Eddie Redmayne received a BAFTA award nomination for his role as transgender Danish painter Lili Elbe in The Danish Girl, but the part drew a lot of criticism for casting Redmayne in the lead role rather than a trans actor. While Redmayne has previously addressed the backlash against the performance, in a new interview with The Guardian, the actor revealed that as a response to the reaction from trans groups, he went to workshops full of trans actors and answered questions about his decision to play the role. He explained:
Redmayne makes the point that others have tried to make the argument that actors are actors and should be free to at least audition and have a chance to play any role they want, but that at the moment, to allow some of those groups who have been shut out of the industry to get a foot in the door, there is nothing wrong with some prominent actors taking a small step back.
“A few years ago, I did a workshop with trans actors at the Central School of Speech and Drama. A lot of them were quite rightly interrogating me about my choice to do The Danish Girl, and pointing out that many trans actors don’t go to drama school because they don’t see it as an opportunity. Unless there are parts that you think are possible for you to play, why would you? I believe everyone wants to be able to play everything. That’s what we dream of as actors and should do. No one wants to be limited by their gender or sexuality but, historically, these communities haven’t had a seat at the table. Until there’s a levelling, there are certain parts I wouldn’t play.”
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Eddie Redmayne is one of the stars of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter that has spoken out against comments made by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. Back in 2020, the Fantastic Beasts star shared his stance on Rowling’s opinions, which were slammed as being transphobic and saw a divide in Hollywood between those who thought Rowling’s comments were wrong and those who felt she was treated too harshly. In his response at the time, Redmayne said:
“Respect for transgender people remains a cultural imperative, and over the years I have been trying to constantly educate myself. This is an ongoing process. As someone who has worked with both J.K. Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand. I disagree with Jo’s comments. Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid. I would never want to speak on behalf of the community but I do know that my dear transgender friends and colleagues are tired of this constant questioning of their identities, which all too often results in violence and abuse. They simply want to live their lives peacefully, and it’s time to let them do so."
