Benedict Cumberbatch would dress in drag to play Queen Elizabeth II.

The 38-year-old actor - who is currently starring as gay mathematician Alan Turing in the WW2 thriller 'The Imitation Game' - has joked he would be up for playing the British monarch, even though he's a man.

When asked why it took so long for authorities to pardon his character - who was prosecuted for his homosexuality in the UK in 1952 - the 'Sherlock' star said: ''Why couldn't it have been earlier? I don't know. I'm not the Queen or David Cameron.

He then quipped: ''Maybe those will be my next roles. I'd like to see me in that frock.''

Although an Oscar buzz has already started circulating around Benedict's portrayal of the code-breaker - who was a key figure in solving Nazi Germany's Enigma code which ultimately helped the allies win World War II - the actor is ignoring the praise but is happy that the rumours may encourage people to go see the film.

Benedict - who attended the film's premiere at the Odeon in London's Leicester Square with his co-star Keira Knightley on Wednesday night (08.10.14) - said: ''If it gets people to see the film, frankly, that really is all I care about. I really want his story to be known as broadly as possible.

''It's a great honour to be asked to play someone like Alan Turing.''