He has been praised for his star performance as the code breaker Alan Turing in his latest film role. But it seems Benedict Cumberbatch’s uncanny resemblance to his subject may be down to more than just good acting…because it turns out they are related. The actor, 38, is a distant cousin of the celebrated mathematician, who broke the German Enigma code during World War Two. Benedict Cumberbatch, pictured in a scene from The Imitation Game, is a distant cousin of the celebrated mathematician Alan Turing who broke the German Enigma code during World War Two . He plays Turing in The Imitation Game, which is released in UK cinemas on Friday. Both men share a common 15th century ancestor, John Beaufort, the Earl of Somerset, making them 17th cousins, experts from the genealogy website Ancestry said. Turing helped alter the course of the war after he created a machine that allowed the Allies to read secret German messages. Alan Turing (pictured) helped alter the course of the war after he created a machine that allowed the Allies to read secret German messages . But he was persecuted by the British Establishment because of his homosexuality and is thought to have killed himself in 1954 by eating a poisoned apple. It is not the first time Cumberbatch’s ancestry has revealed surprising parallels with his film roles. The star, who won plaudits for playing a slave owner in 12 Years A Slave last year, is also descended from a long line of slave owners in Barbados. Earlier this year, a New York City commissioner, Stacey Cumberbatch, claimed she gained her distinctive surname because her ancestors were owned by the star’s fifth great-grandfather on a sugar plantation. Cumberbatch once said his part in another anti-slavery film – Amazing Grace – was a sort of apology’ for his ancestry. He also revealed that his mother, the actress Wanda Ventham, once urged him not to use his real surname professionally in case it made him a target for reparation claims by the descendants of slaves. Miriam Silverman from Ancestry said: ‘It’s amazing to think that when stepping into the role of Alan Turing, he would not only be portraying a world class code breaker but a real life relation.’
Benedict Cumberbatch, 38, stars as Alan Turing in The Imitation Game .
Actor is distant cousin of mathematician who broke Enigma code in World War Two .
Both men share 15th century ancestor, John Beaufort, the Earl of Somerset .
Experts say this makes them  17th cousins .
Turing helped alter the course of the war after creating machine that allowed Allies to read secret German messages .
He has been praised for his star performance as the code breaker Alan Turing in his latest film role. But it seems Benedict Cumberbatch’s uncanny resemblance to his subject may be down to more than just good acting…because it turns out they are related. The actor, 38, is a distant cousin of the celebrated mathematician, who broke the German Enigma code during World War Two. Benedict Cumberbatch, pictured in a scene from The Imitation Game, is a distant cousin of the celebrated mathematician Alan Turing who broke the German Enigma code during World War Two . He plays Turing in The Imitation Game, which is released in UK cinemas on Friday. Both men share a common 15th century ancestor, John Beaufort, the Earl of Somerset, making them 17th cousins, experts from the genealogy website Ancestry said. Turing helped alter the course of the war after he created a machine that allowed the Allies to read secret German messages. Alan Turing (pictured) helped alter the course of the war after he created a machine that allowed the Allies to read secret German messages . But he was persecuted by the British Establishment because of his homosexuality and is thought to have killed himself in 1954 by eating a poisoned apple. It is not the first time Cumberbatch’s ancestry has revealed surprising parallels with his film roles. The star, who won plaudits for playing a slave owner in 12 Years A Slave last year, is also descended from a long line of slave owners in Barbados. Earlier this year, a New York City commissioner, Stacey Cumberbatch, claimed she gained her distinctive surname because her ancestors were owned by the star’s fifth great-grandfather on a sugar plantation. Cumberbatch once said his part in another anti-slavery film – Amazing Grace – was a sort of apology’ for his ancestry. He also revealed that his mother, the actress Wanda Ventham, once urged him not to use his real surname professionally in case it made him a target for reparation claims by the descendants of slaves. Miriam Silverman from Ancestry said: ‘It’s amazing to think that when stepping into the role of Alan Turing, he would not only be portraying a world class code breaker but a real life relation.’
of the celebrated mathematician, who broke the German Enigma code during World War Two. Benedict Imitation Game, is a distant cousin of the plays Turing in The Imitation Game, which is a common 15th century ancestor, John Beaufort, the Earl of Somerset, making them 17th cousins, Turing helped alter the course of the war after he created a machine that allowed the Allies to read secret German messages. Alan Turing