For actors, the nervousness usually comes once their projects start hitting theaters. They are anxious whether their films will go big time or will flop. For Eddie Redmayne, feeling uneasy happened days before he even start shooting a new project. The English actor stars in upcoming British romantic biographical movie Theory of Everything which is based on the life of theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking. This is not the first time that Redmayne will star in a film. This is also not his biggest project yet. However, for him, meeting Hawking takes some courage and confidence, especially if you are potraying him.
"I was like, 'What if I meet him, and [my preparation for the role] is totally wrong - what do I do?' " the Theory of Everything lead cast recalled at the Toronto Film Festival.
"I was nervous and going on that I was born in January and so was he, so we're both Capricorns, and going on and on."
Redmayne said that it was Hawking himself who broke the ice for them to have a good conversation. And he used just one line to do that.
"And Stephen took a moment and said, 'Eddie, I'm an astronomer - not an astrologer!' "
Watch Theory of Everything trailer here.
To prepare for his role for the Theory of Everything movie, Redmayne said that he researched well about Stephen Hawking, especially with the fact that he know nothing much about the popular cosmologist. His preparation includes talking to Stephen about Stephen.
"In the three hours we spent together, he maybe said eight sentences," Redmayne said. "I literally spent the first half hour with Stephen Hawking telling Stephen Hawking about Stephen Hawking, which was actually pretty horrific!"
"What became absolutely clear to me through researching him is that, for Stephen, his disease is secondary," Redmayne says. "He is truly someone who has lived passionately, and looked forward."
Theory of Everything movie will hit theaters on November 7 in the United States and January 2 2015 in the United Kingdom. Aside from Redmayne, the film also stars Felicity Jones as Jane Hawking, Stephen's wife, and Charlie Cox as Jonathan Hellyer Jones.
