Warning: This post contains spoilers for Day of the Jackal.
Eddie Redmayne knew there was a lot there Day of the Jackal.
As with any remake, the 42-year-old actor was concerned about how the Peacock series would live up to Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel and 1973 film, in which Edward Fox plays the titular killer.
“I’m the biggest freaking fan of the original movie,” Redmayne tells PEOPLE. “And even though this is a completely different beast, you don’t want to slaughter it.”
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Of course, the fact that the series — which was renewed for a second season after only seven episodes and received two Golden Globe nominations — was well received is a huge relief for the actor.
“I’m delighted that it resonated,” says Redmayne, before explaining why the role, which is a departure from his previous projects, appealed to him despite the pressures.
Eddie Redmayne as Jackal in ‘Day of the Jackal’.
Marcell Piti/Carnival Film & Television Limited
“I’m an actor — what I like is doing different things, and if that can subvert people’s expectations a little bit, then that’s exciting,” he says.
It helps that the Jackal himself is “basically” an actor. “[That was] one of the things I enjoyed most about this part,” he says. “Instead of reaching for the character, I kept saying, ‘Hey, if I was this guy’ — except I had one eye stronger than the other, so I really s— face — I asked myself: ‘How would I do this?’ How would I manipulate the situation?'”
“I kept pulling him back to me, so it was fun,” he continues. “It also plays into… I’m quite obsessive and meticulous, and that’s the character, so I think they took it well.”
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Eddie Redmayne as Jackal in ‘Day of the Jackal’.
Marcell Piti/Carnival Film & Television Limited
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The 10-episode series, which came to an explosive conclusion with a two-episode finale on December 12, also brings some big changes to the 1973 film, which Redmayne says was a “juggling act” to deal with.
“The Jackal dies in the original movie, but it’s so… shockingly sudden, and that’s kind of the genius of it. And that was something that everyone wanted to keep, even though we were changing who would survive,” he reveals, referring to the fact that the Jackal survived the first season, but Bianca (Lashana Lynch), the MI-6 agent who hunted him across Europe, dies.
“It was something to juggle. When the audience has spent 10 hours with a character — brilliantly played by Lashana — how do you keep the edginess while simultaneously tipping your hat to Bianca’s persistence and compulsion?”
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Eddie Redmayne as Jackal in ‘Day of the Jackal’.
Marcell Piti/Carnival Film & Television Limited
Redmayne’s dad is also a big fan of the original film, which added extra pressure to the actor’s shoulders, he said on Late Night with Seth Meyers that his dad warned him: “Don’t screw up.”
At the time of the interview, Redmayne said his dad still “hadn’t seen” the two-episode finale, so he wasn’t sure if it would get the stamp of approval or not.
“He’s playing in the UK tonight… so he hasn’t seen it,” he says. “But he keeps me updated every week on whether I’m going to… I’m doing well so far, but I’ll let you know after I talk to him tonight.”
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1st season Day of the Jackal can be downloaded in its entirety on Peacock.
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Source: HIS Education