Benedict Cumberbatch candidly calls out toxic masculinity as he discusses new film Power Of The Dog

Benedict Cumberbatch might play a masochistic rancher in new Netflix movie Power Of The Dog, but he’s using the role to open up conversations on toxic masculinity in today’s culture.

In an interview with Sky News, the Doctor Strange actor used the moment to talk about the themes addressed in the film – in which he plays the villainous Phil Burbank, who is incessantly cruel to his brother’s wife.

“We need to fix the behaviour of men,” he said. “And to understand that you have to kind of lift the lid off the engine a little bit. I think it’s ever relevant.

“And I think in a world that’s questioning and ripping into and finally pointing out the inadequacies of the status quo in the patriarchy, it’s even more important because you get this sort of rebellion aspect, this sort of denial, this sort of childish defensive position of ‘Not all men are bad’.”

He added: “It’s like, ‘No, we just need to shut up and listen.’ You know? And I think we’re living through an era now where survivors can speak and are having a platform to realise there is not enough recognition of abuse, there is not enough recognition of disadvantages.

“And at the same time, somewhere along the line, maybe not now, but somewhere we need to do what the film does, which is examine the reason behind the oppressive behaviour to fix the men.”

Sounds like a pretty powerful film, right? The movie will drop on Netflix on 1 December, directed by the famed Jane Campion of The Piano and Portrait of a Lady, who returns to feature films after a 12-year break.

Benedict Cumberbatch isn’t the only star name in the film – also appearing is Kirsten Dunst as Rose Gordon, Benedict’s sister-in-law. She even admitted that the pair’s characters hated each other so much while the camera was rolling, that they avoided each other on set.

She told Radio Times: “I isolated myself from Benedict. We didn’t talk at all during the filming unless we were out to dinner on a weekend, all together, or playing with our kids.

“He’s so sweet. And he’s so British. Polite British, you know? I was like, ‘I can’t talk to you!’”