Eddie Redmayne

Elle April 2016

My sister loved "The Revenant." I had no interest in seeing it because I don't care for Leonardo DeCaprio. He is so ... American. He's like a blob of meaty flesh with puffy, small eyes and an arrogance of one who has spent too much time at the banquet table. I watched the movie because my sister was excited for me to see it. It was beautifully filmed and as a tree lover, I was in ecstasy at the endless shots of tall pines framed by moody skyscapes. Leonardo? oh, he was okay. For the bear scene alone, I suppose, he deserved the Oscar.

George Clooney is another one that I don't get. I was so excited to see Gwen Stefani in James Corden's "Car Pool Karaoke" until he showed up! What does George Clooney, or Julia Roberts for that matter, have to do with Gwen Stefani? It was a surprisingly brazen publicity stunt for a movie that I have no interest in seeing. I was disappointed in Corden ... I thought that he was above the cut. And Clooney, if Leo is spend too much time at the banquet, George is too long spent at his dressing table admiring his visage.

But give me an English … Irish … Scottish actor … classically trained, masculinely waifish, self-deprecating in an easy awareness of his own prowess, and a naughty sense of humor. That was pretty thick, eh?! But well deserved in my opinion.

I first saw Eddie Redmayne in “My Week with Marilyn.” It was a movie that I resisted beyond its Oscar season, but when I caved, I found Eddie. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him, his freckles and his being there while hanging back sort of persona. Americans actors are always so in your face … with bravado, prowess, athleticism, whatever. It’s the American way of living. The Brits are so much more reserved. I like that in a man. Often in my day to day, I find my own unreservedness overwhelming, and I’ve often thought that someone else’s reservedness would be a welcome temper. At the end of the day, I don’t want Leo or George in my face even if they are only on screen. I would rather have Eddie or Hugh or Colin or Rupert (Graves … my favorite) or Clive. They are like Vaseline Intensive Care in every crack and smoothing every flake.