Hollywood star Benedict Cumberbatch recently opened up about his role in `The Power of the Dog`, the film which explores themes of sexual repression and toxic masculinity.  In the upcoming Western movie set in 1967, Cumberbatch has starred as a grizzly cattle rancher who unexpectedly falls for the young son of a widow, played by Kirsten Dunst, who recently moved to his ranch. The character grapples with his sexuality in an era and place that emphasizes binary gender roles and expectations. 

"He had this burning love affair in his youth, which wasn`t tolerated, which wasn`t allowed, couldn`t be spoken of and the tragedy of that is what twists him into this sort of form of masculine toxicity," the British actor told reporters of his character at the New York Film Festival premiere on Friday, according to People magazine. Cumberbatch explained that the character`s toxic masculinity made him project "hate on the world, and for the world, hate on him, and I think his sense of loneliness is exacerbated by that and his sense of jealousy."