Wanda Ventham, Benedict Cumberbatch’s real-life mother, played Sherlock Holmes’s mother in BBC Sherlock.
Ventham appears as Mrs. Holmes, the mother of Sherlock, Mycroft, and Eurus Holmes. Her husband, actor Timothy Carlton, plays Mr. Holmes, making the fictional Holmes parents a married acting couple and the real-life parents of the series’ star.
The pair first appear in series three, when John Watson encounters an older couple at 221B Baker Street and initially assumes they are clients. The family connection is then revealed through Sherlock’s conversation with them. Ventham and Carlton return in later appearances, including series four.
Ventham had a long British television career before Sherlock. She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama and became known for roles in productions including UFO, Only Fools and Horses, Doctor Who, The Avengers, and The Saint.
The main casting confusion comes from the show’s other prominent women. Amanda Abbington played Mary Morstan Watson, Louise Brealey played Molly Hooper, and Una Stubbs played Mrs. Hudson. None of those characters is Sherlock’s mother.