20 Essential Movie Performances That Will Define 2015

16. Eddie Redmayne - Einar Wegener / Lili Elbe (The Danish Girl)

Release Date: November 27 (US), January 1, 2016 (UK) The Movie: Tom Hooper (The King's Speech, Les Miserables) directs a biographical drama about Danish artists Lili Elbe and her wife Gerda (Alicia Vikander), and the challenges they face after Lile becomes the world's first person to undergo male-to-female sex reassignment surgery. The Role: Redmayne takes on another extremely challenging role here as a man desperate to become a woman after he begins modelling in women's clothing for Gerda. As well as examining Einar's transformation into Lili, the part will require Redmayne to realise the marital turmoil his decision creates. Why It'll Define 2015: Because it's sure to be one of the most impressively chameleonic performances of the year, and could very well be good enough to win Redmayne back-to-back Best Actor Oscars, which hasn't happened since Tom Hanks pulled the two-er in 1993 and 1994 for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump.