When you think of Stephen Hawking, you might think of his theories on black holes and the numerous amounts of awards he won.  What people may not recall, however, is the hardships Hawking faced and the influences that pushed him through his recovery.

Eddie Redmayne, who plays Hawking in the upcoming film, “The Theory of Everything”, jokingly shared how little he knew about the professor’s personal life.

“I knew that he had done work into black hole theory and I sort of just about knew what a black hole was,” he said.

The heavy burden Hawking carried during the dark points of his life were lightened because of the unconditional love and support he received from his wife Jane and the hope his children instilled in him.

“The Theory of Everything,” directed by James Marsh, goes deeper than the fame and glory that is Hawking and focuses on his relationship with his family — most importantly with his wife, Jane Hawking (Felicity Jones). The film, based on Jane Hawking’s memoir “Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen,” opens with a young and healthy Hawking at a college party where he sees Jane Wilde for the first time and after a night of talking, inevitably falls in love. It’s almost unreal just how compatible the two are: Jane is the fun and lightheartedness that Hawking needs during his rigorous collegiate years. Jane and Hawking’s relationship is one that surely depicts what true love is about and how powerful it can be.  After getting diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS, at 21-years-old, Hawking gave in to his disease, putting down his textbooks and spending his days alone watching television. It is Jane that gives Stephen an ultimatum that lifts him from this depression and pushes him to make something of the two years he was foreseen to have left.

Redmayne and Jones both do a remarkable job portraying the couple as they go through the highs and lows that come with Hawking’s motor neuron disease and his inextinguishable intelligence, all while encompassing just how perfect they are for one another. Redmayne’s impressive performance, despite the challenging role, will surely be acknowledged this upcoming awards season. Redmayne said that there was a lot of preparation for the film simply because of the topic of the film.

“The stakes felt very high from the (beginning)…just because if you’re playing someone who is living you know that they’re going to see the film and ultimately judge it,” he said.

In order to give an authentic performance, Redmayne went to director Marsh and asked for time to train with a choreographer for four months to perfect his muscle control, being that there were certain muscles he needed to isolate to make his performance the best it could be. Redmayne also visited an ALS clinic where he met with patients and grasped the illness firsthand. For Redmayne, meeting Hawking was the most unforgettable moment of filming.

“It was amazing because we were shooting the May Ball scene (with) the fireworks display and he arrive. It was nighttime and he was lit up by his computer screen. Then on cue the fireworks just went off behind him, it was amazing!”

The script, full of witty remarks combined with the cast’s stellar acting, truly helps carry the film. The audience will laugh, feel inspired and despaired all in the same scene. Anthony McCarten, the screenwriter, does an exceptional job of providing insight on the man behind the awards and theories. Hawking is shown to be humorous and a true romantic, illustrated early on in the film. He sways Jane, but most shockingly during his illness, never loses his romance or humor. Throughout the film, Redmayne identifies with the type of person Hawking truly is.

“It’s human. What I hope the film (conveys) is that although the obstacles placed in front of him were very specific. I feel like everyone in life has moments of limitations. But, they have to attempt to live within those confines or to overcome,” Redmayne said. “I feel like it’s a very human story (with) an element that people can relate to.”

“The Theory of Everything” opens in theaters November 14.