Edward John David Redmayne (; born 6 January 1982) is an English actor. He has received
various accolades, including an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
, a
BAFTA Award
The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...
, and two
Olivier Awards
The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known as ...
.
Redmayne began his professional acting career in
West End theatre
West End theatre is mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres in and near the West End of London.Christopher Innes, "West End" in ''The Cambridge Guide to Theatre'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998), pp. 1194–1 ...
starring in productions of ''
The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?
''The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?'' is a full-length play written in 2000 by Edward Albee which opened on Broadway in 2002. It won the 2002 Tony Award for Best Play, the 2002 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play, and was a finalist for the 2003 Pu ...
'' (2004), for which he gained a nomination for an
Olivier Award
The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known as ...
, ''
Red
Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...
'' (2009–2010), which won him that award, and ''
Richard II
Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father died ...
'' (2011–2012). He made his
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
debut in the transfer of ''Red'', earning a
Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play
The Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, to actors for quality supporting roles in a Broadway play. Honors i ...
. He starred as The Emcee in a West End revival of
''Cabaret'' in 2022, earning a
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical
The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Award ...
. He returned to Broadway in 2024, acting in a transfer of ''Cabaret'', which earned him a nomination for the
Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical is awarded to the actor who was voted as the best actor in a musical play, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did no ...
.
His first leading film role came with ''
Like Minds
''Like Minds'' is a 2006 Australian thriller film written and directed by Gregory J. Read. The film was produced by the South Australian Film Corporation. It debuted in Australia on 9 November 2006. The psychological thriller is the first Austr ...
'' (2006), followed by ''
Savage Grace
''Savage Grace'' is a 2007 drama film directed by Tom Kalin and written by Howard A. Rodman, based on the book ''Savage Grace'' by Natalie Robins and Steven M.L. Aronson. The story is based on the highly dysfunctional relationship between heiress ...
'' (2007) and ''
The Yellow Handkerchief The Yellow Handkerchief or Yellow Handkerchief may refer to:
* ''The Yellow Handkerchief'' (1977 film), Japanese film
*''Yellow Handkerchief'', 2003 television program broadcast by Korean Broadcasting System
* ''The Yellow Handkerchief'' (2008 fil ...
'' (2008). His film breakthrough came with the roles of
Colin Clark in the biopic ''
My Week with Marilyn
''My Week with Marilyn'' is a 2011 biographical film directed by Simon Curtis and written by Adrian Hodges. It stars Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh, Eddie Redmayne, Dominic Cooper, Julia Ormond, Emma Watson, and Judi Dench. Based on two b ...
'' (2011) and
Marius Pontmercy
Marius Pontmercy () is a fictional character, one of the protagonists of Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel ''Les Misérables''. He is a young student, and the suitor of Cosette. Believing Cosette lost to him, and determined to die, he joins the revolutio ...
in the musical ''
Les Misérables
''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.
In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...
'' (2012). Redmayne won the
Academy Award for Best Actor
The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year. The ...
for his portrayal of the physicist
Stephen Hawking in ''
The Theory of Everything'' (2014). He was Oscar-nominated for playing the transgender artist
Lili Elbe
Lili Ilse Elvenes (28 December 1882 – 13 September 1931), better known as Lili Elbe, was a Danish painter and transgender woman, and among the early recipients of sex reassignment surgery. She was a successful painter under her birth name Eina ...
in ''
The Danish Girl
''The Danish Girl'' is a novel by American writer David Ebershoff, published in 2000 by the Viking Press in the United States and Allen & Unwin in Australia.
Summary
The novel is a fictionalized account of the life of Lili Elbe, one of the fir ...
'' (2015). From 2016 to 2022, he starred as
Newt Scamander
Newton Artemis Fido "Newt" Scamander is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the ''Fantastic Beasts'' film series.
Initially, Newt Scamander was only mentioned in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' as the author of the bo ...
in the
''Fantastic Beasts'' film series. He has also portrayed
Tom Hayden
Thomas Emmet Hayden (December 11, 1939October 23, 2016) was an American social and political activist, author, and politician. Hayden was best known for his role as an anti-war, civil rights, and intellectual activist in the 1960s, authoring th ...
in ''
The Trial of the Chicago 7
''The Trial of the Chicago 7'' is a 2020 American historical legal drama film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin. The film follows the Chicago Seven, a group of anti–Vietnam War protesters charged with conspiracy and crossing state lines ...
