BRITISH actor Eddie Redmayne recently took part in a fundraising gala where he joined the doctors and nurses who helped him research for his role as Stephen Hawking in the film The Theory of Everything.
The National Brain Appeal’s Mission: Possible fundraising gala was held on May 12 at the Lansdowne Club in Mayfair, and Redmayne praised the work of neurologists at Queen Square’s Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases.
“I was so warmly welcomed by them when I was researching my role as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. My time spent there was invaluable and I am so grateful,” Redmayne said.
His performance as Stephen Hawking was critically acclaimed, landing Redmayne an Oscar, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a BAFTA for Best Actor.
To prepare for the role, Redmayne would visit the neurology clinic in London every two weeks where he would interview patients. Besides meeting more than 30 patients, he also went to some of their homes.
The event was the brainchild of consultant neurologist Dr Hadi Manji and was hosted by ITV’s Good Morning Britain presenter Richard Arnold. The charity raised £125,000 for the Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases (NMC) at the hospital.
The Brain Appeal charity funds research at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Queen Square in central London.
