Eddie Redmayne (Fantastic Beasts, The Danish Girl) found major inspiration from an unlikely place when preparing for his captivating role as an elusive and lone assassin (the titular Jackal) in Peacock’s new spy thriller, The Day of the Jackal: an iconic, chameleonic singer. “There’s a brilliant woman called Alexandra Reynolds, she’s a dancer who I first worked with on The Theory of Everything. We worked on the different physicalities of Jackal to pin down who he was, because he is this vessel in some ways. He’s so enigmatic,” explained Redmayne.
“And there was this brilliant interview found with David Bowie from the ’70s,” Redmayne went on to say in a recent MovieWeb interview, noting that the interview article showcased the singer in a such a different light than his typical glam stage persona. “It’s one of the rare times you see him being completely him, clothing-wise, in no makeup. Nothing.” Drawing a comparison between Bowie’s shape-shifting personas and Jackal’s mysterious looks, Redmayne added:
“[Bowie was] talking about how, in some ways, how uncomfortable that is for him and that he’s much better at personifying these other people, but he’s also so enigmatic and so captivating and so quietly spoken and, with his sense of view, you are completely drawn into him. So, I used that. It was something I kept going back to in many ways.”
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The Day of the Jackal Review: A Surprisingly Must-See Action Thriller with Eddie Redmayne
Peacock’s modern-day adaptation of the 1973 film is sharp and action-packed, featuring Eddie Redmayne at his best as a lone assassin.
Will Jackal Earn Eddie Redmayne an Emmy Nomination?
To be sure, Eddie Redmayne is bound to turn heads in The Day of the Jackal. Adapted from Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel — there was also a brilliant 1973 film version — Redmayne plays the shifty Jackal, who’s hired to take out a tech titan before the official launch of the man’s new app that would offer transparency among the world’s wealthiest individuals. A British intelligence officer (Lashana Lynch of Captain Marvel) is hot on his trail, but Jackal manages to outwit her at nearly every turn thanks to his brilliant disguises and quick moves. Meanwhile, Jackal’s wife (Úrsula Corberó) suddenly becomes suspicious of her husband’s “business trips.” Look for some Emmy noms for the top trio of actors, as well as the prosthetics department and costume designer.
The series is a wildly fun and suspenseful cat-and-mouse drama, leaving viewers wanting more by the end of each episode. Writer/executive producer Ronan Bennett (Top Boy) is at the helm of the series, which is already generating buzz for its acting, suspense, and meticulous action sequences (Gladiator II military advisor Paul Bidiss is also on board the project). The Day of the Jackal, which also features Ben Hall, Sule Rimi, Jonjo O’Neill, and Stuart Whelan, gives audiences a unique backstory to Jackal that’s much expanded from the movie, providing new context in this iteration on who he really is and how he became the man he is today. The Day of the Jackal premiered Nov. 7 in the UK, and premieres its first five episodes on Peacock Nov. 14 in the U.S.; you can watch it through the link below:
Watch on Peacock
An unrivaled and highly elusive lone assassin, the Jackal (Eddie Redmayne), makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee. But following his latest kill, he meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer (Lashana Lynch) who starts to track down the Jackal in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe, leaving destruction in its wake.
- Release Date
- November 7, 2024
- Cast
- Úrsula Corberó , Eddie Redmayne , Lashana Lynch , Ben Hall , Sule Rimi , Florisa Kamara , Stuart Whelan , Jonjo O’Neill , Adam James , Christy Meyer , Lee Byford , Martin McDougall , Russell Balogh , Andreas Jessen , Jan-Martin Müller , Lucy Russell , Gerard Kearns , Eddie Elks , Charles Dance , Richard Dormer , Chukwudi Iwuji , Lia Williams , Khalid Abdalla , Eleanor Matsuura
- Seasons
- 1