Eddie Redmayne recalls hilarious failed audition to play a Star Wars villain as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles

Eddie Redmayne recalls hilarious failed audition to play a Star Wars villain as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles

As I gaze upon the relaxed yet poised demeanor of Eddie Redmayne, casually clad in his everyday attire before transforming into the enigmatic Jackal for the upcoming political thriller, The Day of the Jackal, I can’t help but feel a sense of awe and anticipation. With a career that spans from playing Stephen Hawking to Newt Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts series, Eddie has shown an unparalleled versatility that makes him the perfect choice for this complex role.


Eddie Redmayne shared a story about a humorous audition he had for a Star Wars villain role during his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

42-year-old actor from The Theory of Everything landed in Los Angeles this week, ready to appear as a guest on Wednesday’s episode of the talk show.

During the interview, Eddie was asked about auditions he had done in the past where he hadn’t got the part – and revealed he had once been seen to play a Star Wars ‘baddie’. 

However, the actor mentioned that for major film productions, they might not be provided with a script during auditions. Instead, they may be given lines from diverse projects to help convey the essence of the character. For instance, in the example given, the actor could have been handed lines from Star Trek and Pride and Prejudice.

Trying to grasp the true character of the suspected antagonist, Eddie remembered his unsuccessful tryout, during which he had aimed to portray Mr. Darcy in a Darth Vader-like tone of voice.

Eddie Redmayne recalls hilarious failed audition to play a Star Wars villain as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles

Eddie Redmayne recalls hilarious failed audition to play a Star Wars villain as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles
Eddie Redmayne recalls hilarious failed audition to play a Star Wars villain as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles

Years ago, I had an opportunity to audition for a role, but at the time, we weren’t given any details about the project. What frustrated me most about auditioning for big movies is that they don’t let you read the script; you have no idea what it’s about. All I knew was that it was for a Star Wars production, and there was even a chance I could play a villain.

However, they do not provide the full script. Instead, they offer fragments or sections, similar to individual script pages. By examining these, I figured out it was combining elements from Star Trek and Pride and Prejudice, as you might guess from my laughter.

In essence, I approached the audition, aware it was for a Star Wars villain. Somehow, I delivered a scene reminiscent of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, but in a voice similar to Darth Vader.

The crowd erupted in laughter when Eddie imitated his unique blend of Mr. Darcy and Darth Vader voices. He then shared a story about a kind casting director named Nina Gold, who had been particularly gracious towards him in the past.

After approximately seven to eight attempts, I delivered my unique blend of sci-fi, quirky, romantic, yet troubled father tone. At last, she inquired, “Eddie, is there anything else you can offer?” To which I responded, “Nothing more.

‘So she’s like “Do you want to go?” and I was like “I think I should”.’

In a jovial tone, Jimmy questioned: ‘When the casting director says after an audition, “Do you have anything else?” does it make you think you didn’t get the role?’

‘Yeah it tends to be the case,’ Eddie replied. 

Eddie Redmayne recalls hilarious failed audition to play a Star Wars villain as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles
Eddie Redmayne recalls hilarious failed audition to play a Star Wars villain as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles
Eddie Redmayne recalls hilarious failed audition to play a Star Wars villain as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles
Eddie Redmayne recalls hilarious failed audition to play a Star Wars villain as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles
Eddie Redmayne recalls hilarious failed audition to play a Star Wars villain as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles

This morning, it was noticed that Eddie made his way into the Jimmy Kimmel Live studio in Los Angeles before the taping began.

He kept it casual in a grey t-shirt and slim jeans, with a pair of sunglasses hanging off his collar. 

Initially, Eddie wore casual trainers to complement his laid-back appearance; later on, he switched to a formal suit for the talk show.

After Eddie unveiled his role as an actor and participation behind the scenes for the thriller series, The Day of the Jackal, it followed that…

Eddie along with his fellow actor Lashana Lynch, aged 36, who portray Jackal and Bianca in a series that follows a cat-and-mouse theme, shared their insights about assuming these roles and how this modern take on the narrative differs from the original, during an interview with Radio Times.

The forthcoming political thriller serves as the second English-language remake, being inspired by a 1973 movie that itself was based on a 1971 book with the same title.

In a modern political context, The Day of the Jackal (2024) revolves around a singular, extraordinarily evasive assassin known as “The Jackal”. This professional operates outside the norm, executing contracts for top dollar.

Yet, the cunning Jackal encounters a relentless British intelligence operative who embarks on a pursuit, leading to an exhilarating game of hide-and-seek spanning through various cities in Europe, causing devastation along the way.

Eddie Redmayne recalls hilarious failed audition to play a Star Wars villain as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles
Eddie Redmayne recalls hilarious failed audition to play a Star Wars villain as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles
Eddie Redmayne recalls hilarious failed audition to play a Star Wars villain as he appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles

Additionally featured are Chukwudi Iwuji from Guardians of the Galaxy, Charles Dance known for Game of Thrones, and Ursula Corbero hailing from Money Heist.

Eddie shared with the press: “Upon seeing this in my email, I must admit I was quite apprehensive because it seemed truly exceptional. So, I approached it with a touch of caution.

What I appreciate about the initial design, skillfully preserved by Ronan, is an unusual concept: we find ourselves rooting for two main characters who are heavily morally flawed, often making harsh decisions. Despite this, there’s a sense of empathy towards each of them.

He mentioned that the updated edition presents a challenge in determining which character to support, as the moral landscape becomes more complex.

He pointed out that there’s a vague, gray area inside each of us – a notion that the distinction between good and evil isn’t as clear-cut as we often think.

Simultaneously, Lashana confessed that when offered the part of Bianca, she requested involvement in the film’s production as well.

The actress stated her intention to safeguard the topics she truly intended to explore within the work.

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2024-10-31 13:52

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