'' (2020) and
Charles Cullen
Charles Edmund Cullen (born February 22, 1960) is an American serial killer. Cullen, a nurse, murdered dozens – possibly hundreds – of patients during a 16-year career spanning several New Jersey medical centers, until being arrested in 200 ...
in ''
The Good Nurse
''The Good Nurse'' is a 2022 American drama film, starring Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne, about Amy Loughren, a night nurse, who suspects that her co-worker Charles Cullen is a serial killer. The film is based on the 2013 true-crime book ...
'' (2022).
Early life and education
Edward John David Redmayne was born on 6 January 1982 in
Westminster
Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster.
The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...
, London.
His mother, Patricia (''née'' Burke), runs a
relocation business, and his father, Richard Redmayne, is a businessman in
corporate finance
Corporate finance is the area of finance that deals with the sources of funding, the capital structure of corporations, the actions that managers take to increase the Value investing, value of the firm to the shareholders, and the tools and anal ...
. His paternal great-grandfather was Sir
Richard Redmayne
Sir Richard Augustine Studdert Redmayne (22 July 1865 – 27 December 1955) was a British civil and mining engineer. Redmayne worked as manager of several mines in Britain and South Africa before becoming a professor at the University of Birmi ...
(1865–1955), a civil and mining engineer, and a leading figure in improving mine safety in the early twentieth century.
Sir Richard also led an enquiry into an experiment by the chain
Boots
A boot is a type of footwear.
Boot or Boots may also refer to:
Businesses
* Boot Inn, Chester, Cheshire, England
* Boots (company), a high-street pharmacy chain and manufacturer of pharmaceuticals in the United Kingdom
* The Boot, Cromer Stre ...
to reduce the working week, allowing workers to have a 48-hour weekend, which found that the workers were happier, had better health, and were less likely to be absent, and advocated for its adoption across wider industry. He has an elder brother,
James Redmayne, a younger brother, and an elder half-brother, Charlie Redmayne, who is
CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
of the UK division of publisher
HarperCollins
HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News Cor ...
,
and a half-sister.
Redmayne attended
Eaton House, followed by
St Paul's Juniors
St Paul's Juniors (formerly Colet Court) is an independent preparatory school for boys aged 7 to 13 in Barnes, London. It forms the preparatory department of St Paul's School, to which most Juniors pupils progress at the age of 13.
The School w ...
(formerly Colet Court), on a choral scholarship, where he sang with the St Paul’s Choir,
then on a music scholarship to
Eton College
Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...
,
where he was in the same year as
Prince William
William, Prince of Wales, (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales.
Born in London, William was educat ...
. From the age of 10, Redmayne attended Jackie Palmer Stage School, where he found his love for acting and singing. He went on to read History of Art at
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...
, specialising in Venetian architecture and surrealism, and graduated with
2:1 Honours in 2003. He received a choral scholarship to attend Cambridge. He wrote his theses on
Brâncuși and
Yves Klein
Yves Klein (; 28 April 1928 – 6 June 1962) was a French artist and an important figure in post-war European art. He was a leading member of the French artistic movement of Nouveau réalisme founded in 1960 by art critic Pierre Restany. Klein w ...
; although
colour blind
Color blindness or color vision deficiency (CVD) is the decreased ability to see color or differences in color. It can impair tasks such as selecting ripe fruit, choosing clothing, and reading traffic lights. Color blindness may make some aca ...
, he wrote the
final thesis on
International Klein Blue
International Klein Blue (IKB) is a deep blue hue first mixed by the French artist Yves Klein. IKB's visual impact comes from its heavy reliance on ultramarine, as well as Klein's often thick and textured application of paint to canvas.
Histo ...
(IKB), which he has described as being highly emotional, and which he can always distinguish from others. While at Cambridge, Redmayne was a member of the
University Pitt Club
The University Pitt Club, popularly referred to as the Pitt Club, the UPC, or merely as Club, is a private members' club of the University of Cambridge, with a previously male-only membership but now open to both men and women.
History
The ...
.
