Benedict Cumberbatch said that Julian Assange's letter to him definitely affected the way he portrayed the WikiLeaks founder for the upcoming The Fifth Estate.
As previously reported, Assange wrote a letter, that was recently published, to the British actor asking him not to take the role.
Assange also notes that doing the role would mean their "paths" would be "forever entwined." He did thank the actor for at least reaching out to him, which he notes that no one else had done so.
In a Reddit AMA (ask me anything), Cumberbatch was asked about how the letter affected him. Reuters reports. Cumberbatch responded, "To have the man you are about to portray ask you intelligently and politely not to do it gave me real cause for concern, however, it galvanized me into addressing why I was doing this movie."
Cumberbatch rejected the comments Assange made calling him a "hired gun."
"He accuses me of being a 'hired gun' as if I am an easily bought cypher right-wing propaganda. Not only do I NOT operate in a moral vacuum but this was not a pay day for me at all.
The Sherlock actor said he strove to "create a three-dimensional portrait" of the WikiLeaks founder.
The Fifth Estate opens in theaters Oct. 18.
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