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Brief history of movie time: Stephen Hawking surprises actor playing him

In movies, all the laws of physics can be broken, meaning that a man can be in the same place as his younger self. That's what happened when actor Eddie Redmayne, in costume as acclaimed physicist and author Dr. Stephen Hawking, was surprised on-set by a visit from Hawking himself.Redmayne plays Hawking in the upcoming movie, "The Theory of Everything," and was dressed to the nines for a scene set
Eddie Redmayne, Stephen Hawking
Eddie Redmayne, Stephen HawkingLiam Daniel / Focus Features

In movies, all the laws of physics can be broken, meaning that a man can be in the same place as his younger self. That's what happened when actor Eddie Redmayne, in costume as acclaimed physicist and author Dr. Stephen Hawking, was surprised on-set by a visit from Hawking himself.

Redmayne plays Hawking in the upcoming movie, "The Theory of Everything," and was dressed to the nines for a scene set at the lavish Cambridge University May Ball. Focus Features, the studio behind the film, shared an exclusive image with TODAY.

IMAGE: Eddie Redmayne, Stephen Hawking
Actor Eddie Redmayne, left, poses with Stephen Hawking, who Redmayne portrays in the new movie, \"The Theory of Everything.\"Liam Daniel / Today

Redmayne, 32, was born in London, and studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, where Hawking did graduate work and where he courted his first wife, Jane, played by Felicity Jones in the film.

Related story: See a young Hawking in love in exclusive movie clip

"The Theory of Everything" is inspired by Jane Hawking's 1999 memoir, "Travelling to Infinity: My Life With Stephen."

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