Benedict Cumberbatch's 3 Children: All About Christopher, Hal and Finn

'Eric' star Benedict Cumberbatch shares three sons with his wife, Sophie Hunter

Benedict Cumberbatch keeps his family out of the spotlight, including his children: Christopher, Hal, and Finn.

Cumberbatch and his wife, Sophie Hunter, made their debut as a couple in 2014 and they secretly wed on Valentine’s Day in 2015, one month after announcing that they were expecting their first child together.

Before the Sherlock star and his wife welcomed their second baby, Cumberbatch opened up to PEOPLE in October 2016 about his own parents, actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham, and how they influenced his outlook on parenthood.

Related: Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter's Relationship Timeline

"They are the first heroes I ever had in my life," he said. "I can only hope to be half as good [a parent] as they were to me, to my children. I have their example to follow so I'll be doing something right if I am."

Cumberbatch keeps his personal life private and doesn’t often discuss his family in interviews. The actor is also not active on social media, telling PEOPLE in October 2016 that “it’d be a disaster.”

Still, the Avengers star has shared that welcoming kids changed his perception of Hollywood and fame, telling Absolute Radio in November 2018 that he “draws strengths” from them. Cumberbatch added, “They are your inspiration. It adds to your work, it never takes away."

Here’s everything to know about Benedict Cumberbatch’s children: Christopher, Hal and Finn.

Christopher "Kit" Carlton Cumberbatch, 9

Cumberbatch and Hunter welcomed their first child together, son Christopher Carlton Cumberbatch, on June 1, 2015.

Christopher’s middle name is a nod to the actor’s father, who was born Timothy Carlton Congdon Cumberbatch but goes professionally by Timothy Carlton.

Shortly after his Valentine's Day nuptials with Hunter, the actor told PEOPLE at the 2015 Oscars that he was “not nervous at all” about fatherhood. The following fall, though, the actor's perspective seemed to shift after experiencing it himself.

Speaking to Vanity Fair in October 2016, when his son was 16 months old, Cumberbatch explained what it was like to start a family and its powerful impact on him.

“Having a baby — it’s massive,” he told the publication. “And on a very unexpected level. Suddenly I understood my parents much more profoundly than I ever had before.”

Being a dad ultimately helped Cumberbatch prepare for his role as Hamlet at London’s Barbican Centre. He said, “I was expecting, with Hamlet, that it might be a hindrance to be a father, because it’s all about being a son. But it’s the opposite. You understand much more about being a son, becoming a father.”

In addition to giving him a different point of view onstage, the Eric star later shared that having kids motivated him to work on other projects. When asked on Good Morning Britain in March 2017 if he would start to take on different roles after becoming a parent, he replied, “Of course."

“I want them to know what I do for a living, and they can’t always ... because of the certification of my films, we’ll all be a lot older by the time they get to see them,” he said. “I would like to definitely do some child-friendly work in the future, I’ve done a bit but there might be a bit more of that.”

Hal Auden Cumberbatch, 7

Cumberbatch and Hunter welcomed their second child, son Hal Auden Cumberbatch, on March 3, 2017.

A representative for the actor confirmed they were expecting another child in October 2016 after Hunter showed her baby bump on the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of Doctor Strange.

“It’s a joyous thing,” Cumberbatch told PEOPLE shortly after. “I’m very happy to have them in my life, very lucky as well.”

During a November 2016 appearance on Live With Kelly, Cumberbatch briefly discussed the impending birth of his second child, telling host Kelly Ripa, “They say it takes a village for one, and it probably takes a city for two.”

When asked if he was prepared to be a parent for the second time and expand his family, the actor added, “As much as you can be, of course we are. ... It's very exciting."

Around the same time, Cumberbatch spoke to This Morning and shared a heartfelt message about his wife while giving insight into his parenthood journey.

"I think [being a mom is] Sophie's biggest achievement," he said. "I'm still trying to prove myself as a dad."

Finn Cumberbatch, 5

Cumberbatch and Hunter celebrated the arrival of their third child, son Finn Cumberbatch, in 2019.

Not much is known about Finn, though Cumberbatch referenced his children in a speech when he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February 2022.

While praising his wife for her support, the actor noted, “Together, we’ve created an amazing family of three extraordinary little human beings, who again, I would say a lot about, but you know what I feel about them, and this is public.”

"They’re amazing, and they taught me a lot of what I now do and know, and they’ve also undone a lot of what I do," he added.

Cumberbatch then shared a bit about their home life, including details about his children treating him like any other parent.

He continued, “Should anyone wonder if I can’t recover from this kind of celebration and ego pump, ‘Shut up, daddy,’ ‘Stupid fart face,’ being hit in the face, fought over ... is a daily occurrence for me at home, so thank you for keeping me grounded, boys.”

While his sons weren’t with him at the event to celebrate alongside their parents, Cumberbatch hinted toward a future date where they might all get to mark his accomplishment together as a family.

He concluded, “One day in disguises, maybe we’ll sneak out here and have a little photograph all together on daddy’s star. You’re my little stars, and I adore you.”

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