‘The Danish Girl’: Eddie Redmayne transforms into transgender artist

Oscar’s reigning Best Actor Eddie Redmayne transforms into a beautiful woman in “The Danish Girl” trailer, released on Tuesday.

Redmayne is playing the complex role of Einar Wegener, the first man to undergo gender reassignment surgery in 1920s. Wegener transitions from male to female with the support of his wife, Gerda.

The trailer tells the whole story of “The Danish Girl” in 2.37 minutes.

In the trailer, the setting of the story is in the 20th century. Wegener’s wife, Gerda, accidentally causes Wegener to realise his true self by posing for a portrait. From that moment, Wegener tries to act as a woman and transform into one. Eventually, their partnership is tested in many ways that they were never prepared for.

“The Danish Girl” is Redmayne’s next big project after “The Theory of Everything.” It is based on David Ebershoff’s novel of the same name. The film is a semi-fictionalised look at the life of Wegener, a Danish painter who changed name to Lili Elbe after the surgery.

The film revolves around the journey of Einar Wegener towards transition and his love for wife and childhood friend, played by Alicia Vikander and Matthias Schoenaerts.

To prepare for the role and to understand Lili Elbe’s character, Redmayne met many transgender women and tried to learn from their experiences, Entertainment Weekly reported.

“I have put on dresses and wigs and makeup… I’m beginning to embark on that and trying to find out who she is,” Redmayne said.

Alicia Vikander has been cast as Lili Elbe’s wife. She told EW that she identifies with the story. “We see the trans civil-rights movement unfolding at the moment… And we see how it’s very relatable. With any big change in life, anyone you’re close to goes on the journey with you,” Vikander said.

“It’s amazing how much it’s about two people who go through that change together. And I like how we show both sides in our story,” Vikander added. “It’s about being able to love yourself, truly and honestly, but it’s also a love story between two people.”

Redmayne reunites with Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper. Redmayne and Hooper have previously worked together in the 2012 adaptation of "Les Miserables.”

Hooper told Screendaily on Tuesday, “Eddie was really the person I wanted to make the film with, and I was very passionate about that,” Hooper said. He added, “I was a great believer in him as an actor… I felt that there was something in him that was drawn to the feminine… That was something I felt he might be interested to explore further.”

“The Danish Girl” opens Nov. 27.