Eddie is a Danish Girl
Thursday, February 26, 2015 at 8:28PM Straight from the Oscar stage to the hair and makeup room...
In case you've forgotten The Danish Girl, which had a difficult development period going through different stars and directors (it went through, I kid you not, FIVE Oscar winning actresses before and three directors) is coming out late this year though we had originally been told 2016. That's presumably to give Eddie Redmayne a chance at back-to-back Oscars (I know it's so gross to mention this already. It can't be helped!). The biopic is from Tom Hooper (The King's Speech and Les Miserables) and is the story of transgender Einar Wegener and her transition and surgery to become Lili Elbe "The Danish Girl" with the encouragement of her then wife Gerda. Alicia Vikander, the wonderful Swedish actress from Anna Karenina and A Royal Affair, is playing Gerda so watch for her in Best Supporting Actress. NooooOOOoooooooooo Oscar talk. It can't be helped.
Read news about a release date, almost tweeted something about the 2016 Oscars. Reminded myself that this is a disease. One day at a time.
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) February 24, 2015So let's see it's another biopic about a complicated marriage where the wife has to stand by her man who becomes not what she expected him to be after she falls in love with him? Way to mix it up, Eddie Redmayne! I kid I kid. I hope it's good and I hope Eddie is more sensitive and better at handling the difficult press that comes with this sort of thing (especially now that we have real trans actors playing trans roles on TV) than Jared Leto was. The film is really piling on the gorgeousness because Eddie & Alicia's co-stars are Amber Heard, Ben Whishaw and Matthias Schoenaerts. Costumes are by the superb Paco Delgado who was Oscar nominated for Les Miz and also did genius work on Blancanieves and fun subversive stuff for Pedro Almodóvar a couple of times.
Reader Comments (34)
Eddie is looking fierce as Lili, can't wait to see this. This reminds me of an interview many years ago where Daniel Radcliffe expressed interest in doing drag (or any role portraying the opposite gender I imagine) for a future role. Seeing Eddie as Lili makes me hope this will happen soon.
i saw the picture and wondered if it was Jessica Chastain. Wow, Eddie Redmayne both as a man and as a woman.
Looks pretty cute. Reminds me a bit of Cillian Murphy in Breakfast on Pluto.
Damn, he looks good as a woman.
He looks rather fetching. I kind of wish the Nicole and Marion/Gwyneth thing worked out though.
Any idea what's Ben Whishaw's role? I like him so much, and hope one day he will get some award heat.
He looks so enthusiastic in this picture. Not sure if that is commitment to the character or relishing the opportunity to be in drag.
"Any idea what's Ben Whishaw's role? I like him so much, and hope one day he will get some award heat."
Me too. I'd like to see the same thing happen for Matthias Schoenaerts. He hasn't gotten a true break out role in an english movie yet.
It's mostly the hair, but Eddie looks like Rachel Griffiths in that picture.
I've had a good feeling about this project for a while - but I didn't realize it was actually happening, and already filming. Between this and Carol, is it really possible that we might have TWO high profile LGBT movies in the, uh, race for that thing which must not be named (yet)?
"Between this and Carol, is it really possible that we might have TWO high profile LGBT movies in the, uh, race for that thing which must not be named (yet)?"
Including "Freeheld", with Julianne Moore, we'll have three. Yay!
Both leading actor and actress winners having an afterglow nomination?
^^ Cal: And for LGBTQ themed films no less!
Sigh. I'm really, really, REALLY tired of cis male actors being cast as trans women. It's insulting, and tiresome, and it needs to stop. The trans community has been vocally protesting this casting practice for YEARS and yet things like Transparent and the frankly revolting Dallas Buyers Club continue to attract endless praise and accolades.
Taylor, but then surely a gay man should not play straight parts? And straight actors shouldn't play gay? Where does one draw a line? I see no problem with it. These people are actors. They are inhabiting a role.
Luke & Taylor -- i see both sides of this argument (i'd hate to think actors can only play themselves -- that's the antithesis of acting... but surely there should be more opportunities for actors who can bring more authenticity) and I think the answer is a happy medium. Transparent does it right, having both famous actors and actual trans actors playing trans people.
Not so much Rachel Griffiths...I'm thinking more Annie Lennox.
I'm suddenly annoyed again at Cillian Murphy not getting an Oscar nomination for Breakfast on Pluto
Taylor, but then, the movie's supposed to start with him as a male and married before collaboration with his wife leads him to start dressing as a woman and discover his true identity...
if thinking about next year's Oscars right after the last one ended is a sickness, I don't want the cure...
i'm a little disappointed that we'll never get to see Nicole Kidman's version of this story, but glad that it's finally getting made and am eagerly anticipating redmayne in the role. I think it might be my most anticipated film for the year. there's no doubt that he'll be receiving his second nomination for this.
Though I'm not so militant about it, I can't help but think there is going to be significantly more backlash here after Dallas Buyers Club. Also, is trans the new Oscar-bait? I don't know how to feel about that.
Oh, and lest I miss an opportunity - Leto was just serviceable, not Oscar-worthy.
I'll always be sad we never got Nicole Kidman's version, but this picture looks encouraging. From a thumbnail I originally thought Jessica Chastain also. Maybe it's just the red hair. And the eyes. And the cheekbones.
We also have Three Generations with Elle Fanning who plays a girls becomign a boy. I;m intrigued since Elle could prove to be great in a potentially interesting role.
"The Molly Ringwald Story"?
Actually I think he looks like the criminally underused Kelly Reilly. Can't wait to see it!
Love you Eddie!
Peggy Sue - OMG. I totally see it.
Very much looking forward to this. Go Eddie go!
I really wanted to see Nicole and Gwyneth's version ;( wow, that feels like ions ago at this point.
I also see both sides of the argument and why it can be offensive to have a cis gendered person playing these roles. I'd say a trans actor could definitely bring a depth to the role that a cis gendered person simply cannot, but as Nathaniel and others have said, that's the point of acting, to play something you aren't. Like sexuality, it should be acceptable. HOWEVER, with that said, I understand why it's an issue when trans actors are not given the same opportunities as cis gendered actors and this takes opportunities that they should have dibs on.
Also, if you aren't going to use a trans actor, at least use someone that is the same gender as the character, yes? Like, this character is a female, yet Eddie is playing her. I don't know. It's a very complicated matter. But I understand why it's an issue.
Ohhhhhh. Finally figured out who he reminds me of in this photo.
HER.
Phillip H: But if the role is portrayed as male, in transition and then female (as reported), then almost no one will be "correct" for the role. Should the film not be made?
I guess the question for me is it about representation or opportunity? If it's the latter, I understand the concerns and think they need to be rectified. If it's the former, than I'm afraid we part ways as I think it undermines the very nature of the profession.
The trans issue is never as complicated as those who want to entertain their desires to be different yet the same as everyone else.
Not only the chance for trans actors to bring authenticity to the role, but as opportunities for trans actors, period. Have nothing against the actors who play these roles, but it does suck for them to get all the accolades and to be praised as "brave" (remember when Nolan said that he had cast Ledger in TDK because he thought he was "courageous" in Brokeback Mountain?) when the people who are incredibly brave for even being in this industry in the first place get bypassed for rich roles like these. Kind of goes back to diversity--would like to see more LBGTQ actors and more representation in Hollywood in general, not just on the screen but in the people who get the plummiest roles.