Stephen Hawking on Eddie Redmayne: 'At Times I Thought He Was Me'

Eddie Redmayne gave a transformative performance as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, and as part of a push for a Best Actor nomination (and possible win), Focus Features released a video that detailed the intensive work that went into his star turn, including a touching endorsement from the man he was portraying:

"I thought Eddie Redmayne portrayed me very well," Hawking said. "At times I thought he was me."

Redmayne is considered to be a shoe-in for a Best Actor nomination, although whether he'll win is a different story. In many years, he would be a no-brainer, especially since the Academy has historically rewarded dramatic physical changes for a role (Natalie Portman in Black Swan, Christian Bale in The Machinist, and Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club, to name a few). But the field is as packed this year as it's ever been, with stiff competition from seemingly every respected actor known to man: Benedict Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game, Michael Keaton in Birdman, Steve Carell in Foxcatcher, David Oyelowo in Selma, Ralph Fiennes in The Grand Budapest Hotel, Oscar Isaac in A Most Violent Year, Miles Teller in Whiplash, Ben Affleck in Gone Girl, the list goes on and on. Given the extensive preparation and his rave reviews, Redmayne should be safe for a nomination, but given the strength of the field, an extra push can't hurt.