Eddie Redmayne won a Oscar nom for his role as painter Lili Elbe, one of the first recipients of gender reassignment surgery in 2015’s The Danish Girl. 

But casting a cisgender, straight actor as a trans woman also sparked criticism. In a new interview with London’s Sunday Times, Redmayne says he wouldn’t take the role,

“No, I wouldn’t take it on now.

I made that film with the best intentions, but I think it was a mistake.” 

When it’s noted that Redmayne participation likely helped the film’s script at last get made so that more diverse voices can be represented he says

“The bigger discussion about the frustrations around casting is because many people don’t have a chair at the table.

There must be a leveling, otherwise we are going to carry on having these debates.”

His latest role is the flamboyant Emcee in a new London production of Cabaret. That role has frequently, been played by actors who identify as LGBTQ, including Alan Cumming and Joel Grey, who wasn’t out at the time and waited nearly 40 years before he spoke publicly about his sexuality. 

“Of all the characters I’ve ever read, this one defies pigeonholing.

I would ask people to come and see it before casting judgment.”

Cabaret is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions and Underbelly. Visit KitKat.club for more information and tickets. 

(via Yahoo!)