Sherlock cast » Rupert Graves

“The urge to act became the overriding force in my life. It thrilled me. There’s a moment with acting when you’re in the groove, and you and what you’re trying to do are seamlessly one. That happens sometimes, and I’m really happy it can happen to me.” (x)

Sherlock cast » Louise Brealey

“Molly works because, while Watson is “the audience”, Molly is every woman of a certain age sitting at home on the settee fantasising about running their hands through Benedict Cumberbatch’s hair. Which is basically what I’d have been doing if I wasn’t in the show… Also, I think most people have experienced the agony and the ignominy of unrequited love… I’ve never thought Molly was an idiot. She just really, really loves him.” (x)

Sherlock cast » Lara Pulver

“It was a very different challenge to what I’ve ever faced before as an actress. Just being intensely vulnerable, I guess. Once you get over that, it was kind of empowering in a bizarre way.” (x)

Sherlock cast » Andrew Scott

“It was very important to me that I didn’t do a bad version of what someone else has done. I didn’t look at a huge amount of previous incarnations of Moriarty or indeed of any villains. I wanted to draw on what was scary within me, and make my character original.” (x)

Sherlock cast » Mark Gatiss

“The fact that Steven, myself and millions of others are still addicted to Conan Doyle’s brilliant stories is testament to their indestructibility. They’re as vital, lurid, thrilling and wonderful as they ever were. It’s a dream come true to be making a new TV series and, in Benedict and Martin, we have the perfect Holmes and Watson for our time.” (x)

Sherlock cast » Martin Freeman

“I don’t think it was a surprise that I ended up as an actor, and it was anything but a disappointment. My parents gave me the knowledge that reading isn’t a bad thing, and admitting to liking a painting doesn’t make you an arse-bandit. And that wouldn’t have been a problem either.” (x)

Sherlock cast » Benedict Cumberbatch

“Holmes is a very attractive character to play, because he gets to speak his mind, he has extraordinary abilities, and it’s just a lot of fun. In the hands of those two scriptwriters you get a lot of beautifully drawn out character studies and scenarios.” (x)