Rough translation of the TV Bros. magazine interview with Benedict Cumberbatch

- BC came in wearing the Margaret Howell cardigan and offered to change into a Steve MacQueen jacket, but the interviewer begged him not to.

- It seems he was offered munchies and asked for chocolate pretzels and water, not tea. Offered the interviewers some, too.

- When asked if he was surprised by the 500+ fans at Narit Airport, he says: “surprised” doesn’t begin to describe it, it was a special moment. He was totally overwhelmed. There are Japanese fans who come to England, so he thought there might be a few fans waiting for him at the airport. And he was told to expect cameramen so was advised to change but almost stayed in his tracksuit.

- he really appreciates the power of social media and was humbled by the welcome.

- talks about John Harrison, how he’s not a black-and-white character, etc.

- Interviewer refers to JJ and how he called BC “one of the best existing actors.” Ben jokes but he had to audition, if he really was the best actor, he wouldn’t have to audition and then talks about his iPod audition which was made possible because JJ loved Sherlock. But Benedict hates it when people see him in something and take for granted he would be good in something else, so he was relieved he was given “John Harrison’s” lines to read. And he was glad he was then offered the role, because that means JJ liked how he played “John Harrison” and thought he was “one of the best” based on that performance, rather than liking him in something else.

- When asked whether he always chooses charismatic roles, BC answers no (although he bulked up for Trek and went up 3 suit sizes) and explains before coming to Japan he was shooting August: Osage County and playing Little Charles. He refers to how Moffat said he would never play an ordinary character and how the Little Charles role manages to prove Moffat wrong. He wants to continue appearing in both blockbusters and independent art house films.

-  The interviewer says there are lots of gay references in Sherlock and BC answers that they’re playing with that, for example, Sherlock says in Belgravia that he’s not gay. But with all of that they’re satirizing the way people want to immediately label someone’s sexuality, and it’s also a play on what people tend to think of as Sherlock Holmes’s sexuality. BC says if you have two people of the same sex who are really good friends with each other, why do you have to bring in sex into it? Why can’t they simply be really good friends? For example, for Watson, Holmes is someone who takes him onto adventures that he wouldn’t be able to experience on his own. And for Holmes, Watson is someone who grounds him, connects him with the world, someone he can feel safe with. BC asks, why does there have to be something sexual within that relationship?
(he sort of starts grilling the interviewer, lol)

- The interviewer stammers it’s OK if their relationship isn’t sexual and BC says that’s OK then. What’s great about Watson and Holmes is how they’re a great pair when the’re solving cases together but in the humdrum aspects of every day life, they’re both hopeless.

- He notices how the interviewer hasn’t had her pretzels yet, offers again, notes perhaps she can’t because she doesn’t have a napkin so offers her his to which the interviewer stammers and declines. LOL>

- the interviewer asks whether he himself has any Sherlock qualities and he asks back whether
(the interviewer) wants know if he himself is as weird and/or warped as Sherlock. Yes, she probably does (he says). He goes on about how an actor creates a character by using elements within, using his physicality, etc, and then after some familiar rambling admits he might be trying to avoid answering the question, because to be honest he is a bit impatient like Holmes and some aspects of the character have rubbed off onto him. He does tend to have a strong desire to clarify things but he hopes that doesn’t mean he’s a psychopath.

- The interviewer assures him, “Of course, not!” and BC answers, “Well, that’s good.”

source: Londonphile