Well, I think that even when he's on a Red Carpet it should only be his own business and nobody else's what he's wearing. I mean, I'm not particularly fond of those two velvet suits he was wearing to the two premieres of the "Hobbit", but if he likes them - and even more important: feels comfortable in them -  then that's just perfect and exactly how it should be.
 

Last edited by SolarSystem (May 20, 2014 11:46 am)

indeed - I always did prefer to splash around in the shallow end!

Personally, I see nothing strange with how his looks have changed. He´s between his thirties and forties, when the signs of aging start to be apparent on a person. So what? It was unrealistic to await that he will look like a teenager forever.

I think his manly looks are as attractive as his youthful looks.

That straight tall cypress I beheld
It robbed me of my mind and threw me down.
Those wanton eyes have enslaved my soul.
If thou desirest to preserve thy heart shut then thy eyes.
 

I do think Benedict's face has matured quite a lot over the past few years. I watched all 3 seasons of Sherlock for the first time over about 2-3 weeks (in Jan/Feb this year), and then I watched the pilot and was struck by his angelic, baby-faced good looks after having gotten used to his more chiselled features by season 3. Since then I've been watching as many films and YouTube clips as I can get my hands on. I haven't managed to watch much from his earlier career yet except for some Fortysomething clips (what a cutie) but I'm very attracted to him as he looks now, perhaps more so than when he was younger.

I am not shocked that he has changed over such a short period of time - he has said himself that he was a late developer, and I guess age catches up with us all. He has also been working hard, and no doubt has a lot of physical stress associated with preparing for his different roles, as well as all the travel, interviews, promotional work etc. I think he is gorgeous, and really growing into his face well  .

I know what you mean, kaye. I was also surprised how quickly age can change a face. In those pictures, it looks a bit like a jump from college student to father and senior :D (I don't mean that in a negative way at all)

But I don't think it's unnaturally quick. We are just not used to look at faces that way. With friends and family, we never notice because we see them so often. And having Benedicts pictures all over the place all the time, it's similar - we adjust to the changes slowly, and that's why they never seem huge. But if I take pictures of me and my friends from six years ago, I am also shocked about how *old* we got in so few years... well. Who said time was relative...

But I think it's also about, what do you call it, reassurance. He has the reassurance of knowing that he has already done some good work, that he has established a position in his job and gets acknowledged for it. I think that shows in a face as well - confidence. And also happiness, what with marriage and all. I think in younger age, the facial expression is just not as... em, I miss the right word, something like *static* but not in a negative way... I mean, young people can have this searching expression, this expectation in their faces, like they set their eyes on a distant goal and are eager to get there. I think older people loose that - and I adore the few who don't.

Apart from that, I would probably prefer to compare role pictures to role pictures, and off-duty to off-duty pictures. Make up and hair can make a difference indeed.
 

mrshouse wrote:

I agree with the hair do, I'm shallow enough for that as well.
He definitely looked much too thin and not very healthy after STID, I remember this Graham Norton show... ugh. I'm happy that he quit smoking and looks more after getting his nutritions now he is in a stable relationship and will look after a baby soon.
And I very much agree with ukaunz, his more mature face now is so handsome and interesting! In S3 his Sherlock looks much more like a human being that can be loved. 

 
Yes! He's almost too otherworldly in S1, much more human in S3.
I loved his look as Khan... those muscles on his lythe body were very sexy, and his face was filled-out in a healthy way but he still has those cheekbones! 

ITA REReader.

A lot of the time the way the lighting is done (as well as the make-up and other factors) influences my impression of his features. 

As you point out, RC lights (with the flash bulbs going off continually) really washes his features out and isn't the best. 

And that's a great quote by Lincoln!  Ben's face does show he is on track as well - in all the best ways!

-Val