Eddie Redmayne Reveals Portraying a Trans Character in The Danish Girl ‘Was a Mistake’

Eddie Redmayne opened up about his portrayal of a transgender character in the 2015 film The Danish Girl, admitting that taking on that role was “a mistake.”

The Oscar, Tony, and Olivier winning actor sat down with the United Kingdom’s Sunday Times to discuss his ongoing performance as the Emcee at the new West End production of Cabaret. 

“Of all the characters I’ve ever read, this one defies pigeonholing. I would ask people to come and see it before casting judgment,” Redmayne said of his portrayal of Emcee, a role that has often been played by LGBTQ+ actors.

Redmayne’s casting in the role has it has attracted some criticism, as some thought the role should have gone to a member of the LGBTQ+ community — mirroring backlash the actor has faced before.

While his portrayal of transgender woman Lili Elbe in The Danish Girl garnered significant critical acclaim, the casting choice was condemned by others arguing that a member of the transgender community should have been given the opportunity to star in the role.

“No, I wouldn’t take it on now,” Redmayne told The Sunday Times of the role. “I made that film with the best intentions, but I think it was a mistake.”

Despite seeming to regret his decision, the actor clarified that he believes any actor “should be able to play any sort of part if one plays it with a sense of integrity and responsibility.”

Redmayne admitted that when he portrayed Elbe, there had been “years of cisgender success on the back of trans stories,” adding that he hopes for better representation in the future.

“The bigger discussion about the frustrations around casting is because many people don’t have a chair at the table,” Redmayne said. “There must be a leveling, otherwise we are going to carry on having these debates.”

Redmayne, who starred in Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, had previously spoken out against comments J.K. Rowling made on the transgender community.

“I disagree with Jo’s comments. Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid,” the actor said in a statement.

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