POPSUGAR: There is already a good amount of award season buzz for this film — does that intimidate you or does it pump you up?
Eddie Redmayne: When I got cast in the film, I thought it was an extraordinary story, so I was so thrilled to be a part of it. But I was equally cautious of the fact — or aware of the fact — that, at some point, if you are playing Stephen Hawking, Stephen Hawking is going to see the film, and what is he going to make of it? So I had a lot of fear about what his, and Jane's, and his family's judgment is going to be. And when they saw the film and enjoyed it, for me it was just the most wonderful relief. I can’t wait to try and encourage people to go out and see it, and if any buzz or nice things are being said, then that for me is lovely. That's wonderful.
PS: Speaking of fears about taking on the role, what would you say was your biggest?
ER: I would say it was a collection. First, you are playing an icon, so the public will have an opinion. Then, you are playing Stephen, who is living with Jane and the family and you know that they are going to see the film. And also, you are depicting science and getting that truthful and bang-on and yet comprehensible to an audience without being so highfalutin and over people's heads. But through the process of prepping, I met over 30 or 40 people suffering from motor neuron disease (ALS) and I felt great responsibility to be authentic to the illness and depict this thing which is horrifically, sort of taking over people's lives. And also, to make it entertaining and to make the story depict [Stephen's] wit and humor and this incredible love story. It was really the collection of those things; the whole thing felt like a gigantic challenge.
![POPSUGAR: There is already a good amount of award season buzz for this film — does that intimidate you or does it pump you up?
Eddie Redmayne: When I got cast in the film, I thought it was an extraordinary story, so I was so thrilled to be a part of it. But I was equally cautious of the fact — or aware of the fact — that, at some point, if you are playing Stephen Hawking, Stephen Hawking is going to see the film, and what is he going to make of it? So I had a lot of fear about what his, and Jane's, and his family's judgment is going to be. And when they saw the film and enjoyed it, for me it was just the most wonderful relief. I can’t wait to try and encourage people to go out and see it, and if any buzz or nice things are being said, then that for me is lovely. That's wonderful.
PS: Speaking of fears about taking on the role, what would you say was your biggest?
ER: I would say it was a collection. First, you are playing an icon, so the public will have an opinion. Then, you are playing Stephen, who is living with Jane and the family and you know that they are going to see the film. And also, you are depicting science and getting that truthful and bang-on and yet comprehensible to an audience without being so highfalutin and over people's heads. But through the process of prepping, I met over 30 or 40 people suffering from motor neuron disease (ALS) and I felt great responsibility to be authentic to the illness and depict this thing which is horrifically, sort of taking over people's lives. And also, to make it entertaining and to make the story depict [Stephen's] wit and humor and this incredible love story. It was really the collection of those things; the whole thing felt like a gigantic challenge.](https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/oTu-D28Gk9oy-VHErZ-iHJGh7cA/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2014/10/13/987/n/1922283/27b15eb6275b6355_f9d9126a8ff4848b_TTOE_D19_06191_R1409353879.xxxlarge_2x/i/POPSUGAR-already-good-amount-award-season-buzz.jpg "POPSUGAR: There is already a good amount of award season buzz for this film — does that intimidate you or does it pump you up?
Eddie Redmayne: When I got cast in the film, I thought it was an extraordinary story, so I was so thrilled to be a part of it. But I was equally cautious of the fact — or aware of the fact — that, at some point, if you are playing Stephen Hawking, Stephen Hawking is going to see the film, and what is he going to make of it? So I had a lot of fear about what his, and Jane's, and his family's judgment is going to be. And when they saw the film and enjoyed it, for me it was just the most wonderful relief. I can’t wait to try and encourage people to go out and see it, and if any buzz or nice things are being said, then that for me is lovely. That's wonderful.
PS: Speaking of fears about taking on the role, what would you say was your biggest?
ER: I would say it was a collection. First, you are playing an icon, so the public will have an opinion. Then, you are playing Stephen, who is living with Jane and the family and you know that they are going to see the film. And also, you are depicting science and getting that truthful and bang-on and yet comprehensible to an audience without being so highfalutin and over people's heads. But through the process of prepping, I met over 30 or 40 people suffering from motor neuron disease (ALS) and I felt great responsibility to be authentic to the illness and depict this thing which is horrifically, sort of taking over people's lives. And also, to make it entertaining and to make the story depict [Stephen's] wit and humor and this incredible love story. It was really the collection of those things; the whole thing felt like a gigantic challenge.")
