Variety talks about how Eddie had to swim in the water during the cold winter for his newest film.

The “Fantastic Beasts” movies star Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, a wizard and Magizoologist who embarks on a series of adventures that take place decades before the Harry Potter books.

In an interview for Variety’s Actors on Actors, presented by Amazon Studios, Jamie Dornan recalls celebrating with Eddie Redmayne on a vacation in Istanbul — the two are close friends — when he got the news that he’d been cast as Newt.

The two actors also discussed their latest roles, among other topics. In the romantic fable “Wild Mountain Thyme,” directed by John Patrick Shanley, Dornan plays an Irishman trying to figure out his feelings for his neighbor.

And in “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, Redmayne plays antiwar activist Tom Hayden who faces federal charges for protesting at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

Redmayne is now filming “Fantastic Beasts 3,” which hasn’t been an easy production. The Warner Bros. tentpole had to delay its summer shoot date due to the coronavirus, and recast Johnny Depp — who portrays the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald — after he’d been asked to resign by the studio following abuse allegations.

Mads Mikkelsen will now play the role of Grindelwald.

“What can we expect from the third installment of ‘Fantastic Beasts’?” Dornan asks Redmayne.

“I can’t tell you anything other than the fact that I think I’ve got some night shoots in Watford, in Leavesden, [England], that we were meant to shoot in the summer in water,” Redmayne says. “But now obviously because of lockdown, and the film shutdown, they’re being shot in early December. And suddenly you find yourself swimming outdoors in British winter.”

After pausing, Redmayne adds: “What can I tell you about the plot? Really, not much, mate. I mean, when you come over for dinner, I can tell you. Except — I can’t, because that would be the NDA that I signed.”

Backstage Magazine highlighted the cast of The Trial of the Chicago 7 in their January 20th issue.

As we look back at 2020, we at Backstage have pinpointed the year’s best big- and small-screen ensemble work for your SAG Awards consideration and beyond.

Main Cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, Jeremy Strong
Casting by: Francine Maisler
Directed by: Aaron Sorkin
Written by: Aaron Sorkin
Distributed by: Netflix

Proverbial gun to my head, I could not tell you who is the lead (or leads) in Netflix’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7.” I couldn’t tell you who should qualify as supporting or lead, either. Every actor in this Aaron Sorkin historical drama plays such a pivotal role in the film’s success—and has carved out such a lived-in performance— that it’s impossible to rank one character as more instrumental to the storytelling than any other. (Fittingly, they’ll all be campaigning as supporting this year.)

That said, we have to start somewhere, and we might as well begin with what easily comes as the film’s most surprising performance—or rather, its most surprising performer: Sacha Baron Cohen. That’s right, the writer-actor-prankster behind “Borat” turns in one of the best film performances of the year as Abbie Hoffman. He’s the most raucous of the real-life seven who were charged with conspiracy by the federal government in 1969, in the wake of protests at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago the year prior.

The film recounts not only a true story from the semi-recent past, but one that has particular relevance in a year when Black Lives Matter protests poured onto the streets across the country for months on end; it certainly adds pressure to both the cast and creative team to get it right.

But like Baron Cohen, whose period-appropriate Afro and Worcester, Massachusetts, accent are just so, they each nail it. Among the film’s many other scene stealers is “Succession” star and recent Emmy Award winner Jeremy Strong. As activist Jerry Rubin, the actor leans so far into a particular style of ’60s hippie vocal fry that it would border on caricature if it weren’t so accurate—and he weren’t so committed. (It’s now well-documented that Strong requested that Sorkin actually tear gas him during the filming of a protest scene; if that’s not commitment, nothing is.)

Also among the cast is Academy Award winner Mark Rylance, serving here as the misfit group’s lawyer, William Kunstler; with his air of genuine warmth, Rylance provides what is basically the film’s sturdy spine. Kunstler lived and died in New York City, a long way from home for the British-born Rylance, yet you’d never know it from his spot-on Big Apple intonation. The actor’s pitch-perfect accent work is unsurprising, given that he told Backstage last year that his way into a character almost always begins with finding their voice.

The stellar ensemble additionally includes Eddie Redmayne, “Watchmen” star (and 2020 Emmy Award winner) Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Frank Langella, Michael Keaton, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. (Did I mention this cast is stacked?) Still, the real MVPs of “Trial of the Chicago Seven” are its many dialect coaches. There are four of them credited, and in case no one else does so this awards season, we’ll speak their names here.

