The Moment: Eddie Redmayne was cast as Einar Wegener, the world's first known recipient of sex reassignment surgery, becoming a woman known as Lili Elbe. Why It's Controversial: Because, to many in the trans movement, it felt like a slap in the face that a cisgender actor was cast in the role rather than hiring a transgender performer who might be more familiar with the turmoil involved and therefore turn in a more capable overall (though Redmayne did a terrific job all the same). There's certainly the argument that the movie would not have been made without Redmayne or a similar name actor at the forefront, though naturally many would prefer to see a more natural fit for the part.