Benedict Cumberbatch attends event promoting his new film The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain in LA

Benedict Cumberbatch cut a casual figure as he attended Deadline’s Contenders Film event in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The actor, 45, took part in a discussion of his new film The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain where he takes on the title role. 

The film star sported a grey jumper, cream trousers and white trainers as he took to the stage.

Looking good: Benedict Cumberbatch cut a casual figure as he attended Deadline’s Contenders Film event in Los Angeles on Sunday

Benedict discussed playing the real-life artist who was confined to mental institutions later in life. 

According to Deadline, he said: ‘He felt this thing all his life about electricity. The real electricity is love. That’s the flow, that’s the course that runs through his entire life. And, of course, it’s all from Emily.

Emily is the love of Louis Wain’s life, portrayed by The Crown star Claire Foy. 

Benedict added that he agreed to do the film after the director Will Sharpe joined the project, saying: ‘The real lure for me was really when Will Sharpe came on board.’ 

Project: The actor, 45, took part in a panel discussion of his new film The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain where he takes on the title role

It comes after Benedict recently detailed to how he literally suffered for his art when preparing for another recent role in Power Of The Dog.

Having quit smoking in 2014, he revealed how consistently lighting up a smoke take after take ‘genuinely is horrible’.

Describing how he got nicotine poisoning filming scenes as the ‘sadistic ranch owner’, Benedict told Esquire UK: ‘[Smoking] was really hard. Filterless rollies, just take after take after take.

‘I gave myself nicotine poisoning three times. When you have to smoke a lot, it genuinely is horrible.’

Role: Benedict discussed playing the real-life artist who was confined to mental institutions later in life

Nicotine poisoning is when a person has too much nicotine in their body following ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact.

Symptoms of nicotine poisoning include nausea, excess saliva in the mouth, vomiting, loss of appetite, dehydration, headaches, eye irritation and dizziness.

Despite the smoking difficulties, Benedict told how he fully submerged himself into the role and embraced the stench of the character not only on set, but away from the cameras too.

He said: ‘I wanted that layer of stink on me. I wanted people in the room to know what I smelt like. It was hard, though. It wasn’t just in rehearsals. I was going out to eat and meet friends of Jane [Campion – the film’s writer and director] and stuff.’ 

The Academy Award nominee stars with Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee in the Netflix Western.

He said: ‘He felt this thing all his life about electricity. The real electricity is love. That’s the flow, that’s the course that runs through his entire life’