Michael Buster, Jerome Butler, Martin McKellan, and Tim Monich: You almost certainly helped a few actors on their way to winning some awards this season, and that in itself deserves a shining trophy.

Eddie and Jamie did a virtual chat and Variety has given us a bit of their interview.

Jamie Dornan (“Wild Mountain Thyme”) and Eddie Redmayne (“The Trial of the Chicago 7”) sat down for a virtual chat for Variety‘s Actors on Actors, presented by Amazon Studios.

Jamie Dornan and Eddie Redmayne began their time in Hollywood as roommates: Reunited on a video chat a decade later, they reflect on driving their tiny red rental car around Los Angeles, only to be rejected at auditions over and over.

It’s notable that both actors find themselves juggling art-house fare and franchise work, making them two of the most recognizable leading men of their generation. In Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7” (Netflix), Redmayne plays antiwar activist Tom Hayden as he faces federal charges for protesting at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. And in John Patrick Shanley’s “Wild Mountain Thyme,” distributed by Bleecker Street, Dornan portrays Anthony, an Irish Mr. Darcy who can’t figure out his feelings for his neighbor (Emily Blunt).

Jamie Dornan: Let’s start by talking about “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and your portrayal of Thomas Hayden. I have to start by saying I didn’t know a lot about that trial. You are brilliant in it, as you are in everything. How was your experience making that movie?

Eddie Redmayne: Thanks for being kind about it. I think you know that Aaron Sorkin has always been someone that I’ve sort of loved, and whose work I’ve been kind of mildly obsessed with. So it was genuinely one of those moments when the script arrived that it sort of felt too good to be true. And I kind of said yes before reading the thing.

There was actually that slight hesitation, when you really love someone’s work, and you can’t quite believe that they’ve invited you to the party. And then there’s the fear of: What if it’s the one shoddy one they do? Because I’ve done that; I’ve worked with brilliant actors who never do bad films, except for the film I do with them. But it was brilliant, and a really riveting read.

Dornan: Let’s take ourselves back about 10 years ago. “The West Wing” was the only television show you’d ever watched in your life. And you were just obsessed with it.

Redmayne: Yeah, yeah.

Dornan: So much of the movie reminded me of the courtroom dramas that were such a part of our viewing experience in the ’90s: “A Few Good Men” is the most quotable one. To be in one of those table-slamming courtroom dramas is so exciting though.

Redmayne: Oh, I did actually slam the table. I even slammed the door at one point.

Dornan: You did?

Redmayne: That was quite satisfying. Mark Rylance got the mother of all slams, and that was genuinely terrifying each time.

Before I worked with Aaron, I read all the stuff. I remember listening to a podcast with Jessica Chastain [about how precise Sorkin is]. The specificity is huge. And I wondered how you found it with John Patrick Shanley. Had you read the play? Did you guys shift anything in the adaptation?

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I am so excited for this season of Actors on Actors which will feature Eddie with his friend Jamie Dornan.

Variety and PBS SoCal announced today the actor lineup and schedule for the thirteenth season of their three-time EMMY® award-winning series Variety Studio: Actors on Actors.

The new season was filmed entirely from the actors’ homes and includes exclusive one-on-one conversations between top acting talent from potential contending movies in this year’s Academy Awards race. The episodes will premiere on PBS SoCal on Friday, March 5 at 8:00 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:00 pm and 9:30 pm. All episodes will stream on pbssocal.org and on the free PBS Video app following their premieres.

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors won a Daytime Emmy® award in 2019 and Los Angeles Area EMMY® awards for best entertainment programming in 2015 and 2016. The series was produced by PBS SoCal in partnership with Variety Media, LLC.

Variety’s Actors on Actors issue will hit newsstands on Jan. 20 with clips appearing on Variety.com starting Jan. 19. All Variety.com Actors on Actors videos will be presented by Amazon Studios.

This season’s featured conversations are:

Jodie Foster (“The Mauritanian”) with Anthony Hopkins (“The Father”)

Ben Affleck (“The Way Back”) with Sacha Baron Cohen (“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” “The Trial of the Chicago 7”)

George Clooney (“The Midnight Sky”) with Michelle Pfeiffer (“French Exit”)

Tom Holland (“Cherry”) with Daniel Kaluuya (“Judas and the Black Messiah”)

Andra Day (“The United States vs. Billie Holiday”) with Leslie Odom Jr. (“One Night in Miami”)

Jamie Dornan (“Wild Mountain Thyme”) with Eddie Redmayne (“The Trial of the Chicago 7”)

Glenn Close (“Hillbilly Elegy”) with Pete Davidson (“The King of Staten Island”)

