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‘Sherlock Holmes’ star nearly turned down role

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch has won an army of fans thanks to his BBC hit “Sherlock Holmes,” but said he nearly turned down the iconic detective role, fearing it would be “cheap and cheesy.”

The rising Hollywood star, 37, discussed his career at BAFTA New York’s inaugural event in its “In Conversation” series.

At the Standard High Line Hotel Thursday, the British actor described Holmes as “one of the most dramatized characters of all time. I heard about it [the new drama] and thought, ‘That sounds like an idea to re-enfranchise something to make money. It could be a bit cheap and cheesy.’ ”

Referring to writers Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, “Then I found out who was involved and realized it wouldn’t be cheap and cheesy . . . I thought I would read it and then I fell in love with it.”

The drama has won a slew of awards, as well as a legion of fans, known as the Cumberbitches or Cumber Collective — some of whom were waiting in arctic weather outside the hotel — whom the actor described as “kind of extraordinary and a little bit unnerving.”