Eddie Redmayne – biography, life story, career, wife, height and weight 2020

Eddie Redmayne – Biography

A British actor Eddie Redmayne has gained popularity and commendable assessment of well-known film critics for his role as theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking in a bio-pic «Stephen Hawking’s Universe». In 2016, he played a magical zoologist Newt Scamander in the «Harry Potter» spin-off «Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them». He is the winner of Academy Awards, BAFTA, Tony Awards and other prestigious awards.

The star of British theatre and cinema Eddie Redmayne

Childhood and Family. His First Roles

Eddie was born in a prim and proper British family with a large fortune and a long bloodline. The head of the family, an Esquire, Richard, managed the Bank, and his mother, Patricia Redmayne, was the owner of a transport company. Eddie was the middle son in the family. He grew up with his elder brother Jim and junior brother Tommy.

Eddie Redmayne’s family: his parents and brothers

The parents had a hand in the intellectual and creative development of Edward John David (this is how the full name of the actor sounds like). They often took children to theater performances, which were adored by little Eddie. According to the actor, at a young age, he had seen Shakespeare’s play «A Midsummer Night's Dream». It served as an impulse that led him to think about the performance profession on a live basis.

In the youth Eddie Redmayne had to perform women roles

The love of theater, as well as the vulnerability and sensitivity of their son's nature, was eventually noticed by senior Redmayne. Once they brought Eddie in Drama Schools in High Wycombe. In 12 years, Eddie first appeared on the stage. He took part in the musical by Sam Mendes «Oliver!». In the 16, he played a modest role in the TV series «Animal Ark».

Eddie first learned in elementary school, Colet Court, together with his brothers. Later on, he entered the Eton College. Mostly children of Great Britain’s aristocratic families gain knowledge in this school. For example, Prince William studied in a single class with Eddie, the elder brother Jim misbehaved at breaks together with the future Prime Minister, and the youngest That went to school with Prince Harry.

The future actor learnt at the Eton College

Eddie has not forgotten about the children's enthusiasm in the college and began attending drama classes and participate in performances. At the same time, he first appeared on the stage in a female character, playing Voila in Shakespeare's Comedy «Twelfth Night». Eddie was also engaged in musical self-education: he played the piano, sang in the choir of the college. He even received a scholarship for outstanding musical merit. Meantime, the future actor succeeded with the faculty headman’s duties and participated in fashion shows.

In the youth Eddie Redmayne earned as a model

However, studying at Eton did not bring Eddie moral satisfaction, and he, at the risk of incurring the wrath of his parents, decided to apply to drama school. Richard and Patricia had great difficulty in persuading the son to obtain a classical education at Trinity College, Cambridge. Eddie chose the specialty close to his interests. It was art history, namely in-depth study of art history in England and France in the XIX and XX centuries.

Theatre Works

Before graduating from Eton in 2002, Eddie was invited to the world-famous Globus Theatre. There he received his first professional award from the Critics' Circle Theatre Awards for his Edward Albee’s role in the play «The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?». Eddie’s performance drew the attention of the audience and critics not only due to the acting but also thanks to the provocative nature of the character. He played the son who was in love with his father.

Eddie Redmayne played at the stages of the best London theatres

Later on, there were works on the stage of the Royal Court Theater, where Eddie played in the Christopher Shinn's play «Now or Later». In 2009, viewers saw the talented actor in a play by Michael Grandage, who told the story of artist Mark Rothko. Eddie played the role of Mark’s assisting artist named Ken and was awarded the Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Further, this drama was also performed on the stage of Broadway. Eddie took part in the American version too, which brought him the Tony Awards (theater equivalent of the Oscars).

In 2010, the performance was marked by six Tony Awards, including Best Play category. As for Eddie, the work in this piece was rather difficult for him, because he had to wage long lengthy dialogues on philosophical subjects and work with paints. The actor is colorblind, so he always confused red and green.

No secret that Eddie Redmayne is colorblind

After the success on the theater stage, Eddie decided to pay attention to the cinema, selecting topics close to him, the history of England. The mini-series «Elizabeth I» with Jeremy Irons and Helen Mirren was a good beginning of work on the shooting stage.

Career Milestones

In 2006, Eddie tried himself in the spy action «The Good Shepherd». Matt Damon, Robert de Niro, Angelina Jolie and Oleg Shtefanko also starred the picture.

