Cumberbulk: Benedict reveals he ate 4000 calories a day to transform from weedy Sherlock to intimidating Star Trek villain



He is well known for playing the physically weak but mentally strong Sherlock Holmes.



But for his latest role Benedict Cumberbatch was forced to bulk up in order to play the powerhouse threat at the heart of Star Trek Into Darkness.



The unlikely heartthrob has revealed in an interview with SFX Magazine that he ate 4000 calories a day and on top of that he trained for two hours daily to become a villain.



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Bigger: Benedict Cumberbatch has revealed that he had to bulk up for his role in Star Trek Into Darkness compared to when he plays Sherlock (R)



Speaking exclusively to SFX Magazine, Cumberbatch divulges: ‘It was the first time I’d really intensely shape-shifted . . . To go up from a 38 chest to a 42, eating 4,000 calories a day and training two hours a day, as well as the stunt rehearsals and fight choreography, was the most physical demand that’s ever been made of me for the screen.’

The actor was also quizzed about how much of a geek he is after joining the popular sci-fi franchise.



He revealed: ‘Not very much . . . I obviously have a latent fan fixation with Star Trek because of how thrilled I was when everyone got together in the first reboot.

Villain: In the upcoming film he plays John Harrison, an agent who goes over to the dark side

‘I never was obsessive about anything I watched when I was a kid, except maybe The A-Team and Airwolf… And I loved Knight Rider and then later Baywatch.’



In the upcoming film directed by J.J. Abrams, Benedict plays John Harrison, a former Starfleet employee who turns against the organisation and tries to create havoc.



It is up to Captain Kirk, played by Chris Pine, to put a stop to his evil ways.

Speaking about his character, he shared as much as he could considering the films gagging order: ‘He’s a homegrown terrorist, someone who has an inordinate amount of skill with close-hand combat and weaponry.

Usual look: The actor was seen filming for Sherlock looking his usual svelte self at the beginning of April

'But also as a psychological terrorist he’s someone who can plant an idea that’s as vicious as a bomb and explode loyalties and expose relationships and try and turn people against one another to do his bidding. '



Benedict and Alice Eve are new additions to the cast after the majority of the original gang from the hugely popular film have returned as the action is taken up a notch in the upcoming flick.



Despite being the eleventh film in the Star Trek franchise, 2009’s Star Trek enjoyed massive box office success, so this latest effort is hotly anticipated.



Not playing by the rules: Once again Chris Pine is back in Star Trek and his character Kirk will not be doing things by the books

In the new film the crew of the Enterprise find a seemingly unstoppable force which has attacked Starfleet and left Earth in chaos.



Captain Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise are tasked with leading the deadly manhunt to capture the party responsible and settle an old score.



Meanwhile Benedict has returned to filming the third series of the hugely popular Sherlock, which is scheduled to air later this year.



Star Trek Into Darkness will open in UK cinemas on May 8 and May 17 in the US.

The full interview can be read in the latest issue of SFX Magazine, on-sale now.