Benedict Cumberbatch Interviews Tom Hiddleston, Skips Asking About Taylor Swift

Benedict
Cumberbatch took on interviewer duties for a new cover story on pal Tom
Hiddleston, but the “Sherlock” actor skipped one particular question.

Tom is
featured on the cover of the new issue of Interview magazine (due out on newsstands on Oct. 4), and during the Benedict-Tom interview, a headline-making
topic came up and was quickly avoided.

“And
there’s another weight of us being in the public eye, which is this presumption
that, because your work and your promotion work is very public, your private
life should be, too. And, without getting into a huge debate, I just want to
say that I’m not going to ask questions about my friend’s personal life just
because there are unsolicited photographs of him and a certain someone, in a
relationship or together. I’m not going to get into that. So that door is
closed, dear reader,” Benedict said to Tom.

PHOTOS: Taylor Swift & Tom Hiddleston In Rome

“Thank
you,” Tom replied.

While the
two thespians didn’t touch on Tom’s relationship with Taylor Swift (which
recently came to an end), Benedict did tackle some personal topics with his pal, including asking him about his fears.

WATCH: Benedict Cumberbatch On ‘Sherlock’ & Meeting Andy Murray At Wimbledon

After
Benedict complimented Tom on being “very attentive to what’s in front of
you,” he asked his fellow actor if he has “a fear of anything that
could get in the way of that.” As Tom thought of his answer, Benedict
shared his own response.

“Passing
time,” the “Doctor Strange” star said. “And that is purely from
becoming a father, wanting to have a little bit more of it every day, having
something outside of me that’s more important than me to focus on. That was a
rude awakening, the minute he was born. And every time I hold him, to look at
something that new and look at this 40-year-old me in the mirror going, ‘Wow, I
really want to be around to see your children.'”

“Mine is similar. Mine is
regret,” Tom said. “I fear looking back and wishing I had done things I hadn’t. It’s
interesting, I read this extraordinary article about a book, many years ago, by
an Australian nurse who is a specialist in palliative care. It was her job to
help people on their way out, to ease their pain. So she spent a lot of time
with people in their last days and weeks. And she felt so moved by the
accumulated experience, because she heard people say such similar things.
Weirdly enough, at the top of the list was, ‘I wish I hadn’t worked so
hard.'”

Tom also opened up about his love of running (something he’s been pictured doing) when Benedict asked if he has a “spiritual dimension” to his “daily life.”

WATCH: Tom Hiddleston On Playing Hank Williams, Mastering A Southern Accent

“You’ve got to do
something, even if it’s just to kick-start the day. I use music,”
Hiddleston said. “And running. I find that, when I’m working, if I start
the day with a run — outside, not in a gym, but just me out there in the
elements, with only my own legs to propel me forward … It’s something to do
with just being in the world and getting out of my own head.”

— Jolie Lash