Videos by ComicBook.com
“For me, the exercise is great,” Cumberbatch said. “And the end result is that you feel strong and you feel confident — you hold yourself better. You have stamina through the exercise and the food that makes you last through the gig. But it is horrific. I don’t like it personally.”
For Cumberbatch, a big part of the challenge is actually building muscle and gaining weight, rather than restricting himself. “I think it’s horrific eating beyond your appetite,” he said. “Again, going back to responsibility and resourcefulness and sustainability — it’s just like, what am I doing? I could feed a family with the amount I’m eating.”
Cumberbatch described his daily diet during these training phases. Under the supervision of trainers and nutritionists, he was expected to eat five full meals per day, along with several high-protein snacks like boiled eggs. It sounds like a bland, clinical diet for anyone, but all the more so for someone who needs to eat in excess to fill out their robes. Still, Cumberbatch acknowledged that it’s a good problem to have, and that he ultimately appreciates the chance to stay fit on the company’s dime.
