Did Eddie Redmayne have any anxieties about playing Stephen Hawking, one of the most brilliant minds of our time, in The Theory of Everything? “There was a hilarious moment where I had fear for a good few months about playing someone as intelligent as that and I had a few sleepless nights about it,” Redmayne told Vulture at the Art Directors Guild Awards, where he was a presenter. “Then I had this epiphany: I was lucky enough to go to Cambridge [Note: Hawking also attended Cambridge] and while I was there, the really bright people I met, the seriously bright people, never felt the need to demonstrate their intelligence. So I woke up all sprightly and thought … if I just pretend I’m really confident in my own intellect, then everything will be absolutely fine. Appear confident in yourself and then maybe people will think you’re bright.” Mission accomplished, Mr. Redmayne.
