If you’re Scottish, you might not be able to make Siri understand a word you’re saying. If you’re an aspiring photographer, your Instagram app might not make you into the next Annie Leibovitz. But if you’re a fairly successful actor, your trusty iPhone might just land you in one of 2013’s biggest blockbusters.

Courtesy of the New York Times comes the incredibly amusing little tale about how one English actor impressed J.J. Abrams and won a spot in a Star Trek movie.

Benedict Cumberbatch (yep, hater gon’ hate) is riding a recent wave of popularity. Along with starring in the BBC’s critically acclaimed Sherlock Holmes reimagining Sherlock, Cumberbatch has had recent roles in the Oscar-nominated War Horse as well as the taut spy thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. But 2013’s currently untitled J.J. Abrams-helmed Star Trek sequel will be the first time the 35-year-old actor finds himself in a major role in a huge summer blockbuster.

How he landed the role is the really interesting part – I mean, it involves a (presumably) drunken iPhone audition.

Apparently Cumberbatch was in Gloucestershire around the holidays when he received word that Abrams wanted a video audition from him for his new Star Trek film. He couldn’t find anyone to man the camera, so he thought of the next best thing. He set up his iPhone and did it himself.

“I was pretty strung out,” he told the NYT, “so that went into the performance.”

We can only hope it was done on the 4S, you know, with the nice new camera and all.

Abrams saw the video and gave him the role, saying it was “one of the most compelling audition readings” that he had ever seen. Apparently, Cumberbatch is signed on to play a “not-so-good” guy.

Be on the lookout for the new Benedict Cumberbatch Siri ad.