--- description: The new Oscar winner plays Lili Elbe title: See Eddie Redmayne as a Transgender Painter in 'The Danish Girl' image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [movies](/tag/movies/) ## movies Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # See the First Photo of Eddie Redmayne as a Transgender Painter in _The Danish Girl_ ## Video: Oscars 2015: Eddie Redmayne Best Actor Speech [Watch (HLS stream): Oscars 2015: Eddie Redmayne Best Actor Speech](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ge8wieDs.m3u8) (0:32)  _Published 2015-02-23. Oscars 2015: Eddie Redmayne Best Actor Speech_ by [Sarah Begley](/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 27, 2015 3:15 PM CUT by [Sarah Begley](/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 27, 2015 3:15 PM CUT Fresh off his Best Actor win at the Oscars, Eddie Redmayne is back in the spotlight with the release of the first photo from his role in _The Danish Girl._ > [](https://twitter.com/outmagazine/status/571317375825518592) Redmayne plays Lili Elbe, an early 20th-century Danish artist who was born as a man named Einar Wegener and received one of the earliest sex-change operations. The film is based on the David Ebershoff novel of the same name and is directed by Tom Hooper (_The King’s Speech_). Redmayne has addressed criticism that the role was not being played by an actual transgender woman, saying in an interview with _The Telegraph_ earlier this year, “There is an incredibly valid discussion for why a trans actress isn’t playing the part, because there are so many brilliant trans actresses, and I’m sure there are many who could play this part sensationally.” The issue of hormone therapy was a problem, he said, because it wasn’t available in the early 20th century when Elbe transitioned. If the casting controversy doesn’t get in the way, perhaps Redmayne could see a second Oscar nomination when the movie comes out in 2016. \[[_The Telegraph_](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/11439214/First-picture-of-Eddie-Redmayne-as-transgender-painter-Lili-Elbe.html "undefined")\] _Read next:_ [_Read Stephen Hawking’s Sweet Note to Eddie Redmayne After His Oscar Win_](http://time.com/3719584/eddie-redmayne-best-actor-oscar-stephen-hawking/?xid=time%5Freadnext "undefined") [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article "undefined") ### PHOTOS: See 34 Actors Who Went Drag For Roles  Angelina Jolie as Evelyn Salt/Natasha Chenkova in Salt Columbia Pictures; Robyn Beck—AFP/Getty Image  Robin Williams as Mrs. Doubtfire in Mrs. Doubtfire 20th Century Fox; Jimi Celeste—PatrickMcMullan.com/Sipa/AP  Neil Patrick Harris as Hedwig Robinson in the Broadway adaptation of Hedwig and the Angry Inch Kevin Mazur—Getty Images; Bruce Glikas—FilmMagic/Getty Images  Johnny Depp as Bon Bon/Lt. 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