Benedict Cumberbatch seems to have striking affinity to the characters he portrays.
First, a genealogist claimed that he was related to codebreaker Alan Turing, the character he played in "The Imitation Game." Now, a university professor is tracing his roots back to King Richard III, a character he will portray BBC Two drama series The Hollow Crown - King Richard III.
Professor Kevin Schurer, Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Leicester has revealed that Cumberbatch is the former king of England's third cousin, 16 times removed.
The Mirror UK reported that an estimated one million and 17 million people in the UK are connected in some way to the 15th century monarch. But Schurer stressed that Cumberbatch has a more direct link.
"He is more direct because he is a third cousin. Most other relatives would be much lower order cousins. I think the Queen would be a third cousin several times removed as well," he said.
Schurer traced the line of descent, originating from Edward III - Richard III's great great grandfather - all the way to Cumberbatch.
King Richard III has been portrayed by several writers as a villainous king, particularly by English playwright William Shakespeare.
Shakespeare pegged King Richard III as the mastermind behind the deaths of the two princes in the tower - Edward V of England and Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York. They were the only sons of King Edward IV of England (Richard III's brother) and his wife Elizabeth Woodville.
Many historians also confirm Shakespeare's theory, since King Richard III had the most to lose should the princes fight for his crown.
He met his untimely demise in the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, during the War of the Roses. He was later buried in a church in Leicester, which was eventually destroyed.