Career
Stage
Redmayne made his professional stage debut as
Viola
The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...
in ''
Twelfth Night
''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vio ...
'', for
Shakespeare's Globe
Shakespeare's Globe is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, an Elizabethan playhouse for which William Shakespeare wrote his plays, in the London Borough of Southwark, on the south bank of the River Thames. The original theatre was built in ...
at the
Middle Temple Hall
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn a ...
in 2002. He won the award for Outstanding Newcomer at the 50th ''Evening Standard'' Theatre Awards in 2004, for his performance in
Edward Albee
Edward Franklin Albee III ( ; March 12, 1928 – September 16, 2016) was an American playwright known for works such as ''The Zoo Story'' (1958), '' The Sandbox'' (1959), ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' (1962), '' A Delicate Balance'' (1966) ...
's ''
The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?
''The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?'' is a full-length play written in 2000 by Edward Albee which opened on Broadway in 2002. It won the 2002 Tony Award for Best Play, the 2002 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play, and was a finalist for the 2003 Pu ...
'', and the award for Best Newcomer at the
Critics' Circle Theatre Awards
The Critics' Circle Theatre Awards, originally called ''Drama'' Theatre Awards up to 1990, are British theatrical awards presented annually for the closing year's theatrical achievements. The winners, from theatre throughout the United Kingdom, ar ...
in 2005.
Reviewing a revival of the play in 2017, critic Heather Neill recollected the "gut-wrenching intensity of Eddie Redmayne’s award-winning performance at the Almeida in 2004."
Redmayne starred in ''Now or Later'' by
Christopher Shinn
Christopher Shinn (born 1975) is an American playwright. His play ''Dying City'' (2006) was a finalist for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and
''Where Do We Live'' (2004) won the 2005 Obie Award, Playwriting.
Early life
Shinn was born in Hartf ...
at the
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, Englan ...
. The show ran from 3 September to 1 November 2008.
His performance received glowing reviews,
with critic and playwright
Nicholas de Jongh
Nicholas de Jongh is a British writer, theatre critic and playwright. He served as the senior drama critic of the ''Evening Standard'' from 1991 to 2009. Prior to that, he had worked for ''The Guardian'' for almost 20 years.
In 2008, de Jongh ...
describing the performance as "riveting, suffused with the lineaments of neurosis and sadness."
In 2009, Redmayne appeared in
John Logan's new play ''
Red
Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...
'' at the
Donmar Warehouse
The Donmar Warehouse is a 251-seat, not-for-profit theatre in Covent Garden, London, England. It first opened on 18 July 1977.
Sam Mendes, Michael Grandage and Josie Rourke have all served as artistic director, a post held since 2019 by Micha ...
in London, for which he won the 2010
Olivier Award
The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known as ...
for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Reviewing the show during this London run, longstanding
''New York Times'' critic
Ben Brantley
Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 to ...
described Redmayne as "a star in the making". He reprised his role in ''Red'' at the
John Golden Theatre
The John Golden Theatre, formerly the Theatre Masque and Masque Theater, is a Broadway theater at 252 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the Golden Theatre was de ...
on Broadway, in a 15-week run from 11 March to 27 June 2010, and won the 2010
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
for
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play.
He portrayed
King Richard II
Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father died ...
in ''
Richard II
Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father died ...
'' directed by
Michael Grandage
Michael Grandage CBE (born 2 May 1962) is a British theatre director and producer. He is currently Artistic Director of the Michael Grandage Company. From 2002 to 2012 he was Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse in London and from 2000 to 2 ...
, at the Donmar Warehouse from 6 December 2011 to 4 February 2012. He received the
Trewin Award for Best Shakespearean Performance at the
Critics Circle Theatre Awards. Matt Wolf, London theatre critic for ''
The New York Times International Edition
''The New York Times International Edition'' is an English-language Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper distributed internationally by the New York Times Company. It has been published in two separate periods, one from 1943 to 1967 and one from ...
'', described Redmayne as "tearing into the title role with an open-faced splendor that redefines the very discussion of soul that assumes such prominence in Shakespeare’s luxuriantly beautiful text: a performance for the record books"
In November 2021, he returned to the stage as Emcee in a West End revival of
''Cabaret'' at the
Playhouse Theatre
The Playhouse Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, located in Northumberland Avenue, near Trafalgar Square, central London. The Theatre was built by F. H. Fowler and Hill with a seating capacity of 1,200. It was rebuilt i ...
