‘The Day of the Jackal' Star Eddie Redmayne on Tackling Iconic Characters, Loving ‘The White Lotus' and the How Acting Is the Perfect Front for a Spy
Though Eddie Redmayne currently stars in 'The Day of the Jackal,' one of the most acclaimed new shows of the year, he still has time to check out other television programs – including the buzzy HBO hit 'The White Lotus.' But the Oscar winner isn't throwing his hat into the casting ring for an upcoming season.
'I'm too paranoid about butchering the things I love,' he tells Variety's Awards Circuit Podcast. 'There are some things you don't want to see yourself in because you don't want to ruin it.' Even the fact that the show shoots in beautiful locations isn't enough to convince the actor. 'You say that, but also you have to be topless for the entire thing. And if you're pasty and moley like me…I just don't think the world needs to see my pallid body.'
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On this episode, Redmayne discusses what drew him to that Peacock series. Also, the Roundtable is coming from New York, as Mike and Clayton recount the week's worth of TV upfront presentations – including Warner Bros. Discovery's decision to reinstate the 'HBO Max' name to Max, and also what was Lady Gaga doing at the YouTube upfront event? Listen below!
'Jackal' has already netted Redmayne nominations from the Golden Globes, Critics Choice and SAG Awards. The spy thriller based on the Frederick Forsyth novel was previously adapted into a 1973 film starring Edward Fox as the titular assassin. Redmayne had grown up watching the film and, as previously noted, was hesitant to take on something he loved. But when he was sent the first three scripts by showrunner Ronan Bennett, he was quickly convinced.The actor notes that having come up in the theater, he was somewhat accustomed to taking on roles previously played by others – such as in the film adaptation of 'Les Misérables' or his recent, Olivier Award-winning, Tony-nominated turn as the Emcee in 'Cabaret,' which he cites as the role that 'got me into acting.'
In fact, recreating a role is part of a long tradition in the theater. 'But that's the same whenever you play Shakespeare part, you know?' he notes. 'I did 'Richard II' at the Donmar Warehouse and there was literally the Richard II seat where all the other actors who had played Richard – Ian McKellan, Derek Jacobi, Ben Whishaw – would come and sit in the seat. It was always, 'Oh Christ, there's another icon!''Redmayne finds himself in that position now as a producer on 'Cabaret,' which is continuing runs both on Broadway and the West End. He often returns to see the other actors, from Billy Porter to Mason Alexander Park.
'I've taken such joy going back and watching them all,' he said. 'Seeing how every different Emcee and Sally brings their own individuality and own kind of charisma to the part.'
Redmayne himself garnered quite the response when he performed the opening number on last year's Tony Awards, as viewers got the see the sinister, marionette-like Emcee in close-up. One comment referred to him as 'my sleep paralysis demon,' which is a testament to how unsettling the character is supposed to be.
'I don't know if that was meant to be taken as a positive, but I took it as a positive,' Redmayne reveals. 'I saw him as a grotesque, and he's meant to make you feel uncanny and uncomfortable. There was a sort of puppeteering quality to him – was he the puppet or was he the puppeteer?'It was actually when Redmayne was doing 'Cabaret' in London that 'Jackal' came to him – and the timing was impeccable, as the actor had been toying with an idea for a series.
'One of the weird things about doing theater is every night, someone extraordinary would come and see the show – politicians or the Royal Family or actors – and you'd meet them,' he recalls. 'And I thought, Wouldn't it be interesting if you had a sort of actor who was sort of a spy, but living in plain sight? And had access to all these people. It was an idea that was germinating. And then this arrived.' Redmayne calls the role 'an actor's dream,' noting 'all the stuff that we all love -getting to change your voice and do accents and do languages and change the way you look – it had everything.'
Of all the people who visited Redmayne backstage, he was most caught off guard by Janet Jackson coming to his dressing room, noting that he and the cast were 'completely obsessed.' He adds, 'I think she's such an inspiring performer, and I just couldn't get over the fact that she loved the show and kept coming back.'
Variety's 'Awards Circuit' podcast, hosted by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tangcay, Emily Longeretta, Jenelle Riley and Michael Schneider, who also produces, is your one-stop source for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each episode, 'Awards Circuit' features interviews with top film and TV talent and creatives, discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines, and much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or anywhere you download podcasts.
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