Benedict Cumberbatch Considered Housing Syrian Refugees
Benedict Cumberbatch was very vocal with his impassioned criticism of the government over their handling of the migrant crisis a year ago.
The 41-year-old actor used his Hamlet curtain calls at London's Barbican to denounce the British government's decision to accept only 20,000 refugees over five years, while imploring theatregoers to donate money to help Syrians fleeing war.
But the Sherlock star doesn't regret using his high-profile status to draw attention to the refugee crisis, and admitted that he and his playwright wife Sophie Hunter even considered housing asylum seekers.
"I got very heated about it [refugee crisis] on occasions, and I do regret that," Cumberbatch told The Big Issue.
It was reported that during one anti-government speech, he told the London audience to "f**k the politicians".
"Fuck the politicians" - Benedict Cumberbatch, at bows for Hamlet
- gav gav galloo (@govieburbie) October 27, 2015
"But it was a knee-jerk reaction in terms of the refugee crisis – being a new father and seeing a two-year-old child wash up on the beach not dissimilar to the ones I spent my childhood on, and will hopefully take my children to," he explained.
"I don't know if it is worth bringing this up, but being conscious of the magazine I'm talking to - people were saying, 'You've got a home, why don't you house refugees?' And we did look into it. But we had, then, a very new baby – maybe four or five months old."
Cumberbatch added that while he understood when critics suggested he take action and house people instead of complaining about the government not doing enough, he also felt a responsibility to raise awareness for a "human crisis".
And he helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for Save The Children's fund for children in Syria
"Maybe people had a point," he continued. "I understand why some might think I should be housing people instead of complaining about a government not doing it.
"But I was trying to raise awareness that we can do more as a society. Because I do feel we are able to do more than just recovering bodies.
"I'm a human being and it was a human crisis and I got over-excited and said things in a rather grand manner some nights.
"You stick your head above the parapet and that happens. But we raised money for children in need. So I don't regret doing it for a second, and I will do it again, even if it does put me in the firing line."
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