Eddie Redmayne Jokes About His Terrible ‘Jupiter Ascending’ Performance & Says He’s “A Bit Of A Marmite Actor”

Judging by his work in films like “The Danish Girl,” “The Theory of Everything,” and “Les Misérables,” it’s clear why many people consider Eddie Redmayne one of the finest actors working today. He’s even secured one Oscar win for ‘Theory’ and another nomination for ‘Danish Girl.’ So yeah, that’s why his performance in “Jupiter Ascending” seems to be a bit of an anomaly. An anomaly that Redmayne attempts to explain in a new video.

Speaking to GQ, as he breaks down all of his iconic roles, Redmayne spends a bit of time talking about “Jupiter Ascending” and why he believes that people consider it one of his worst acting jobs to date. For those that avoided the film like the plague (and there are plenty of you, sane people, out there), the actor played Balem Abrasax, a royal and wealthy business mogul that is the villain hellbent on stopping Mila Kunis’ character Jupiter and her half-dog partner Caine Wise, played by Channing Tatum.

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So, what drew Redmayne to “Jupiter Ascending,” which turned out to be a completely batshit space opera from the Wachowskis? Well, it appears it was that exact batshit-ness that he was drawn to. “I remember watching ‘Cloud Atlas’ with Kate Mara, and I think Rooney Mara, in the cinema, and it being the most extraordinary, bonkers thing I had ever seen…as was ‘Jupiter Ascending.’ [Laughs]” says the actor.

He goes on to explain why the role was so polarizing, which Redmayne chalks up to people just loving or hating him. Redmayne says, “We have this spread in England for toast called Marmite. And the ad slogan is ‘You either like it or you hate it.’ And I’ve always thought of myself as a bit of a Marmite actor. People either enjoy what I do or loathe what I do.

He continues, “And for those people that loathe what I do, ‘Jupiter Ascending’ seems to be their favorite of my performances. [Laughs]”

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Redmayne goes on to explain that he made the bold choice, based on his character’s history and biography, to use a particular low, raspy voice for the role. However, he says, “But in retrospect, it may have been too much?”

“I won a prize for it for the Worst Performance of the Year. So, yeah, it was a pretty bad performance on my account,” he jokes.

All that being said, he doesn’t hate the film or his experience on set, concluding, “I love the Wachowskis. I have never felt so free on set.”

Eddie Redmayne will next be seen in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” which hits theaters Friday.