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Benedict Cumberbatch In Talks For 'August: Osage County'

Benedict Cumberbatch, star of the BBC’s popular Sherlock drama series, is in talks to join August: Osage County, The Weinstein Company’s film adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play written by Tracy Letts, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Cumberbatch, 36, would be the latest addition to a high-profile cast that includes Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, Abigail Breslin and Juliette Lewis.

In August: Osage County, the story of a troubled family reunited at their mother's home under trying circumstances, Cumberbatch would play "Little" Charles Aiken, the nephew of lead character Beverly Watson (Streep). John Wells, known for his work as showrunner on such successful series’ as ER and The West Wing, will direct, while George Clooney is attached as a producer on the film. August: Osage County is set to start filming in September in Oklahoma.

Cumberbatch has risen to prominence for his work in film, theater and television. He garnered an Emmy nomination for his work on Sherlock. In the past year he was featured in the Academy Award Best Picture nominees Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, as Peter Guillam, and War Horse, as Major Stewart. In April 2012 Cumberbatch earned the Oliver Award for Best Actor, a prestigious award in British theater, for Frankenstein, in which he played both Victor Frankenstein and the Creature.

It has been a busy time for the rising star. He just finished filming Twelve Years a Slave alongside Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender, and is slated to play the villain in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming, but still-untitled, Star Trek sequel. He will also appear in Peter Jackson's Hobbit films, where he will voice the dragon Smaug and provide motion capture work for both Smaug and the Necromancer. Cumberbatch was also voted "Sexiest Man in the World" by readers of the British outlet The Sun. –Hal Sundt

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