Benedict Cumberbatch appreciates his fans (affectionally known as "Cumberbitches"). The Sherlock actor does, however, have a message for superfans with an unhealthy attachment to him: He's not your boyfriend.
"I think really it's to do with the idea that the 'internet's boyfriend' can't actually belong to anyone else but the internet," Cumberbatch told Vanity Fair in his cover profile for the November issue. "It's impossible he belongs to anyone but me. And that's what stalking is. That's what obsessive, deluded, really scary behavior is."
The actor's condemnation of this type of behavior rings especially relevant in a light of several high-profile celebrity stalkers who made headlines this year. A man was arrested in August after showing up at Kendall Jenner's home, and a man reportedly spent two hours in a rented limo searching for Hilary Duff in July.
It's normal for fans to admire, and even low-key crush on their favorite celebs. It's important to remember, though, that famous people are still people — and they deserve safety and space just like everyone else.