Tweet Leads to Cumberbatch Role

When a producer mentioned a Twitter post from Benedict Cumberbatch led to a TV role, the actor couldn't resist riffing on President Donald Trump's "stable genius" tweet.

Michael Jackson, executive producer of Showtime's new "Patrick Melrose" series, told TV critics Saturday that he learned from Twitter that Cumberbatch longed to play the title role.

Cumberbatch, participating in the news conference by satellite, asked if he'd called himself a "stable genius" in the tweet.

"Good things can come from Twitter," but so do world wars, Cumberbatch said. At least, the actor added sardonically, he got a part because of the social media site.

Cumberbatch said he considers Edward St. Aubyn, whose Patrick Melrose novels were adapted for Showtime's series, perhaps the greatest prose stylist working in the English language.

The five-part series will debut this year, with a date yet to be announced.