Eddie Redmayne revealed to the media that he wanted to be an ally to the transgender community after he took on the role as a transgender on film and knowing what it's like to live as a transgender.
The British-born star became attached to the feelings of being a transgender after he took the lead role as Lili Elbe, who is a transgender and the first-known recipients of sex reassignment surgery, in the pseudo-biographical drama film "The Danish Girl."
He shared his thoughts on this role during the interview on The Graham Norton Show with Jennifer Lawrence. He said, "It's been 15 years in the making and has come out at a time when there has been such a shift in these issues to the mainstream."
"The story is so beautiful and the people from the trans community I met in preparing for the part were incredibly generous. It has been a privilege and, while not in any way talking for the community, I'm trying to learn to be an ally," he added.
He also mentioned about dressing as Lili Elbe when he went out to the streets in Copenhagen. He admitted that it felt different when people were staring at him while wearing 1920s inspired gear.
"I was trying to get all sort of 'method' on it, but I'm not sure how successful I was, because at six foot tall with a red wig and wearing 1920s gear people just stared at. But I learned a lot about the trans world."
Pink News stated that the actor felt very vulnerable when he learned how exactly the transgender people live. Because of the entire experience, he admitted that he has new insights about the trans community.
"The set itself felt very safe when I would be walking around as Lili but there was still this sense of people watching you and feeling judged. Imagine what it must be like for trans women who are constantly facing such judgment as well as discrimination and violence in many cases."
Because of his incredible performance in this film, he received a number of award nominations including the Golden Globe gong for Best Actor.
"The Danish Girl" film was based from the real-life story of the trans woman Lili Elbe, one of the first recipients of gender reassignment surgery.
