Eddie Redmayne’s stellar, Oscar-winning performance as the great Stephen Hawking for The Theory of Everything may have been somewhat undermined by his role in the Wachowski’s derided Jupiter Ascending, but it appears the English talent is setting his sights on more meaty roles. Case in point: his involvement in Tom Hooper’s drama, The Danish Girl.
For the part, Redmayne will step into the shoes of Einar Wegener/Lili Elbe, a transgender painter who remains to this day one of the first patients to undergo the sexual reassessment treatment circa 1920. Speaking to The Daily Mail, the actor touched upon how he approached the challenging, physically demanding role, which may go down as one of the “most sensitive” Redmayne has ever portrayed.
We’re looking at everything from a feminine perspective. I think it’s the most sensitive role I have played. The danger of surgery was so extreme then. It’s such a brave thing that Einar did.
In preparation for the lead role, it’s understood that Redmayne is being coached by movement director Alexandra Reynolds so as to “observe the minutiae of feminine physicality.” If nothing else, The Theory of Everything proved the actor’s versatility when it comes to playing these challenging roles, and The Danish Girl has every potential to become another critically-acclaimed feather in the actor’s cap. Ex Machina star Alicia Vikander, Amber Heard and Matthias Schoenaerts round out the ensemble cast.
Redmayne is expected to be seen as Einar Wegener when The Danish Girl makes its way to theaters at some point in 2016. For now, you can get an early look at his transformative role down below.
