Benedict Cumberbatch called Hollywood a “grossly wasteful industry” during an interview on “Ruthie’s Table 4” podcast. The Oscar nominee is no stranger to massive studio productions given his role as Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While Cumberbatch loves undergoing a “body transformation” for his work, he also says “it’s horrific eating beyond your appetite.”
“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 said, noting he would eat five meals a day while getting into Doctor Strange shape, in addition to snacks like boiled eggs, almonds and cheese in between meals.
“It’s a grossly wasteful industry,” he continued. “Think about set builds that aren’t recycled, think about transport, think about food, think about housing, but also light and energy. The amount of wattage you need to create daylight and consistent light in a studio environment. It’s a lot of energy.”
Cumberbatch admitted that actors are routinely slammed and branded as hypocrites when they speak out in support of sustainability in Hollywood given how wasteful the industry is, but the actor noted that he tries to “push the green initiative” on his film sets as both an actor and a producer.
“You don’t have to give the crew plastic bottles,” he said as an example. If you’re in the middle of a desert and you can’t get glass bottles there, fair enough. But we’re in the 21st Century.”
Cumberbatch is on a press tour for his upcoming movie “The Roses,” a reimagining of the 1981 novel “The War of the Roses” by Warren Adler. The book previously spawned a 1989 film adaptation of the same name starring Michael Douglas Kathleen Turner Danny DeVito G. D. Spradlin. Cumberbatch’s new version co-stars Olivia Colman. The duo play a married couple who self-destruct during a bitter divorce.
“The Roses” opens August 29 from Searchlight Pictures. Watch Cumberbatch’s full interview on “Ruthie’s Table 4” podcast in the video below.