, remodelled as the 'Kit Kat Club'. He previously played the role in a production at
Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England.
Eton may also refer to:
Places
*Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England
* Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States
* Éton, a commune in the Meuse dep ...
when he was 17 years-old, and then again in a production at the
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...
.
Redmayne successfully approached
Jessie Buckley
Jessie Buckley (born 28 December 1989) is an Irish actress and singer. The recipient of a Laurence Olivier Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and three BAFTA Awards, she was listed at number 38 on ''The Irish Times'' list of ...
to star alongside him as
Sally Bowles
Sally Bowles () is a fictional character created by English-American novelist Christopher Isherwood and based upon 19-year-old cabaret singer Jean Ross. The character debuted in Isherwood's 1937 novella ''Sally Bowles'' published by Hogarth Press ...
, as well as
Rebecca Frecknall
Rebecca Frecknall is an award-winning British theatre director best known for directing the 2021 West End revival of Cabaret starring Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley. The production won the 2022 Olivier Award for Best Revival of a Musical an ...
about directing the production.
The revival drew rave reviews, with critic
John Lahr
John Henry Lahr (born July 12, 1941) is an American theater critic and writer. From 1992 to 2013, he was a staff writer and the senior drama critic at ''The New Yorker''. He has written more than twenty books related to theater. Lahr has been ca ...
stating that the 'scintillating show' also offered the 'rousing spectacle of the next generation’s theatrical talent on the ascendant.'
Lahr
Lahr (officially Lahr/Schwarzwald since 30 September 1978) (); gsw, label=Low Alemannic, Lohr) is a town in western Baden-Württemberg, Germany, approximately 50 km north of Freiburg im Breisgau, 40 km southeast of Strasbourg, and 95&nbs ...
described Redmayne's interpretation of the Emcee as "thrilling", "a puckish portrait of violent innocence, a cross between Peter Lorre and Peter Pan", with a "chilling metamorphosis".
John Nathan remarked, "Redmayne is a marvel. His Emcee — a slightly different species from the rest of the humans — is quite the most mercurial animal I have seen on stage". The revival led with seven wins at the
2022 Olivier Awards, including
Best Musical Revival and Redmayne's own for
Best Actor in a Musical, setting a record for being the most award-winning revival in Olivier history, as well for being the first production to obtain awards in all 4 eligible acting categories. In April 2024, the production transferred to the
August Wilson Theatre
The August Wilson Theatre (formerly the Guild Theatre, ANTA Theatre, and Virginia Theatre) is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 245 West 52nd Street (Manhattan), 52nd Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown ...
on
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
, where he reprised the role of the Emcee opposite
Gayle Rankin
Gayle Rankin is a Scottish actress, best known as Sheila the She-Wolf in the TV series '' GLOW''.
She also played the role of Queen Victoria in ''The Greatest Showman'' and Emily Dodson in HBO's ''Perry Mason''.
Early life
Rankin trained at the ...
as Sally Bowles.
For his performance, Redmayne received a nomination for the
Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical is awarded to the actor who was voted as the best actor in a musical play, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did no ...
at the
77th Tony Awards
The 77th Tony Awards will be held on June 16, 2024, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2023–24 season. The ceremony will be held at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater in New York City, and air on CBS. Ariana DeBose ...
.
Film and television
Redmayne made his screen debut in 1998 in an episode of ''
Animal Ark
''Animal Ark'' is a children's book series written by a collection of authors under the direction of Ben M. Baglio using the pseudonym Lucy Daniels starting in 1994. They have now been published in the USA under the name Ben M. Baglio as a pse ...
''. His television credits include the BBC miniseries ''
Tess of the d'Urbervilles'', the miniseries ''
The Pillars of the Earth
''The Pillars of the Earth'' is a historical novel by British author Ken Follett published in 1989 about the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England. Set in the 12th century, the novel covers the time between the ...
'', and the two-part miniseries ''
Birdsong
Bird vocalization includes both bird calls and bird songs. In non-technical use, bird songs are the bird sounds that are melodious to the human ear. In ornithology and birding, songs (relatively complex vocalizations) are distinguished by func ...
