Key Takeaways:
– British actor Eddie Redmayne experienced anxiety before filming The Theory of Everything.
– Redmayne’s meticulous training and preparation for his role as Stephen Hawking earned him critical acclaim and an Academy Award.
– The actor confessed his fear of inaccurately portraying the renowned physicist kept him awake the night before filming.
– His intense fatigue allegedly assisted in carrying out emotional scenes.
– He admitted that learning to mimic Hawking’s facial expressions was the most challenging.
Grueling preparations take a toll on Redmayne
Best known for his Oscar-winning portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, British actor Eddie Redmayne recently confessed that the extreme anxiety borne out of his meticulous preparation for the role led to sleepless nights. So great was his desire for authenticity that he barely slept the night before filming commenced, crippled by worry over his capability to do justice to the late physicist’s story.
Despite gaining considerable success and recognition with a noteworthy filmography, The Theory of Everything, a 2014 biopic directed by James Marsh, posed unique challenges for the actor. Redmayne’s hard work and dedication resulted in an Oscar win, a testament to his commitment.
Facing the Pressure head-on
Redmayne meticulously immersed himself into understanding Hawking’s life, a task as rewarding as it was intimidating. Owning up to the emotional toll, Redmayne confessed in an interview with Josh Horowitz the impact his anxiety had on his well-being. Expressing the dread he experienced, he stated, “The night before the shoot, it got to four in the morning, and I wasn’t asleep… I’m just not going to sleep.”
The actor found an unexpected benefit in the ensuing fatigue. At the end of a shoot day, he was required to enact an emotional breakdown scene, and his exhaustion lent a raw authenticity, reducing the need for further preparation or method acting.
Conquering the Role of a Lifetime
In a conversation with Empire, Redmayne revealed the lengths of his research and preparation to capture Hawking’s personality accurately. A six-month period of reading about and watching videos of the late physicist concluded with him collaborating with renowned choreographer and movement director, Alexandra Reynolds.
This collaboration was crucial for Redmayne to replicate Hawking’s physical movements convincingly, necessary due to the scientist’s motor neurone disease. According to the Guardian, the actor also visited the Queen Square Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, where he interacted with MND patients and professionals to understand the illness better.
Out of every challenge encountered during his preparation, Redmayne affirmed that imitating Hawking’s facial expressions was the most daunting. After hours of practice, he finally attained the confidence that his portrayal was accurate.
Eddie Redmayne’s journey behind his Oscar-winning role depicts the actor’s dedication and unwavering commitment. His efforts to meticulously prepare for the role, despite the accompanied anxiety, resulted in a performance that will be a part of cinematic history.
In essence, it is humility, passion and hard work that make a stellar performance, and Eddie Redmayne’s portrayal of Stephen Hawking stands as testimony to that.
