A Barbados task force is seeking reparations from the descendants of wealthy slave owners, and Benedict Cumberbatch's family could be among those being asked to pay.
The Caribbean nation is seeking reparations through the Barbados National Task Force on Reparations, which is part of the Caricom Reparations Commission (Caricom). Until recently, this Task Force has centered on collecting reparations from wealthy institutions that profited from slavery, per Insider.
That changed in November 2022, when the Task Force targeted British Conservative politician Richard Drax over his family's pivotal role in slavery. His ancestors reportedly pioneered the plantation system in the 17th century, having played a significant role in the development of sugar and slavery across the Caribbean and even the US.
The Guardian reported that Drax traveled to Barbados - which became a republic in 2021 after removing the late Queen Elizabeth II as head of state - for a private meeting with the country's Prime Minister Mia Mottley. According to the outlet, Mottley's cabinet is reportedly discussing the next steps, including the prospect of legal action should she and Drax be unable to reach an agreement.
Trevor Prescod, the Task Force's chairman, stated: "If the issue cannot be resolved we would take legal action in the international courts. The case against the Drax family would be for hundreds of years of slavery, so it's likely any damages would go well beyond the value of the land."
Likewise, the deputy chair of the Task Force David Comissiong, said that families refusing to pay reparations will likely face legal consequences, saying via Insider: "It is now a matter that is before the government of Barbados [...] It is being dealt with at the highest level."
Now, the family of British actor Benedict Cumberbatch could be facing similar consequences for their ancestral role in slavery on Barbados.
The 46-year-old's fifth great-grandfather Abraham Cumberbatch had bought a sugar plantation on the island nation in 1728, according to The Telegraph.
It eventually became home to over 250 slaves, before being shut down following the abolishment of slavery a century later. When this happened, the Cumberbatch family was compensated with around $7,200 (or almost $4.5 million today). Benedict Cumberbatch revealed in 2015 that his mom had suggested he use a different surname after taking up acting, so he wouldn't be associated with the acts of his ancestors.
Later on, Cumberbatch even stated that he took on his role in the film Amazing Grace as abolitionist Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger as an "apology" for his family's history and involvement in slavery.
Per The Telegraph, General Secretary of the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration David Denny said: "Any descendants of white plantation owners who have benefitted from the slave trade should be asked to pay reparations, including the Cumberbatch family."