Benedict Cumberbatch's design of a life-size Paddington bear statue joins London trail
This article originally appeared on Culture24.
Benedict Cumberbatch wants Paddington Bear statue at Museum of London to learn "finer art of acting"
The arrival of Benedict Cumberbatch's statue coincides with the Museum of London's exhibitions on Paddington Bear and Sherlock Holmes© Museum of LondonIt seems, though, that the actor has more than dramatic timing and quiet announcements to add to his list of talents. In a new trail based around Paddington Bear, Cumberbatch has designed a life-size statue of the hairy explorer, carrying his suitcase and dressed in Sherlock Holmes’s attire.
“Having already starred in his first big film, Paddington was keen to take on a new role with a new disguise,” says the newly-engaged Cumberbatch.
“It had to be quintessentially British, naturally. And now that I’ve given him a new appearance, maybe I could train Paddington in the finer art of acting as well.”
Set at the Museum of London, the bear is one of 50 in a new trail across London, designed by names including David Beckham (Golden Paws, at Green Park), Kate Moss (a gold incarnation for Selfridges), Stephen Fry (Paddington is GREAT) and Jonathan Ross (the Futuristic Robot Bear).
The NSPCC is among the groups to benefit from the trail, which comes ahead of the museum’s new exhibition, A Bear Called Paddington, charting the genesis of Paddington from page to screen.
Michael Bond first dreamed up his Peruvian explorer when he bought a small bear from a department store on Christmas Eve 1956. The film version opens in cinemas later this month.
"When my father first wrote about Paddington many years ago, he could never have imagined that one day he would see life-sized versions of his creation all over London,” says Karen Jankel, Bond’s daughter.
“It's a huge honour for a small bear and, having grown up with Paddington, I’ve found it particularly exciting to see how all the different artists have chosen to interpret him."
- Visit visitlondon.com/paddington for the full trail. Sherlock Holmes: The man who Never Lived and will Never Die is at the Museum of London until April 12 2015. A Bear Called Paddington opens on November 14 2014.
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