Eddie Redmayne Says That ‘Day of the Jackal’ Finale Twist Sold Him on Peacock Spy Thriller

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As a seasoned gamer and avid consumer of cinematic storytelling, I must say that Eddie Redmayne‘s journey with The Day of the Jackal has been nothing short of captivating. Having grown up on the classics, the prospect of diving into such an iconic tale initially filled me with a sense of trepidation – who wants to mess with perfection? But Redmayne’s enthusiasm and the modern take on the story quickly won me over.

[This story contains major spoilers from the finale of The Day of the Jackal.]

Initially, Eddie Redmayne, who won an Oscar, hesitated before agreeing to be part of ‘The Day of the Jackal’ after being offered a role in it at first.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Redmayne shared, “I adore the initial movie and the Frederick Forsyth book. As a result, when I received the first three scripts, there was a moment of apprehension because you don’t want to spoil something that means so much to you.

However, he was won over upon discovering that Peacock and Sky had revamped the 1973 big-screen adaptation of Fred Zinnemann’s classic, as Redmayne expressed, “I was captivated by the first few episodes I read from this series. It was so gripping and intriguing, leaving me eager to uncover the next chapter in its story.

In addition, the final episode of the first season, airing on Thursday night, included an intriguing plot twist: instead of the detective killing Redmayne’s character, the Jackal, it was the Jackal who ended up killing Bianca Pullman (portrayed by Lashana Lynch in the series), thereby reversing the ending from the film adaptation of Forsyth’s novel. In the original story, it was the detective who ultimately killed the Jackal as he prepared to fire another shot.

During my commitment to the show,” explains Redmayne about ‘The Day of the Jackal’, “it was hoped that the Jackal’s tale would carry on. Consequently, I was aware that this would be the unexpected turn of events.” Since the series has already been renewed for another season.

Apart from him, they believed that the character of the camouflaging assassin he was assigned to portray, with his exceptional ability to change appearances, voices, and tongues, was an incredibly skilled actor to work with.

Redmayne mentions one of the reasons he finds the Jackal character appealing is because the actor portraying him is skilled at his craft. Additionally, the actor is clever with makeup, languages, and physical transformations. Redmayne enjoys that the actor seems more at ease when embodying other characters.

Beyond being a skilled marksman, the Jackal character had to disguise himself to avoid capture – something Eddie Redmayne excelled at after winning the Best Actor Oscar for portraying Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything” (2014). For his role in “The Day of the Jackal”, Redmayne collaborated with movement, speech, and costume specialists. According to Redmayne, his character as a spy assassin and a master of disguise is a celebration of performance.

In summary, the final episode of the first season hints that the main character, the assassin, hasn’t been paid for his impressive killing of a tech billionaire portrayed by Khalid Abdalla. As Redmayne observes, “Given how ruthless and skilled he is, his accounting isn’t exactly up to par,” suggesting potential plot directions for season two of The Day of the Jackal.

The significance of money to him is quite profound, isn’t it? I believe it’s less about the monetary value and more about the disregard, wouldn’t you agree? The Jackal exhibits a compulsive behavior, a compulsion towards his actions.

A lingering query from the two-part finale is the depth of Jackal’s affection for his wife, portrayed by Úrsula Corberó, who disappears at the close of the initial season upon discovering that her on-screen spouse is actually a ruthless murderer in reality.

As I delve into this new mission, I can’t help but feel the dramatic twists reminiscent of a daytime soap opera, much like Peacock and Spy’s original content. You see, after a harrowing stint as a sniper in Afghanistan, my character, the Jackal, decided to abandon his old life and live off the grid, operating solo as an assassin. Recalling the events of the first season, I find myself seeking answers about where my wife has gone amidst the usual James Bond-style espionage.

Indeed, his weakness was getting involved with this woman, and thinking he could manage both roles – as an elusive assassin and a family man in Cadiz, Spain, he admits. Returning to television after a decade of film work, Redmayne found the responsibility of playing the lead role and producing the series draining.

Indeed, I was fully devoted for a year and a half due to my dual roles as an actor and a producer,” he explains. This intense dedication has earned him great respect for other actors such as Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon who successfully balance acting and producing duties on their respective projects.

The TV series produced by Carnival Films was purchased by Sky Studios for broadcast in the U.K. and a large part of Europe, while Peacock secured the rights for distribution in the U.S. market. What particularly captivated Redmayne was the opportunity to act in a globally-set TV drama, featuring stunning locales such as London, New York, Germany, Spain, and Afghanistan – though most of the scenes were actually filmed in Croatia, Hungary, and Austria. This provided viewers with an enjoyable armchair travel experience.

Managing the logistics proved quite intricate, especially considering we were working with four distinct directors and constantly switching between scenes while maintaining a consistent and well-developed character. It was indeed a delicate task that required careful attention, yet it added to the excitement of the project.

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The Day of the Jackal is now streaming all episodes on Peacock.

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2024-12-14 18:25