So much is going on outside of this interview which would account for the 'prickly' demeanor. Not least of all; he's working. Actors sign up to their jobs to act. Not to spend their time being asked daft questions by people with limited vocabulary.

Then you have to take into account the writer's perspective on the situation. The guy writing the narrative to this interview is an unreliable narrator. I'm not saying he's not writing what he felt really happened during the interview but he will always be putting his own spin on things. All other interviews have shown a charming, personable public persona. Maybe this guy wanted to put his own spin on things?

Benedict is only human, he has bad days. Personally, if people repeatedly asked me to talk about one of the most harrowing experiences of my life, I'd eventually snap at one of them. It's flogging a dead horse. They talk about it because they have run out of things to say. It fills time and the drama will make for good writing (so the editor won't kick the writer's arse when he gets back to the office.)

We don't know who else he spoke to that day. Benedict could have been speaking to people even worse than this guy (don't get me started on the DM, just don't.) And this writer was just the final straw.

I like the fact that Benedict is trying to balance his private life with his public life. We have far too many attention whoring 'celebrities'. It's so refreshing to have someone who promotes their work (and not a list of all the people they have/have not been sleeping with.)

(I would die in my boots if I ever got a reaction like this were I interviewing someone. I'd apologise profusely before anything else was said, even if it wasn't my fault.)