Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking has accomplished so much professionally (his countless contributions to science) as well as personally (he was given two years to live following his motor neuron disease diagnosis) that director James Marsh could have easily made his upcoming film The Theory of Everything a straightforward biopic. But the movie is a love story at heart, and Jane Hawking, played by Felicity Jones, is as much a part of it as Hawking, played by Eddie Redmayne in a performance that’s already garnered plenty of early Oscar buzz.
Adapted from Jane Hawking’s memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life With Stephen Hawking, Marsh’s film spends plenty of time exploring the couple’s early courtship after they met as students at the University of Cambridge. In this scene, premiering exclusively at TIME today, Hawking’s remarkable curiosity about how the world works starts to win over Jane during the university’s famous annual May Ball.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Biden Drops Out of Presidential Race , Endorses Harris to Replace Him
- Why Biden Dropped Out
- The Chaos and Commotion of the RNC in Photos
- Why We All Have a Stake in Twisters’ Success
- 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep
- Stop Feeling Bad About Sweating
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Write to Nolan Feeney at nolan.feeney@time.com