end of the year I might become a swear word too! It’s crazy and fun and very flattering.”

“Looking for happiness is a sure way to sadness, I think. You have to take each moment as it comes.”

“The first time we did cavalry charge I was so breathless with excitement I nearly fell off the horse. I actually saw stars in front of my eyes and thought I was going to faint. The second time I had a bit more control but was still giddy with excitement. And the third time I was an emotional wreck. I had to really try hard not to cry.”