Benedict Cumberbatch | Born 1976

Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch may be one of the hottest commodities today in Hollywood, but did you know that he struggled to make it big in the entertainment industry? The actor has a degree in drama which he put to good use by performing in theaters but getting into the screen was tough. He started out by getting small guest roles in shows like Heartbeat and Tipping the Velvet. He was able to make it to star in the film Atonement, which was then followed by The Other Boleyn Girl.

It was in the BBC series Sherlock that the actor truly shone. He was nominated several times and won one back in 2014. This was the beginning of his highly successful career on film. Among his films included 12 Years as a Slave, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Star Trek: Into Darkness, and The Imitation Game just to name a few. Aside from his rising success in Hollywood, Cumberbatch is also using his celebrity status to do more charity work.