Eddie Redmayne reveals why he kept his ‘distance’ from Taylor Swift during Les Miserables screen test

Eddie Redmayne opened up about an awkward moment during his and Taylor Swift’s screen test for Les Miserables.

The 42-year-old Golden Globe winner – who recently looked dashing at the premiere of his upcoming series – admitted he ate something ahead of their 2011 audition that made him want to ‘keep his distance’ from the Mirrorball hitmaker.

At the time, he had already been cast as Marius and she auditioned for the role of Éponine, calling their joint screen test an “amazing experience.”

He recalled, “I’ll never forget it because I hadn’t met in the first place [Taylor] and she was made to look like Eponine, a street urchin. So you meet one of the most glamorous women in the world and she arrives with mud between her teeth and looking like a street urchin

“The director had us on the floor and we sang this love duet to each other. I didn’t expect it to be so intimate. I had just been to a pizza place and had quite a bit of garlic bread in my mouth, so I remember they wanted chemistry and I was trying to play chemistry with Taylor while keeping my distance.”

Eddie Redmayne admitted that prior to his and Taylor Swift’s screen test for Les Miserables, he ate something that made him “want to keep his distance from her”; both to be seen separately in 2024

However, the role wasn’t meant for the starlet – who recently resumed her Eras Tour in Miami – as it would eventually become actress Samantha Barks.

Set in 19th century France, the hit film tells the story of former prisoner Jean Valjean, who breaks parole and is pursued by his nemesis and former guard Javert before seeking reconciliation.

In 2022, Swift called her screen test with the Tony-winning actor a “nightmare” during an interview with The Graham Norton Show.

She explained that she was in the running for the roles of Cozzette – which went to Amanda Seyfried – and Eponine, but found it difficult to be cast as one regular character due to her vocal range and appearance.

The blonde beauty recalled, “I had done a few auditions and gone to New York and whatever, and I think it was established that I was more like Cozzette, but I had the range vocally for Eponine. It was determined that I wasn’t there for long but a good time.”

She was invited to London by casting directors for the screen test with Redmayne, but things went downhill upon her arrival.

Swift confirmed that she painted her teeth brown and drew dark circles under her eyes to evoke the character’s “near-death” look before meeting the crew.

“I was like, ‘This has instantly become a nightmare for me,’” she admitted.

Luckily, she said Redmayne was “nice” to her, despite meeting for the first time while putting on the unappealing makeup.

“I had just been to a pizza restaurant and put a big piece of garlic bread in my mouth… and I was trying to play chemistry with Taylor while keeping my distance,” he said; seen with Amanda Seyfried in 2012

The role of Eponine was not intended for Taylor – who recently resumed her Eras Tour in Miami – as it would eventually break through actress Samantha Barks; Amanda, Eddie and Samantha seen in 2012

Swift called her screen test with the Tony-winning actor a “nightmare” during an interview with The Graham Norton Show; seen in 2011

Upon its release in 2012, Les Miserables grossed $149.3 million in the United States and Canada and a total of $293,489,539 worldwide.

With a budget of $61 million, the musical film won three academy awards and received several other accolades.

Taylor Swift is currently on the final leg of her Eras Tour, which ends on December 8, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia.