Why actor Eddie Redmayne can’t wait to play wizard Newt Scamander in the third Fantastic Beast film
British star tells STYLE about immersing himself in his roles – including Oscar-winning turn in The Theory of Everything – at Shanghai launch of the Planet Omega exhibition
It is a chilly morning in late spring in Shanghai where temperatures have plummeted 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight.
As journalists are gathering in the draughty conference room at The Peninsula Shanghai, British actor Eddie Redmayne walks in wearing a baseball jacket, jeans and – since he is in town to launch the Planet Omega exhibition – on his wrist is an Omega Seamaster as well.
“How’s everybody doing today?” he cheerfully greets us all, as if we’re old colleagues.
When we reciprocate in kind he seems genuinely chuffed.
He has had a good night’s sleep. “We got in Thursday morning. I slept very well on the plane,” he says with his signature schoolboy smile.
“I spent yesterday exploring Shanghai, which is wonderful. I haven’t been here for about 12 years. It’s extraordinary how [the city has] changed.”
It’s been quite a decade for the red-headed Eton graduate, who shot to international fame for his role in the 2010 miniseries, The Pillars of the Earth.
Since then Redmayne has gone from strength to strength, starring in films such as 2011’s Oscar-nominated My Week with Marilyn and the 2012 blockbuster Les Misérables.
What I love about [Fantastic Beast’s] Newt is he has his own magic. How he’s not necessarily the greatest, most powerful wizard in the world, but he has his unique approach to magic