Eddie Redmayne in the picture «The Good Shepherd»

The next work was the role of Alex in the crime mystery «Like Minds». In 2007, Eddie appeared on screen in two movies «Savage Grace», in which he played a gay man who tries to persuade his own mother to sin (Julianne Moore), and in the historic drama «Elizabeth: The Golden Age» with Cate Blanchett and Clive Owen starring.

Eddie Redmayne’s photo session for Interview Magazine

The theme of English history was continued in the following year. It was drama «The Other Boleyn Girl» with Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson and Eric Bana in the leading roles and the film adaptation of «Tess of the D'urbervilles», where Redmayne played the lead role. In the same year, Eddie took another difficult role in the film «The Yellow Handkerchief», where he played a teen Gordy, suffering from Asperger’s syndrome and being fell in love with Kristen Stewart's heroine.

A shot from the picture «The Yellow Handkerchief»

In 2009, Eddie took part in a historical film «1939» and the drama «Powder Blue». This was followed by work in a history romance, TV mini-series «The Pillars of the Earth» and action «Black Death» in 2010. In 2011, Eddie co-starred in the film about Marilyn Monroe «My Week with Marilyn».

Eddie Redmayne in a TV Show «Good Day LA»

In 2012, Redmayne was invited to the adaptation of the novel of Victor Hugo's «Les Miserables». A galaxy of Hollywood actors starred in the picture together with him, as like Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter. Eddie got the role of rebellious student Marius.

After that, Redmayne did not appear on the screens for a whole year. In 2014, he impressed viewers with his play in the movie «Stephen Hawking’s Universe». Eddie was marked by a number of awards for the lead role in this picture, which every actor dreams to be honored by. We talk about BAFTA, Academy Awards or Oscar, Gloden Globe Awards. The most important thing to Eddie was that Stephen Hawking gave a positive review of the film.

In the same year, the actor starred in a new genre, sci-fi action «Jupiter Ascending» with Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum starring in the leading roles. In 2015, Eddie proved that there are no roles beyond his talent. He turned into a transgender, the husband of the famous artist, in the movie «The Danish Girl» for which he agreed to pose in women's clothing.

«The Danish Girl»: Eddie Redmayne playing transgender

In the same year, the merits of the actor on the stage was awarded the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

The actor got his «Oscar» being rather young

Eddie Redmayne – Private Life

In December 2014, Eddie got married to Hannah Bagshawe, a well-known journalist. In 2016, they have a daughter Iris Mary.

The actor met his future wife within the walls of Eton College. However, that times their relationship was never able to break beyond friendship. Besides, he went to Cambridge, and she went to Edinburgh after Eton. 10 years later, they faced at a charity event and got to talking. Very soon, the finger of the journalist was decorated by an engagement ring. The lovers held the wedding in a club, closed from prying eyes.

Beginning from 26 years, Eddie has partnered with luxury clothing brand Burberry. In 2016 he signed a contract with fashion brand Prada as a new face of the company. Also, the actor has been repeatedly recognized as one of the most stylishly dressed men according to the Vanity Fair magazine.

The actor is a face of a fashion brand Burberry

After Eddie received «Oscar» award, his parents began to rent out their Villa on the French coast. They wrote in the ad that it was the place where the young Edward spent his childhood.

Eddie Redmayne spent his childhood on the Villa on the French coast

Having reached the success, Eddie does not forget his good, old friends. He maintains friendly relations with the actor Jamie Dornan, with whom he rented an apartment in Los Angeles at the early stages of his career.

Eddie Redmayne and Jamie Dornan are friends for a long time

Despite for his star status, Eddie is not ashamed to take a ride on the subway sometimes.

Eddie Redmayne takes a ride on the subway very often

Besides a passion for the theater and cinema, Eddie loves to watch sports. He also visited the Olympic Games Rio 2016.

Eddie Redmayne Today

In 2016, he played a lead role in the film adaptation of the book by the famous British writer Joanne Rowling «Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them». Ezra Miller, Zoe Kravitz, Ron Perlman, Colin Farrell and Jon Voight (father of Angelina Jolie) also featured the movie. Shortly before the release of the first part, the writer announced the release of at least four parts of the film. So, Redman will have a lot of work for the next few years.

«Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them». Action

In 2018, the cartoon «Early Man» will be released, in which the actor voices one of the characters.