‘Fifth Estate’ star Benedict Cumberbatch admires Julian Assange’s achievements

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Actor Benedict Cumberbatch answers a question during a press conference for the movie "The Fifth Estate" during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Friday, Sept. 6, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Galit Rodan

TORONTO – Benedict Cumberbatch says he greatly admires embattled WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The “Sherlock” and “Star Trek” actor says “there’s a lot to celebrate about his achievements.”

Cumberbatch plays the controversial Assange in the film “The Fifth Estate,” which opened the Toronto International Film Festival.

Cumberbatch and director Bill Condon say they strove to portray a three-dimensional man that audiences can relate to.

Cumberbatch also appears in festival picks “August: Osage County” and “12 Years a Slave.”

The Toronto International Film Festival runs through Sept. 15.

Condon says Assange refused to have anything to do with the film.

The Australian free-speech crusader is holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London avoiding extradition to Sweden on sex assault allegations.

Cumberbatch says he did not want to impersonate Assange, but rather interpret who he is.

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