Baby on the Way for Benedict Cumberbatch

01/07/2015 at 01:35 PM ET
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Benedict Cumberbatch Sophie Hunter pregnant expecting first child
Steve Granitz/WireImage

A Cumber-baby is on the way!

Benedict Cumberbatch and his fiancée Sophie Hunter will become parents later this year, his rep confirms to PEOPLE.

“I am delighted to confirm that Benedict and Sophie are expecting their first child,” his rep tells PEOPLE. “They are both over the moon.”

It is the first child for the couple, whose surprise November engagement set off a social media frenzy.

Cumberbatch — who earned best actor Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations for his role in The Imitation Game — and Hunter, 36, walked the red carpet together Saturday at the 26th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival.

The theatre director and actress wore a flowy, patterned dress and the actor said his main focus was on the upcoming awards shows and filming a new season of his hit TV series, Sherlock.

“One thing at a time!” Cumberbatch, 38, told PEOPLE in regard to any wedding planning.

In November, the actor told PEOPLE of possible baby plans, “Oh, my God. Well, my mother is also waiting for Cumberbabies.”

Keira Knightley, Cumberbatch’s Imitation Game costar, is also pregnant and expecting her first child with her husband, musician James Righton.

The New York Post‘s Page Six was the first to report the pregnancy.

— Wade Rouse with reporting by Mary Green

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Showing 30 comments

Brittany on

A million women burst into a sea of devastated tears in three…two…one

Dismin on

So happy for them, that was Benedict’s biggest wish and i’m glad it’s finally happening! Better not miss on those Hamlet representations though.

Brooke on

Well, Sophie….you are just destroying us all piece by piece, aren’t you?? 😉

Sunny on

I kind of thought he would’ve gotten married first, but I guess I’m just old-fashioned. Congratulations!

Leah on

Congratulations and yes, my heart just broke lol…but I’m still very happy for them! ☺

Mary on

Welp, I guess that explains the ‘surprise engagement’…lol.

susan on

He’s a great actor but I had no idea that he was that old! Congrats to the couple!

reedy on

Yep she wasted no time roping him in that’s for sure. They have only been dating since last June apparently.

Fai on

Yeah, I called that one a few days ago when you posted the “Not ready to rush down the aisle” article and the pics that went with it…lol.

Congrats to them!

Kate on

Can we PLEASE retire the phrase, “Over the Moon” regarding celebrities and their pregnancies?

ES on

Very exciting news . Congratulations. He mentioned several times recently that he wanted to have kids.

facelessbandit on

Seriously, does anyone get married, enjoy married life for a year and THEN have kids any more?

yahoo on

I hope he helps her with her fashion style. That dress in the picture is hideous!

AmyRene on

“over the moon” has got to be the most over used phrase lately. That being said,I’m sure they are quite ecstatic.

Storm on

Well, now we know the reason for the “sudden” engagement…yeah, let’s hope some of his more, um, “prominent” features don’t make it into the baby’s genetic make-up. I do wonder if this also explains why he wanted to do the whole newspaper announcement thing – perhaps to keep up appearances with his upper middle class family, knowing they would be rather shocked when he revealed the pre-marital pregnancy. Maybe he thought it would soften the blow to do a very traditional engagement and wedding?

I’m going to guess they will wait til after the baby is born to tie the knot as that’d be a little tacky, getting married whilst visibly pregnant? Alternatively, guess they could make haste with their plans and try to get it done early spring this year, before she starts really showing?

Suki on

I think it’s wonderful! Congats to you both! I have been following Benedict’s career long time before his recent notoriety. His charm and that voice ! He is a lovely talented actor and I would say a handsome man.

I’m Standing Right Behind You on

Um….uh…he’s really keeping up with this charade.

Nisa on

Oh my goodness, can someone please do the math here? So a woman doesn’t come public with her pregnancy til after the first trimester which means she got pregnant in October which means she didn’t know til November which means this engagement was literally just a shotgun reaction to a positive pregnancy test. She trapped him.

Carolyn on

Fiancé means you’re engaged to be married. For half these bozos the marriage part never comes.

Kristin on

Why does EVERY SINGLE BABY ANNOUNCEMENT BY A CELEBRITY SAY “OVER THE MOON”? WHHYYYYY

Andrea on

Congrats to the couple! Although, I find it a bit funny. He announced they’re engagement by posting it in the newspaper because he’s a traditionalist. Now, they’re having a baby out of wedlock. Not that there’s anything wrong with having a baby out of wedlock. I just find the contradiction a bit funny.

Marky on

Nisa, no one trapped anyone here… look around you at how many celebs get pregnant without marriage, and how many of those men or women feel perfectly free to walk away from the relationship, even though they are good parents to their child. You didn’t say that about the last several women celebs who got pregnant, did you? She is known in her own rights…no one is trapped. And “standing”, BC is totally straight, why are you making that sort of “accusation”? Unnecessary…..

Kathy on

Congratulations to the happy family.

Anonymous on

Hope they give the child a normal name, not like so many other ridiculous names in Hollywood.

blessedwithboys on

Yeah, like Benedict Cumberbatch

Anonymous on

Nisa- In addition to what Marky said, you might want to try doing some math yourself. Yes, she likely got pregnant in October. The engagement was announced in their local paper on November 5th. So likely the engagement took place around the third (assuming that The Times is a daily paper and they didn’t phone or e-mail their announcement in the second it happened!).

That, in turn, means it’s extremely likely that they weren’t yet aware of the pregnancy at that point (seeing as how October had just ended a few days earlier and most women don’t find out they’re pregnant until around the six-week mark or so). And yes, I have way too much time on my hands! 😉

Anyway, congrats to them!

NV on

They look lovely! Happy for them.

simonsez on

They look like could be brother and sister.

Easyup on

@Fai – Yes, you did say so in the previous article. I remember reading the comment and thought of you when this headline came out, that you called it. Sharp eyes! Congrats to Benedict and his Lady.

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