Hawking

Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Stephen Hawking in this 2004 BBC biographical television film. This role was notably one of Cumberbatch's early screen appearances, showcasing his talent before his breakout role in "Sherlock". His performance was critically acclaimed and helped launch his international career.

The film dramatizes Stephen Hawking's early years as a PhD student at Cambridge University in the 1960s. It focuses heavily on his initial diagnosis with motor neuron disease (ALS) and his determination to finish his thesis despite being given a short time to live. The narrative also highlights his groundbreaking work on black hole radiation.

While The Theory of Everything (2014) is a major Hollywood biopic starring Eddie Redmayne, the 2004 BBC film Hawking focuses much more intensely on Hawking's specific scientific struggles at Cambridge. The BBC version was directed by Philip Martin and was praised for its slightly more cerebral approach to his early physics research. Both films tackle his battle with ALS and his relationship with his first wife, Jane.

The television film was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two in 2004. It was written by Peter Moffat and filmed while Hawking was still actively working on his theories. It later aired in the United States on the PBS network as part of the Masterpiece series.