''.
David Chater
David Chater (born 1953) is a British broadcast journalist. Chater has more than 35 years' experience in international television news, having worked for Independent Television News, Sky News and Al Jazeera English. He joined ITN in 1976, Sk ...
, who served as a correspondent in many conflict-ridden areas, described his performance as a WWI soldier in Birdsong as "mesmerising", "astonishing", "so little is visible on the surface and yet a whole universe of emotions is simmering away behind those limpid eyes."
Redmayne was cast in his first feature film ''
Like Minds
''Like Minds'' is a 2006 Australian thriller film written and directed by Gregory J. Read. The film was produced by the South Australian Film Corporation. It debuted in Australia on 9 November 2006. The psychological thriller is the first Austr ...
'' (2006) after being spotted by casting director Lucy Bevan performing in a play called ''Goats''. Redmayne has appeared in films such as ''
The Good Shepherd'' (2006), ''
Savage Grace
''Savage Grace'' is a 2007 drama film directed by Tom Kalin and written by Howard A. Rodman, based on the book ''Savage Grace'' by Natalie Robins and Steven M.L. Aronson. The story is based on the highly dysfunctional relationship between heiress ...
'' (2007), ''
Powder Blue
__NOTOC__
Powder blue is a pale shade of blue.
As with most colours, there is no absolute definition of its exact hue. Originally, ''powder blue'', in the 1650s, was powdered smalt (cobalt glass) used in laundering and dyeing applications, and ...
'' (2008), ''
The Other Boleyn Girl
''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2001) is a historical novel written by British author Philippa Gregory, loosely based on the life of 16th-century aristocrat Mary Boleyn (the sister of Anne Boleyn) of whom little is known. Inspired by Mary's life s ...
'' (2008), ''
Glorious 39
''Glorious 39'' is a 2009 British war thriller film written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff, starring Romola Garai, Bill Nighy, Julie Christie, Jeremy Northam, Christopher Lee, David Tennant, Jenny Agutter and Eddie Redmayne. The film was rel ...
'' (2009), and ''
Hick'' (2011). He starred as Osmund in
Christopher Smith's supernatural gothic chiller film ''
Black Death
The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...
'' (2010). His 2008 Sundance drama film ''
The Yellow Handkerchief The Yellow Handkerchief or Yellow Handkerchief may refer to:
* ''The Yellow Handkerchief'' (1977 film), Japanese film
*''Yellow Handkerchief'', 2003 television program broadcast by Korean Broadcasting System
* ''The Yellow Handkerchief'' (2008 fil ...
'' was released on 26 February 2010 by
Samuel Goldwyn Films
Samuel Goldwyn Films is an American film company that licenses, releases and distributes art-house, independent and foreign films. It was founded by Samuel Goldwyn Jr., the son of the Hollywood business magnate/mogul, Samuel Goldwyn. The curre ...
.
In 2011, Redmayne starred as filmmaker
Colin Clark in the drama film ''
My Week with Marilyn
''My Week with Marilyn'' is a 2011 biographical film directed by Simon Curtis and written by Adrian Hodges. It stars Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh, Eddie Redmayne, Dominic Cooper, Julia Ormond, Emma Watson, and Judi Dench. Based on two b ...
''. He took on the role of
Marius Pontmercy
Marius Pontmercy () is a fictional character, one of the protagonists of Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel ''Les Misérables''. He is a young student, and the suitor of Cosette. Believing Cosette lost to him, and determined to die, he joins the revolutio ...
for the 2012
musical film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...
''
Les Misérables
''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.
In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...
''.
![Eddie Redmayne (15033887819)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Eddie_Redmayne_%2815033887819%29.jpg)
In 2014, Redmayne starred as
Stephen Hawking in ''
The Theory of Everything'', a role for which he won the
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
,
BAFTA,
Golden Globe
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
, and
Screen Actors Guild Award
Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1952 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
for Best Actor, depicting the debilitating challenges of
ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that results in the progressive loss of motor neurons that control voluntary muscles. ALS is the most com ...
