Stephen Hawking (Photo : Reuters)
"Unfortunately, Eddie did not inherit my good looks," cosmologist Stephen Hawking, 73, joked referring to 2015 Academy Awards Best Actor nominee Eddie Redmayne, CNN reported.
Suffering from the degenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, Hawking permanently lost his ability to speak in 1985. He currently uses an electronic speech synthesizer to communicate in instantly recognizable tones.
Nominated for Best Actor at the 2015 Oscars for his performance as Hawking in "The Theory Of Everything," Redmayne is set to go against "Foxcatcher" actor Steve Carrell, "American Sniper" actor Bradley Cooper, "The Imitation Game" actor Benedict Cumberbatch and "Birdman" actor Michael Keaton.
Playing the famed British theoretical physicist's wife in "The Theory Of Everything" is Felicity Jones.
Directed by James Marsh and written by Anthony McCarten based on the memoir of Jones' character titled "Travelling To Infinity: My Life With Stephen," "The Theory Of Everything" received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor for Redmayne, and Best Actress for Jones and Best Picture.
With Redmayne and Jones in "The Theory Of Everything" cast are Emily Watson, Sophie Perry, Tom Prior, Harry Lloyd, Finlay Wright-Stephens, Alice Orr-Ewing, Paul Longley, David Thewlis, Michael Marcus, Christian McKay and Simon McBurney, among others.
In an exclusive clip, Jones said Redmayne's "incredible commitment" made her to do better with her performance the biopic. She said, "I have to up my game."
Redmayne recently appeared in "Jupiter Ascending" with Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis. Currently, the 2015 Academy Awards nominee is filming "The Danish Girl."
