Benedict Cumberbatch criticises toxic masculinity: ‘We just have to shut up and listen’

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Benedict Cumberbatch has said that the behaviour of men needs to be “fixed” as he spoke about toxic masculinity.

The Sherlock actor has recently starred in Jane Campion’s cowboy thriller The Power of the Dog, which is currently in UK cinemas.

In a new interview with Sky News, Cumberbatch discussed toxic masculinity, a term used to describe gendered stereotypes placed on men by society that prevents them from healthily expressing their emotions.

“We need to fix the behaviour of men and to understand that, you have to kind of lift the lid on the engine a little bit,” he said.

“I think it’s ever relevant… and in a world that’s questioning and ripping into and finally pointing out the inadequacies of the status quo and the patriarchy, it’s even more important.”

He continued: “You get this sort of rebellion aspect [today], this denial, this sort of childish defensive position of ‘not all men are bad’ and blah blah blah, but no, we just have to shut up and listen.”

“We’re living through an era now where survivors can speak and are having a platform to realise that there is not enough recognition of abuse, there’s not enough recognition of disadvantages.”

Cumberbatch then suggested that “somewhere along the line, maybe not now, but somewhere along the line, we need to do what the film does as well, which is examine the reason behind the oppressive behaviour to fix the men”.

Cumberbatch recently revealed that he and his The Power of the Dog co-star Kirsten Dunst refused to speak each other on set in order to “stay in character”.

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In his four-star review of Campion’s review, The Independent’s Geoffrey Macnab singled out Cumberbatch, calling his turn in the western “one of his finest performances”.

The Power of the Dog is in UK cinemas now and comes to Netflix on 1 December.