Months ago, the world learned the devastating news of the passing of Una Stubbs. Ever since Sherlock ended in 2017, fans have been missing the amazing character that everyone fell in love with, and knowing that, even if the show does come back, there won't be another chance to see her play Mrs. Hudson, is heartbreaking.
The loss hit the whole cast hard since everyone had become very close while filming, but for superstar Benedict Cumberbatch, it was especially painful. The history of their friendship is wholesome and moving, and there's no doubt the Doctor Strange actor will miss Una very much. Here's the story of their beautiful relationship.
6 Una Stubbs Was Friends With Benedict's Mother
While most of the younger readers will know Una Stubbs for her lovable role as Mrs. Hudson in the BBC's Sherlock, the truth is that she had a long, prolific career long before the series. One of her projects was the 1967 comedy Mister Ten Per Cent. In this project, she worked with Benedict Cumberbatch's mother Wanda Ventham (who would later play Sherlock's mother). Benedict was four at the time, and according to Una, he was a very sweet kid.
"I've known Benedict since he was about four years old; I did films with his mother Wanda [Ventham] and we both lived in Kensington at the time, so I'd be out with my pram and Wanda and I would bump into each other," she said in 2016. "Poor little Benedict would stand there so patiently holding his mother's hand, while we were gossiping in the high street for hours. His manners are still as impeccable now!"
5 They Didn't Meet Again Until 'Sherlock'
As Una and Wanda moved on with their lives, the actress saw less and less of Benedict, so when they were both cast in Sherlock, the actor didn't remember Una that well.
He knew she had known his mother and he had met her as a kid, but he was too young at the time to remember it. However, Una said fondly that they quickly developed a strong bond, and their chemistry was impeccable.
4 Benedict Was Very Protective Of Una
As their friendship blossomed, they found themselves constantly looking out for each other, and both of them loved it. Una said that Benedict came to her for hugs and affection on several occasions, and he also took care of her. She was in her late 70s when Sherlock was being filmed, and Benedict was mindful of that.
"He's incredibly protective," Una said. "For instance, we were filming a scene in this tiny room with masses of actors and it was so hot that I, along with a lot of other people, was getting quite dizzy. Benedict took a stand and said, 'Look, something must be done here,' and he got it sorted. It's similar to my relationship with my sons where you end up reversing roles and suddenly you're the one who's told to eat or rest!"
3 Their Bond Changed The Development Of The Show
When the writers of the show, Steven Moffat and Mark Gattis, saw the relationship Ben and Una had, they decided to make good use of it.
As Benedict recalled during an interview with PBS in 2012, Mrs. Hudson wasn't supposed to have such a big role, and her relationship with Sherlock wasn't supposed to be too important. However, when they saw how the two actors interacted, the idea of making their characters care about each other made a lot of sense.
2 A Family Dynamic
Apart from influencing the way they performed and even the plot of the show, Benedict and Una's relationship also impacted the way the cast as a whole interacted. When Una passed earlier this year, producer Sue Vertue defined her as "our Sherlock mum" in her tribute to her, and this comes from the fact that Benedict and Una quickly fell into a parent-child relationship, that eventually affected the rest of the cast.
"My character, Mrs. Hudson, is a bit of a mother figure to Sherlock and Watson - and there are a lot of moments where I think, 'Gosh, I'm acting the way I do with my own sons here!'" Una told Woman and Home. She gave an example of this in 2016. "There's one scene we did where Sherlock returns to the flat he rents and he and Mrs. Hudson have a conversation. I said to Benedict, 'When my sons visit they go straight to the fridge.' So he did the whole scene eating from Mrs. Hudson's fridge! I also asked if there could be a rack of beautifully ironed shirts on display because although Mrs. Hudson professes not to be a housekeeper, she does love him and wants to do as much for him as she can - much like I do with my own children."
1 Benedict's Tribute To Her
Every Sherlock fan was devastated when, on August 12, the news of Una Stubbs' passing came out. Benedict Cumberbatch was devastated, and he put out a heartbreaking statement to honor her, as did most of her co-stars.
"Una was a wonderful, talented, stylish, gentle, joyous and honest friend. A joy to work with, to laugh with and to make laugh. So humble and yet so damn good," he said. "She lit up the room and will be sorely missed by all who were lucky enough to know her, but she will be remembered forever with fondness and love."
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