Monday 29 February 2016

Eddie Redmayne's Oscar thrill

Eddie Redmayne is "thrilled" to be nominated for a Best Actor Oscar.

The 34-year-old actor - who scooped the prize last year for his role in 'The Theory of Everything' - is delighted to be recognised for his role in 'The Danish Girl' because the movie took so long to be made.

He said: "It's amazing to be here.

"The director, Tom [Hooper], gave it to me on a lunch break [on 'Les Miserables' and said nothing about it.

"I read it in one sitting and I just remember being profoundly moved by it, like nothing I'd ever read before.

"I jumped at it, 'Can I be involved' and he said, 'Woah calm down, it's taken 12 years to get it made already' and it took another four to get it made so it's thrilling to be here."

Eddie is grateful for the "sensationally generous" members of the trans community who helped him with his research for the role.

Speaking to E! News presenter Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles tonight (28.02.16), he said: "For me it was about meeting men and women from the trans community and hearing their stories, across the board everyone was sensationally generous and educated me, and it was also meeting women of different generations and getting their experiences, maybe a few years ago because our story is set nearly 100 years ago."

The British star required two viewings of the movie to "take it all in" and his outstanding impression of the finished film was how "formidable" his co-star - and Best Supporting Actress nominee - Alicia Vikander was.

He said: "Whenever you see anything you do for the first time, all you look at is what you've done wrong so I go and watch it once, have a coffee break and then watch it again to take it all in.

"I just thought Alicia was formidable, that's what I took from it."

Eddie is renowned for his sense of style but was suffering for his appearance on the red carpet.

He laughed: "My tux was made by Alexander McQueen and it's very hot."