Benedict Cumberbatch has spoken out staunchly against anti-gay extremists, insisting he would "fight them to the death" if they tried to force him to believe what they believe.
People are being beheaded in countries right now because of their beliefs or sexual orientations."It's terrifying. It's medieval – a beheading! I'd take up arms against someone who was telling me I had to believe in what they believed or they would kill me. I would fight them. I would fight them to the death."And, I believe, the older you get, you have to have an idea of what's right or wrong. You can't have unilateral tolerance. You have to have a point where you go, 'Well, religious fundamentalism is wrong.'
Turing, who was responsible for breaking the Enigma code in World War II, was found dead in his room in 1954 at the age of 41. Shortly before his death, he was prosecuted for being gay.
Human rights movements and sexual and gay rights movements have made huge social progress in the last 40 years, without a doubt, but there's a lot more work to be done. I think it's extraordinary that every time we get to a point where there's any kind of trouble in society, people are scapegoated very, very, very quickly.
Cumberbatch also reveals that he sees these prejudices occurring within Hollywood.
I think if you're going to sell yourself as a leading man in Hollywood, to say 'I'm gay,' sadly, is still a huge obstacle. We all know actors who are [gay] who don't want to talk about it or bring it up, or who deny it. I don't really know what they do to deal with it.