Eddie Redmayne Was 'Confused' About Transgender Issues Before 'The Danish Girl'
"I fell into all the clichés of ignorance," Redmayne said.
— -- Eddie Redmayne may be playing Lili Elbe, born Einar Wegener, in the upcoming film "The Danish Girl," but the Oscar winner is quick to admit he wasn't as educated as he thought about the transgender community when he first found out about the role.
"You don't want to let people down," he tells Details magazine about taking on the anticipated role of the first person to undergo sex-reassignment surgery back in the 1930's.
"I fell into all the clichés of ignorance," he said. "I didn't realize that gender and sexuality weren't related."
Before starring in this buzz-worthy movie, the award-winning actor confused the terms of "transvestism" and "transgender." He explained that, where he sits now is "lovely."
"The second you understand the difference, you see how gigantic it is and how important it is that we educate ourselves," he said.
So, Redmayne did what all great actors do, he researched until he knew the person he was playing and the community she champions.
In fact, the actor explained that the reaction from the cast and crew when he walked out as Lili Elbe "was overwhelming."
Just walking onto a set filled with men, watching the difference in how you're treated, or the scrutiny faced is different, The British actor added.
"A lot of the women I worked with said, 'Yeah . . . welcome to our world,'" Redmayne said.
