Edward John David Redmayne CBE (born 6 January 1982) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and ability to portray real-life figures and complex characters, he has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Tony Award, and an Olivier Award.
Redmayne began his acting career in theatre, making his professional stage debut in 2003. His early film roles included The Good Shepherd (2006), Savage Grace (2007), and Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007). He gained wider recognition for his roles in My Week with Marilyn (2011) and as Marius Pontmercy in the musical film Les Misérables (2012).
His breakthrough came with the portrayal of physicist Stephen Hawking in the biographical drama The Theory of Everything (2014), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. He received further critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for his performance as transgender pioneer Lili Elbe in The Danish Girl (2015).
Redmayne is also known for his leading role as Newt Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts film series, beginning with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016). In theatre, he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for Red (2010) and the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for Cabaret (2022).
Early Life and Education Redmayne was born in Westminster, London, to Patricia (née Burke), a businesswoman, and Richard Redmayne, a corporate financier. He has three brothers and one sister. He attended Eton College, where he was in the same year as Prince William, and later studied History of Art at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating with a 2:1 honours degree in 2003. While at Cambridge, he modelled for Burberry.
Career
- Early Career (Theatre and Film): Redmayne's professional stage debut was in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night for Shakespeare's Globe in 2003. He won the Evening Standard Award for Outstanding Newcomer in 2004 for his performance in Edward Albee's The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?. His early film career saw him take on various supporting and leading roles, often in period dramas or independent films.
- Stage Recognition: His performance as Ken in John Logan's play Red on Broadway earned him a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 2010. He reprised this role at the Donmar Warehouse in London, for which he received the Olivier Award for Best Actor.
- Film Breakthroughs: After gaining notice in My Week with Marilyn and Les Misérables, his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything propelled him to international stardom and critical acclaim. He immersed himself in the role, studying Hawking's life and the challenges of motor neurone disease extensively.
- Continuing Success: His role in The Danish Girl further solidified his reputation as a versatile actor capable of transforming for complex characters. The Fantastic Beasts series brought him into a major film franchise, showcasing a different side of his acting range.
- Recent Work: In 2022, Redmayne returned to the West End stage as the Emcee in Cabaret, earning significant praise and an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He also starred in the Netflix thriller The Good Nurse (2022).
Personal Life Redmayne married Hannah Bagshawe, a public relations executive, on 15 December 2014. The couple has two children: a daughter, Iris Mary, born in 2016, and a son, Luke Richard, born in 2018.
Awards and Honours Redmayne was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to drama.
Key awards include:
- Academy Award: Best Actor (The Theory of Everything, 2015)
- British Academy Film Award: Best Actor in a Leading Role (The Theory of Everything, 2015)
- Golden Globe Award: Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (The Theory of Everything, 2015)
- Screen Actors Guild Award: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role (The Theory of Everything, 2015)
- Tony Award: Best Featured Actor in a Play (Red, 2010)
- Olivier Award: Best Actor (Red, 2010), Best Actor in a Musical (Cabaret, 2022)