. Stephen Hawking was very pleased by the portrayal, stating "I thought Eddie Redmayne portrayed me very well. At times I thought he was me. I think Eddie’s commitment will have a big emotional impact." Dr Katie Sidle, a consultant neurologist specialising in the field of
motor neurone disease (MND), stated in an interview in the
British Medical Journal
''The BMJ'' is a weekly peer-reviewed medical trade journal, published by the trade union the British Medical Association (BMA). ''The BMJ'' has editorial freedom from the BMA. It is one of the world's oldest general medical journals. Origi ...
, "Eddie’s performance in the film was utterly remarkable . . . The patients and carers loved the film. They thought it was very relevant to them."
In early 2015, Redmayne appeared in the
Wachowski sisters' film, ''
Jupiter Ascending
''Jupiter Ascending'' is a 2015 space opera film written, directed and co-produced by the Wachowskis. Starring Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis with Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne and Douglas Booth in supporting roles, the film is centered on Jupiter Jo ...
'' as Balem Abrasax. The film was widely panned, including his performance, and won him the
Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor
The Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor is an award presented at the annual Golden Raspberry Awards to the worst supporting actor of the previous year. The following is a list of nominees and recipients of that award, along with the film(s) fo ...
.
In recent years, the film and the performance have been re-evaluated, with Keith Phipps writing that the "film has shown every sign of turning into a full-fledged cult hit." Writing in
''Vanity Fair'' in 2018, Laura Bradley remarked that "the idea that this film would have been improved by Redmayne playing his part in a more conventional (read: boring) manner is absurd." In 2022, Joe Hoeffner echoing her thoughts, felt that with a more "normal villain", "the rest of the film would be flatter, less colorful, less deliriously camp...no matter what happens you can’t take your eyes off of the spacefaring Oedipus with the voice of a chainsmoker."
Redmayne also presented the 2015 documentary
War Art with Eddie Redmayne, made as part of the
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
's
Perspectives programme.
Redmayne guest starred as Ryan the tank engine in ''
Thomas & Friends
''Thomas & Friends'' (originally known as ''Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends'' and later ''Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!'') is a British children's television series that aired across 24 series from 1984 to 2021. Based on ''The ...
'' movie special ''
Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure
''Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure'' is a 2015 British Computer animation, computer-animated Fantasy film, fantasy Adventure film, adventure comedy film and the ninth feature-length special of the British television series, ' ...
.''
That same year, Redmayne starred in the biographical drama ''
The Danish Girl
''The Danish Girl'' is a novel by American writer David Ebershoff, published in 2000 by the Viking Press in the United States and Allen & Unwin in Australia.
Summary
The novel is a fictionalized account of the life of Lili Elbe, one of the fir ...
'', directed by
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning director
Tom Hooper
Thomas George Hooper (born 5 October 1972)''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005''. 5d: 2485. is a British-Australian filmmaker.
Hooper began making short films as a teenager and had his first professional short, ...
. In the film, released in the United Kingdom on 1 January 2016, Redmayne portrayed
transgender
A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through tr ...
pioneer
Lili Elbe
Lili Ilse Elvenes (28 December 1882 – 13 September 1931), better known as Lili Elbe, was a Danish painter and transgender woman, and among the early recipients of sex reassignment surgery. She was a successful painter under her birth name Eina ...
, a casting choice that was met with backlash from the transgender community. Nonetheless, Redmayne's performance garnered critical acclaim; in January 2016, he earned his second nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Actor
The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year. The ...
in consecutive years. Redmayne later acknowledged the controversy surrounding his casting by stressing the importance of casting transgender people to play transgender characters.
In 2016, Redmayne starred as
Newt Scamander
Newton Artemis Fido "Newt" Scamander is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the ''Fantastic Beasts'' film series.
Initially, Newt Scamander was only mentioned in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' as the author of the bo ...
in the
film adaptation
A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...
of ''
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
''Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'' (often referred to as simply ''Fantastic Beasts'') is a 2001 guide book written by British author J. K. Rowling (under the pen name of the fictitious author Newt Scamander) about the magical creat ...
'', the first of a series within the Wizarding World of the
''Harry Potter'' film series, with a screenplay by
J. K. Rowling
Joanne Rowling ( "rolling"; born 31 July 1965), also known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author and Philanthropy, philanthropist. She wrote ''Harry Potter'', a seven-volume children's fantasy series published from 1997 to ...
.
