The great Stephen Hawking passed away today at his home in Cambridge, England at the age of 76. In 2014, we had the honor of releasing James Marsh’s The Theory of Everything with Eddie Redmayne playing the groundbreaking astrophysicist in a story about his remarkable life.
Today Redmayne joins a chorus of others in remembering the man and his achievements. Director James Marsh notes, “His endurance, his bravery and his productivity were humbling and remarkable. Above all, he was unique in every way.” The Theory of Everything screenwriter Anthony McCarten adds, “It was one of the great honours of my life to have met him, spent some time with him, and been his cinematic biographer.” In a statement issued to the press, Redmayne writes, "We have lost a truly beautiful mind, an astonishing scientist and the funniest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet." He adds, “My love and thoughts are with his extraordinary family.”
In making the film, Redmayne remembers meeting Hawking as “one of the great moments in my life.” Later, after seeing the movie, Hawking returned the compliment, writing on his Facebook page, “I thought Eddie Redmayne portrayed me very well in The Theory of Everything movie... At times, I thought he was me.” But there was only one Stephen Hawking.
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