Benedict Cumberbatch has assumed many challenging roles in his career, but his portrayal of Vincent in Netflix’s Eric may be his most unique. The series follows Vincent, a puppeteer from 1980s New York, whose son Edgar goes missing. In a desperate attempt to cope, Vincent becomes obsessed with bringing Eric—a monster imagined by Edgar—to life.
McKinley Belcher III, who plays Detective Ledroit, notes a distinct aspect of working with Cumberbatch: I think it would be very easy for Benedict—he’s incredibly accomplished and incredibly talented—to show up with a lot of ego
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Benedict Cumberbatch Embodies Vincent
Cumberbatch reflects on the significance of this performance: It was one of the most ludicrous things I’ve ever done—and I’ve done a few. It was fun though—and painfully funny
. Throughout this psychological exploration, Vincent’s interactions with Eric expose hidden traumas and unresolved emotions, reflecting on Jungian concepts of the shadow self.
The Craft Behind Eric
Written by Abi Morgan, best known for The Iron Lady, the series digs deep into characters like Edgar’s mother Cassie, portrayed by Gaby Hoffman: But as I kept reading it, I realized the story that we were telling, and I just started to become inhabited by Cassie in the ways that I don’t understand how these things work and had a deep instinct and desire to play her
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On Set Moments and Behind the Scenes
The synergy between lead actors was palpable on set. Benedict Cumberbatch found particular joy in working closely with Olly Taylor who performed inside the Eric suit: It was beautiful to act opposite Olly, who’s inside the suit—he gave him so much life and character
. Cumberbatch himself donned the heavy monster costume at times to fully grasp its arduous demands.
Narrative Depth and Underlying Themes
The backdrop of Good Day Sunshine, Vincent’s puppet-based children’s TV show mirrors real-life inspirations akin to Sesame Street. Several layers of narrative explore themes from addiction and mental illness to racism and homophobia.
Detective Ledroit’s Struggles Highlighted
McKinley Belcher III, playing Detective Ledroit, deals with deep-seated issues within a prejudiced society: I am a black queer man, and there’s a lot of that that hasn’t changed all that much from the 80s ‘til now. In my journey as a man coming to terms with myself and coming out, there’s a lot that is very present for me on a daily basis
. This adds another compelling layer to this multifaceted drama.
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