''
Fantastic Beasts
''Fantastic Beasts'' is a film series directed by David Yates, and a spin-off prequel to the ''Harry Potter'' novel and film series. The series is distributed by Warner Bros. and consists of three fantasy films as of 2022, beginning with ' ...
'' was a critical and commercial success. In 2018, Redmayne starred in the
stop-motion
Stop motion is an animated filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exhibit independent motion or change when the series of frames i ...
animated film ''
Early Man'', and reprised his role as Newt Scamander in ''
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald'' as well as its third sequel, ''
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,'' which was released in April 2022 .
Both ''
The Crimes of Grindelwald'' and ''
The Secrets of Dumbledore'' received mixed critical reception but emerged as financial successes. All of J. K. Rowling's ''
Fantastic Beasts
''Fantastic Beasts'' is a film series directed by David Yates, and a spin-off prequel to the ''Harry Potter'' novel and film series. The series is distributed by Warner Bros. and consists of three fantasy films as of 2022, beginning with ' ...
'' films rank among Redmayne's highest-grossing films to date.
In 2020, Redmayne starred as
Tom Hayden
Thomas Emmet Hayden (December 11, 1939October 23, 2016) was an American social and political activist, author, and politician. Hayden was best known for his role as an anti-war, civil rights, and intellectual activist in the 1960s, authoring th ...
in ''
The Trial of the Chicago 7
''The Trial of the Chicago 7'' is a 2020 American historical legal drama film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin. The film follows the Chicago Seven, a group of anti–Vietnam War protesters charged with conspiracy and crossing state lines ...
''. The film earned six nominations at the
93rd Academy Awards
The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released from January 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021, at Union Station in Los Angeles. The ceremony was held on April 25, 2021 ...
. Redmayne received a
Screen Actors Guild Award
Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1952 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
as a member of the cast awarded the
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture honor.
In 2022, Redmayne starred in the
biographical
A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...
crime thriller film
Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...
, ''
The Good Nurse
''The Good Nurse'' is a 2022 American drama film, starring Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne, about Amy Loughren, a night nurse, who suspects that her co-worker Charles Cullen is a serial killer. The film is based on the 2013 true-crime book ...
'', playing notorious serial killer
Charles Cullen
Charles Edmund Cullen (born February 22, 1960) is an American serial killer. Cullen, a nurse, murdered dozens – possibly hundreds – of patients during a 16-year career spanning several New Jersey medical centers, until being arrested in 200 ...
, and was nominated for a
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
, a
British Academy Film Award
The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...
, and a
Screen Actors Guild Award
Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1952 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
. Leah Greenblatt at ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' wrote, "an eerie, pitch-perfect Redmayne, wearing Charlie's nice-guy drag like a battering ram, lets his mask slip so incrementally that the final scenes feel like a true terrifying rupture." Aurora Amidon at
''Paste'' remarked, "Redmayne plays Charles with such a sense of naturalism and magnetic intensity that it’s easy to forget he’s not in the room right there with you."
Modelling
Redmayne modelled for
Burberry
Burberry is a British luxury fashion house established in 1856 by Thomas Burberry headquartered in London, England. It currently designs and distributes ready to wear, including trench coats (for which it is most famous), leather accessories, ...
in 2008 with
Alex Pettyfer
Alexander Richard Pettyfer (born 10 April 1990) is a British actor and model. He appeared in school plays and on television before being cast as Alex Rider, the main character in the 2006 film version of ''Stormbreaker''. Pettyfer was nominated ...
, and in 2012 with
Cara Delevingne
Cara Jocelyn Delevingne ( ; born 12 August 1992) is an English model and actress. She signed with Storm Management after leaving school in 2009. Delevingne won Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2012 and 2014.
Delevingne sta ...
. In 2016, he starred in the
Prada
Prada S.p.A. (, ; ) is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1913 in Milan by Mario Prada. It specializes in leather handbags, travel accessories, shoes, ready-to-wear, and other fashion accessories. Prada licenses its name and branding t ...
Fall/Winter'16 Menswear Advertising Campaign.
