Alan Turing was a British mathematician and computer scientist who, among his many accomplishments, helped break Germany’s “Enigma” code during World War II. He also was prosecuted for homosexuality under an 1885 law, a conviction that the Queen of England only pardoned at the end of last year.
He’s also the subject of an upcoming movie starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley that’s already been dubbed “Oscar bait” because it’s, well, a World War II movie coming out in the fall, a particularly jam-packed time for award-worthy releases. Though the trailer focuses mostly on his wartime accomplishments, the movie is said to cover Turin’s entire life story.
The Imitation Game opens November 21.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Introducing the 2024 TIME100 Next
- The Reinvention of J.D. Vance
- How to Survive Election Season Without Losing Your Mind
- Welcome to the Golden Age of Scams
- Did the Pandemic Break Our Brains?
- The Many Lives of Jack Antonoff
- 33 True Crime Documentaries That Shaped the Genre
- Why Gut Health Issues Are More Common in Women
Write to Nolan Feeney at nolan.feeney@time.com