Benedict Cumberbatch on Fatherhood and a New Addition: 'It's a Joyous Thing'

British heartthrob Benedict Cumberbatch talks about his growing family

In addition to his thriving career, which includes an Emmy award, an Oscar nomination and his first superhero role in Marvel’s Doctor Strange, Benedict Cumberbatch has a lot to celebrate in his personal life.

The British heartthrob and his wife Sophie Hunter recently announced they’re expecting their second child and couldn’t be happier about it.

“It’s a joyous thing,” Cumberbatch tells PEOPLE of his growing family. “I’m very happy to have them in my life, very lucky as well.”

The Sherlock star credits his quiet life at home with helping him stay grounded and keeping things in perspective. “Home is always the roots and the safe harbor,” he says.

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On the broader topic of family, Cumberbatch says he learned the most valuable life and parenting skills from his parents, actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham.

“They are the first heroes I ever had in my life and I don’t mean that in a sappy way, it’s the truth,” he says. “They, despite whatever is ever made out about it, worked incredibly hard to be able to afford an education that in most circumstances you could only dream of and I was very aware of that. There were lean times as well as the feasts — I saw all the pitfalls of not being able to control your social calendar as much as your income or where you earn your income, the peripatetic nature of it all, whether it was touring or filming or whatever.”

He continues, “I saw the loyalties they built up, I saw the families of people in crews that they worked with, I saw the friendships that lasted over years, what age brings in wisdom to a community that has every age group, every demographic and every color and creed working and involved in it and that was the complete world I wanted to be a part of. I thought this is really a wonderful combination of things to work with and work amongst so, they showed me all of that and I’m very grateful.”

Cumberbatch adds: “I can only hope to be half as good [a parent] as they were to me, to my children. I have their example to follow so I’ll be doing something right if I am.”

Doctor Strange opens Nov. 4.

For much more on Benedict Cumberbatch, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.