Benedict Cumberbatch has racked up a host of credits in films and TV shows, but what would he be doing if he wasn't an actor?

The Doctor Strange actor appeared as a guest on Tuesday's (July 22) episode of Ruthie's Table 4 podcast, where he spoke with host Ruthie Rogers about what his life could have looked like had he not become an actor. While he knew he always wanted to act, his parents, actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham, wanted him to have a "backup" career in case his chosen field didn't pan out, encouraging him to go to university first.

"They paid for a very expensive education. I think they wanted me to have at least have some kind of a backup, and for a while it was the law. For a very short while," he said, adding that his reasoning for considering law came from a "romantic notion of advocating criminal law."

However, he didn't go any further with the path, especially after meeting lawyers later who gave him some helpful advice.

"[People] who went, 'If it's not your first choice, don't do it. Turn back now. It's oversubscribed, it's peripatetic...,'" he said. "I was like, that sounds a lot like acting. I think I'll stick with that one."

Elsewhere in the chat, Cumberbatch shared the sweet connection his parents had to one of his biggest roles and joked about the impressive reason he can officially "retire" from acting.

Ruthie's Table 4 dives into how food impacts the lives of her guests and the special memories they may associated with certain meals. According to the podcast description: "Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort."

Follow along with Ruthie's Table 4 at iHeart.com or catch new episodes on the podcast's new YouTube channel.

Denise Plante