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See the First Photo of Eddie Redmayne as a Transgender Painter in The Danish Girl

The new Oscar winner plays early 20th-century artist Lili Elbe

Fresh off his Best Actor win at the Oscars, Eddie Redmayne is back in the spotlight with the release of the first photo from his role in The Danish Girl.

Redmayne plays Lili Elbe, an early 20th-century Danish artist who was born as a man named Einar Wegener and received one of the earliest sex-change operations. The film is based on the David Ebershoff novel of the same name and is directed by Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech).

Redmayne has addressed criticism that the role was not being played by an actual transgender woman, saying in an interview with The Telegraph earlier this year, “There is an incredibly valid discussion for why a trans actress isn’t playing the part, because there are so many brilliant trans actresses, and I’m sure there are many who could play this part sensationally.” The issue of hormone therapy was a problem, he said, because it wasn’t available in the early 20th century when Elbe transitioned.

If the casting controversy doesn’t get in the way, perhaps Redmayne could see a second Oscar nomination when the movie comes out in 2016.

[The Telegraph]

Read next: Read Stephen Hawking’s Sweet Note to Eddie Redmayne After His Oscar Win

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