Redmayne has been widely admired for his style, with
''Vogue'' describing him as having "seemingly preternatural panache on the red carpet, his deft ability to make even the nattiest and most colorful suits seem like second skin." In the September 2012 issue of ''
Vanity Fair'', he was featured on its annual International Best Dressed List. In 2015, he was named number one in ''
British GQ
''GQ'' (formerly ''Gentlemen's Quarterly'' and ''Apparel Arts'') is an American international monthly men's magazine based in New York City and founded in 1931. The publication focuses on fashion, style, and culture for men, though articles on ...
''s 50 best dressed British men, and then again in 2016.
Sir Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
and
David Furnish
David James Furnish (born 25 October 1962) is a Canadian filmmaker and former advertising executive. He is married to English singer, pianist and composer Sir Elton John.
Early life and education
David Furnish was born in Toronto, Ontario, th ...
described him as "the stylish intersection where Cary Grant's style meets Fred Astaire's lithe elegance."
''
GQ'' also named him as one of "the Most Stylish Men Alive" in 2015 and one of "the 13 Most Stylish Men In The World Right Now" in 2016.
Personal life
Redmayne married Hannah Bagshawe on 15 December 2014.
They have a daughter, Iris, born in 2016 and a son, Luke, born in 2018.
[Per Redmayne's representative in Source additionally cites parents' announcement in '']The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' (London).
Redmayne was appointed
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(OBE) in the
2015 Birthday Honours
The 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded as p ...
for services to drama.
In August 2014, he was appointed ambassador of film education charity
Into Film
Into Film is a charity supported principally by the British Film Institute (through the National Lottery), Cinema First and Northern Ireland Screen. Into Film aims to put film at the heart of children and young people’s educational, cultural and ...
. He has been a patron of the
Motor Neurone Disease Association
The Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND Association) focuses on improving access to care, research and campaigning for those people living with or affected by motor neurone disease (MND) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. MND is also know ...
since 2015, having become associated with the charity following his portrayal of Stephen Hawking. He is an ambassador of the
Teenage Cancer Trust
Teenage Cancer Trust is a cancer care and support charity in the UK that exists to improve the cancer experience of young people aged 13–24. Founded in 1990, the charity's key service is providing specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals. It ...
. He is a patron of Go Live Theatre Projects (earlier known as Mousetrap Theatre Projects), a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of children and young people through theatre, especially those who are disadvantaged or have additional needs.
Acting credits
Film
Television
Theatre
Video games
Discography
; Music
; Audiobooks
Accolades
See also
*
List of British actors
This list of notable actors from the United Kingdom includes performers in film, radio, stage and television.
Born in 18th century
* Maria Foote (1797?–1867)
* Henry Gattie (1774–1844)
* Elizabeth Hartley (1750?–1824)
* John Philip ...
*
List of British Academy Award nominees and winners
This article is a list of British Academy Award winners and nominees. This list details the filmmakers, actors, actresses, and others born and working in the United Kingdom who have been nominated for or have won an Academy Award.
Best Actor in a ...
*
List of actors with Academy Award nominations
This list of actors with Academy Award nominations includes all male and female actors with Academy Award nominations for lead and supporting roles in motion pictures, and the total nominations and wins for each actor. Nominations in non-acting c ...
*
*
List of Old Etonians born in the 20th century
The following notable pupils of Eton College were born in the 20th century.
1900s
* Thomas Bevan (1900–1942), first-class cricketer and British Army officer
* Colin Cokayne-Frith (1900–1940), first-class cricketer and British Army office ...
*
List of University of Cambridge members
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Redmayne, Eddie
1982 births
Living people
Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge
Audiobook narrators
Best Actor Academy Award winners
Best Actor BAFTA Award winners
Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (film) winners
Critics' Circle Theatre Award winners
English male film actors
English male Shakespearean actors
English male stage actors
English male television actors
English male video game actors
English male voice actors
English people of Irish descent
English people of Welsh descent
Laurence Olivier Award winners
Male actors from London
Models from the City of Westminster
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners
People educated at Colet Court
People educated at Eton College
Actors from the City of Westminster
Eddie
Eddie or Eddy may refer to:
Science and technology
*Eddy (fluid dynamics), the swirling of a fluid and the reverse current created when the fluid flows past an obstacle
*Eddie (text editor), a text editor originally for BeOS and now ported to Linu ...
Singers from the City of Westminster
Theatre World Award winners
Tony Award winners
20th-century English male actors
21st-century English male actors