Yes, they are – at least this is what researchers of the genealogy website Ancestry claim, Yahoo News reports. According to the research done by the website’s researchers, genius code breaker Alan Turing and the actor that portrays him in the biopic about his life Benedict Cumberbatch are actually related. The relation dates back to the 14th Century – both men are related to the late John Beaufort, the First Earl of Somerset. This makes them 17th cousins, Ancestry claims.
Alan Turing, considered to be the “father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence” was a mathematician, cryptanalyst (a scientist to study the hidden aspects of information systems), philosopher and marathon runner. During World War II, he worked as a code breaker for the British government, and his contribution to breaking the famous Enigma code is said to have shortened the war by at least two years, helping the Allies win some key battles against the Nazis. Unfortunately, his life and career were cut short by his sexual preference – being a homosexual was considered a crime back in the day. Due to his nature he was subject to chemical castration, that ultimately led to his suicide in 1954.
“The Imitation Game” is a biographical movie about this brilliant mathematician who indirectly saved thousands of lives during the World War. The movie is directed by Morten Tyldum, known for titles like “Headhunters” and “Fallen Angels”, and stars the mathematician’s (apparent) 17th cousing Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Khan in Star Trek: Into Darkness) and Keira Knightley in the role of Joan Clarke, one of Turing’s good friends during his time at Bletchley Park.
Could this be a freakish coincidence, or is it just a publicity stunt to attract more moviegoers to “The Imitation Game”, that has premiered in the UK and Ireland today and is set to premiere in the US at the end of this month?