Benedict Cumberbatch is one of today's most prolific actors. He portrays real-life political fugitive and transparency advocate Julian Assange in the film, "The Fifth Estate."

It is very difficult and complicated to play a controversial real-life personality. Cumberatch received a personal letter from Assange. The fact that Assange himself has assailed the film and personally requested Cumberbatch to withdraw from the project doesn't make it any easier.

On Reddit's Ask Me Anything section, the British actor reveals that it has indeed affected him:  "To have the man you are about to portray ask you intelligently and politely not to do it gave me real cause for concern, however, it galvanized me into addressing why I was doing this movie."

He also refutes some strong accusations hurled by the Wikileaks founder:  "He accuses me of being a 'hired gun' as if I am an easily bought cypher for right-wing propaganda. Not only do I NOT operate in a moral vacuum but this was not a pay day for me at all."

He also clarified that his portrayal is not about his opinion of Assange and his cause, but simply his performance as an actor: "I wanted to create a three-dimensional portrait of a man far more maligned in the tabloid press than he is in our film to remind people that he is not just the weird, white haired Australian dude wanted in Sweden, hiding in an embassy behind Harrods," 

On the special screening of the film conducted by the Cinema Society, Cumberbatch was the one who made the introduction. He says: "This version of events, this is a version, this is a film, this is a dramatization, we hold our hands up about that, and are very honest about it. But, I think what he can never admit to hopefully, that you will be able to admit to having seen the film tonight, is that we explore an incredible idea and evolution in both social media and society whereby we are not just bringing people journalism, which is what 'the fifth estate' obviously refers to, to the fore. It's a painful evolution, it involves a re-evaluation of everything that diplomacy is being based on. And the currency of secrets, or what should be secret, what should transparent, what should be known what should be unknown, the private, the public. As an actor, I obviously have opinions on that as well. My work is work is public and my private life is private. That's my gambit on that. But at the same time, really to portray someone who founded this idea of this organization was a real privilege."