Jared Leto (“The Little Things”) with John David Washington (“Malcolm & Marie”)

Zendaya (“Malcolm & Marie”) with Carey Mulligan (“Promising Young Woman”)

Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”) with Steven Yeun (“Minari”)

Vanessa Kirby (“Pieces of a Woman”) with Amanda Seyfried (“Mank”)

“Given the previous success of ‘Actors on Actors,’ Variety is once again excited to bring the 2021 version directly from the safety of the homes of this awards season’s outstanding contenders,” said Michelle Sobrino-Stearns, President and Group Publisher of Variety. “Along with our good partner PBS SoCal, Variety’s three-time Emmy award-winning series allows our audience to view intimate one-on-one conversations with the biggest stars in the film industry.”

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors will air on PBS stations across the nation starting in March, and on the WORLD Channel (check local listings).

The Hollywood Insider did an article about Eddie and his journey as an actor.

Offline life and my role as a parent has taken over the past few weeks and so I need to take a moment and wish Eddie a happy belated birthday!

The fan’s Annual Birthday Fundraiser is still going on. The goal is to raise $1000.00 towards the Motor Neurone Disease Association in his honor. This is an organization that is important to Eddie and we want to honor him by supporting the work by helping raise awareness. Go here to send even a small donation in his behalf!

Eddie’s birthday is Jan. 6, and we’re honoring him with this yearly fundraiser where fans can donate to the Motor Neurone Disease Association of the UK in his name. Donations go to important research and to supporting caregivers and families affected by this cruel disease.

Eddie won every major film acting award — including the Oscar — for “The Theory of Everything” and his vivid portrayal of Stephen Hawking, who defied science to live with the deadly disease for more than a half-century. Eddie’s intensely personal research into the effects of MND/ALS on its sufferers and their families led him to become a Patron of the Association.

Tonight is the Gotham Awards and the cast of The Trial of the Chicago 7 will receive the inaugural Ensemble Tribute.

Like all awards shows, the Gotham Awards adjusted the logistics of the ceremony due to the pandemic. Even though it will be presented from its long-time home at the Cipriani, the ceremony will be hostless and will not have in-person attendance. Instead, audience members will be at virtual tables and be able to partake in the event through a digital lens.

This year, Kelly Reichardt’s A24 period drama First Cow leads with four nominations including Best Feature, Best Screenplay as well as Best Actor for John Magaro and Best Breakthrough Actor for Orion Lee.

In addition, the Gotham Awards will honor the late Chadwick Boseman with a posthumous Actor Tribute and Viola Davis with an Actress Tribute. Steve McQueen will receive a Director’s Tribute while Ryan Murphy is set to be honored with an Industry Tribute. The Gotham Awards will also introduce the inaugural Ensemble Tribute which will be given to the cast of Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Read the full list of nominations and winners below.

ENSEMBLE TRIBUTE
The cast of The Trial of the Chicago 7: Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jeremy Strong, Mark Rylance, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Alex Sharp, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Caitlin Fitzgerald, Alice Kremelberg, and Ben Shenkman.

Thank you Deadline for the article.

More caps! This time from The Trial of the Chicago 7. If you haven’t seen this film yet, you need to watch it on Netflix. It truly is a powerful tool.

Gallery Links:
– Eddie Redmayne Web > CAREER > Films > 2020 | The Trial of the Chicago 7 > Captures | The Film

The Institute of Cancer Research shares Carols from Chelsea which Eddie recently participated in. His part starts around 9:25 with a reading of “A New Nativity”.

We are delighted to bring you a special virtual concert to mark our eighteenth ‘Carols from Chelsea’. Featuring carols and music directed by Will Vann, as well as Christmas readings from actor Eddie Redmayne and In-Pensioner Dewi Treharne, it is the perfect way to celebrate the festive season.

We hope you enjoy watching this year’s special ‘Carols from Chelsea’ from the comfort of your home. You will also hear from our CEO, Professor Paul Workman, as well as a message of hope from one of the many families who have been so tragically affected by cancer.

Please consider making a donation this Christmas to help our scientists in making the discoveries that defeat cancer. With your support, we can continue to improve the lives and outcomes for patients and their families.

The newest addition to the gallery is captures from Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald. This is probably one of my favorite of Eddie’s characters. There are little nuances to Eddie’s performance of Newt that just makes me love him.

Gallery Links:
– Eddie Redmayne Web > CAREER > Films > 2018 | Fantastic Beasts : The Crimes of Grindewald > Captures | The Film