Here's How Eddie Redmayne Prepared For Role In The Good Nurse

Not every actor knows how to turn their hand to a host of different roles. Some find a character they can relate to and they know how to bring to life before settling into a career playing nothing other than the same type of person. Others? They know how to spread their wings and turn to a variety of projects. Take Eddie Redmayne.

From the biographical movies ‘The Theory of Everything’ and ‘The Danish Girl’ to the fantasy ‘Fantastic Beasts’ franchise and everything in between, Eddie really does know how to turn his hand to most things. Still, it might not be until you learn about how Eddie Redmayne prepared for his role in ‘The Good Nurse’ that you get a true understanding of his acting capabilities.

Eddie Redmayne admits he’s not a fan of true crime

The crime movie ‘The Good Nurse’ follows the life - and crimes - of Charles Cullen, a nurse who could have ended the lives of as many as 400 people. It’s a far cry from the roles we have seen Eddie Redmayne in before and one that might not come again any time soon. That’s because the actor told W Magazine that he’s not a fan of true crime, even though he knows the world is “obsessed.” Instead, Eddie believes ‘The Good Nurse’ does more than just focus on the criminal himself, as they also hope to tell the story of the hero who helped to bring him to justice.

The actor says it was a balancing act to play all parts of Charles Cullen

It wasn’t until Eddie Redmayne spoke to the real-life Amy Loughren (played by Jessica Chastain) - aka the one who befriended Charles Cullen and helped to bring him down - that the actor learned all about the character he was bringing to life. Eddie admits he discovered Charles was a “kind, generous, open-hearted, brilliant nurse,” which added even more layers to the movie. Suddenly, Eddie had to learn how to play someone who could do such horrific things while also being a friend to those around him. While it was a balancing act, it was something Eddie ultimately pulled off with ease.

Not having answers was frustrating for Eddie Redmayne

True crime fans know that we don’t always get answers to the questions that keep us up at night. While the real Charles Cullen has been arrested and charged, he has never given an answer as to why he ended the lives of so many people he was meant to be helping. Apparently, this is one of the things that annoyed Eddie Redmayne while filming ‘The Good Nurse.’ The actor admitted to W Magazine that he read through the script for the first time and immediately wanted to know why he did what he did. Unfortunately, it’s a question Eddie and so many others still have today.

Eddie Redmayne enrolled in nursing school for the role

It’s not just the balancing act of having to learn how to be two different people rolled into one that kept Eddie Redmayne so busy during ‘The Good Nurse.’ The actor and his costar, Jessica Chastain, wanted to ensure they were fully prepared for their roles, so they ended up enrolling in nursing school for two weeks. Sadly, heading back to school might not have been as smooth as he imagined, with Eddie admitting he “couldn’t really concentrate” and “It was a disaster.”

Learning all about how Eddie Redmayne prepared for his role in ‘The Good Nurse’ shows just how far the actor is willing to go to bring a character to life. While it might have taken a lot of work and effort, Eddie goes to show just how worth it is when the final production hits the big screen.