Why Benedict Cumberbatch Stopped Showering for ‘The Power of the Dog’

Benedict Cumberbatch’s impressive chops are on full display in “The Power of the Dog,” Jane Campion’s highly anticipated Western drama, adapted from the book of the same name. In the feature—now in select theaters and streaming on Netflix starting Dec. 1—the “Doctor Strange” actor plays Phil Burbank, a volatile rancher in 1920s Montana. 

Cumberbatch revealed that his attraction to the project came not just from the chance to work with legendary director Campion or to play a role outside the realm of the “slightly asexual, sociopathic intellectuals” he’s known for. It was the chance to learn a new instrument.

“I really wanted to become world-class at the banjo,” Cumberbatch admitted in a recent interview with Esquire. Add that to the long list of skills the actor was determined to acquire before shooting began, including roping, hay-stacking, and whistling. His character is also a dedicated whittler, so he began practicing woodcarving, churning out ”tiny chairs no higher than an inch.” He learned to roll cigarettes with just one hand, and he even found an ironmonger to teach him how to hammer a horseshoe.

Once on set, Cumberbatch doubled down on his Method approach, responding only to his character’s name throughout the shoot. “If someone forgot and called me Benedict, I wouldn’t move,” he said. 

The full immersion didn’t stop at the thick Montana accent: As time wore on, the actor stopped bathing. “I wanted that layer of stink on me,” he explained. “I wanted people in the room to know what I smelt like.” His commitment to the part, however, had some downsides. “It was hard,” he admitted. “I was going out to eat and meet friends of Jane and stuff. I was a bit embarrassed by the cleaner in the place I was living.”

Though the project has long since wrapped, the actor is still shaking off his role. “It leaves an indelible mark,” Cumberbatch said. “When you’re crafting a character like that and going deep into your psyche, it asks questions of you both and gives you a sense of sympathy and reverence for that character. He wasn’t a monster. He was somebody who was trying to lead an authentic life. And you want the commitment to really fulfill the expectation of the material, both for you and for the people who employed you.”