Eddie Redmayne on Les Miserables film rehearsals

Eddie Redmayne is currently playing Richard II at London's Donmar Warehouse and also stars in the BBC's forthcoming version of Birdsong. At the end of this month he stars rehearsals for the film of Les Miserables which The King’s Speech Tom Hooper is directing and which stars Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Redmayne is playing student Marius the romantic lead and said he has been testing his live singing skills as the director wants to capture his all star cast singing live - not miming to a soundtrack - for his version of the hit musical

The 30-year-old actor said he was attracted by the "spontaneity" of singing live. Redmayne told the BBC "I'm in hardcore singing lessons. I was down in Pinewood yesterday doing some tests with Tom and it's all happening. If you record an album and then make a music video to that album you are restricted by the choices you made. It is months in advance of what you know what your character is actually going to be doing. So the idea is that the piano will play and we'll sing live - they've tested it all and I think it will be good.”

On his approach to singing his solo Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, Redmayne said: "You have to forget all the versions you've heard and deconstruct the song and try to find your own way through it. We'll have to wait and see whether it works or not."  I'm sure it will with its high profile, that cast and Hooper directing ...