Benedict Cumberbatch slams Hollywood for not being eco-friendly; calls it a 'grossly wasteful' industry

Two-time Academy Award-nominated actor Benedict Cumberbatch has recently criticized Hollywood for not being eco-friendly, as he called it a "grossly wasteful" industry. The 49-year-old British actor showed his concern for Hollywood's lack of environmental consciousness on Ruthie's Table 4 podcast, hosted by American-British chef Ruthie Rogers, who is also the owner of The River Cafe, a Michelin-starred Italian restaurant in London.

Benedict Cumberbatch, who is currently busy with the promotion of his upcoming film The Roses, directed by Jay Roach, during his conversation with Ruthie Rogers, stressed Hollywood's need for immediate advancement in waste management, recycling, and energy efficiency. While talking to Rogers, the Sherlock star discussed witnessing Hollywood's wasteful practices, as he mentioned the diet he had to maintain to go through a "body transformation" for his Doctor Strange role in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).

The critically acclaimed actor, Benedict Cumberbatch, named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014, who is also the recipient of multiple accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, BAFTA TV Award, and many more, said:

"It’s a grossly wasteful industry. You think about set builds that aren’t recycled, the transport, the food, the housing, the light and energy. The wattage needed to create consistent daylight in a studio is massive. So when actors speak out about climate or excess or systemic issues, they get slammed because they’re seen as hypocritical."

While Cumberbatch discussed how these major Hollywood studios spend excessive money to provide premium care and services for actors during production, he mentioned his own "body transformation" contributed to the lack of environmental consciousness on set. The Courier actor shared that he had five meals every day for the MCU movie in which he played the role of a superhero. Benedict Cumberbatch went ahead and added:

"Personally, I think it’s horrific eating beyond your appetite. It feels wrong. It makes you think about responsibility, resourcefulness, sustainability. I’d think, ‘What am I doing? I could feed a family with the amount I’m eating’”.

Benedict Cumberbatch wants to encourage sustainable strategies as a producer

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During his conversation with Ruthie Rogers on her podcast, Benedict Cumberbatch mentioned how he is trying to encourage more sustainable measures as a producer on movie sets. He shared that it will begin with keeping away from single-use plastic on film sets.

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