Eddie Redmayne took home the BAFTA for best actor in a leading role for his astonishing turn as Professor Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. The Biopic picked up a number of awards on the night with Redmayne taking another major trophy on a likely run to an academy award. Here’s a full transcript of what he had to say during an emotional winners press conference shortly actor picking up his statue.

On stage tonight you thanked your co-stars, the Hawking family and your own. How did they all help inspire and facilitate your performance?

Felicity is an old friend and we both started at the Donmar Warehouse years ago, on this experience we knew that the story was extraordinary. Stephen & Jane were phenomenal people. We challenged each other basically and we sort of raised each other’s game by pushing each other really. We knew they were roles of a lifetime really. As far as Stephen, Jane and their family I just can’t tell you how kind they were to us. I mean it’s a scary thing to have your life put out in the world as a film. I’m one of those people who when I see a film I believe it to be absolutely true, so trusting people to take your life knowing things will shift and change in the process shouldn’t be taken lightly I suppose. They have been just so kind. Then to my own family, it’s just so interesting. It’s weird and wondrous trade acting, but its ups and downs. You go through moments of doubt but it doesn’t retain a level feeling. As I said in my acceptance speech my roots are my rock and that’s my siblings, my parents and my wife. So it’s just amazing.

How do you feel about the attention given to your public school background and the issue of diversity?

I think there absolutely has to be and always needs to be a debate about where actors are coming from. Diversity needs to be represented. Our job as actors is to tell stories and everyone should be represented. As far as the public school thing is concerned, I’ve had a sensational upbringing and I also had a brilliant teacher that was one man who was the reason why I became an actor and got my first jobs. So I suppose I tend to attribute it to a teacher rather than an entire school.

As an award winner do you feel more pressure now?

To be honest I feel… we dream of getting to play extraordinary or interesting people and they rarely come as extraordinary as Stephen. I’m so aware of how lucky I was for that. Do I feel pressure, not really, I just try and put one foot in front of another. I’m starting ork in a few days on a new film called The Danish Girl and it’s another extraordinary story about extraordinary people. I feel like every job I’ve evr done as an actor I’ve poured my heart and soul into. Some of them have been great scripts hat end up being awful films. Some are awful scripts that end up being okay. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. There’s a sort of alchemy to filmmaking which you can’t always control. So all I can do is keep pouring everything in and see what comes out the other side.

How are you enjoying married life and how will you celebrate?

Loving married life!!  I did plan for a day off if I won tonight. I’m thrilled now because I can go and have several drinks. Celebrating tonight I think we’re going to a place called Little House with friends form the film to celebrate that it did so very well this evening. It’s so weird when you make a film you’re kind of this small family. Then you don’t see each other for a while then you get to these sorts of occasions or premieres if you’re lucky enough to get together. So my plan I to go make this new film then sit on a beach with my wife. She certainly deserves it and I can get a few more freckles!

What was the most daunting or challenging scene to work on?

I suppose the scene I was most worried about was the scene in which Stephen and Jane part ways. At that point MND had taken quite a severe hold and the physicality was quite extreme, he was very limited in his movements. Yet I knew it was going to be very emotional on him.  So the idea of restraining things because of the confines on what the disease was at that stage, plus te extremity of hat was going on emotionally. That was perhaps the most intimidating.

Does it feel strange to reach such a level of public success?

It does feel very surreal. But at the same point it’s such an ephemeral thing this world, I’ve been working for 14 years and you have moments that are successful and moments that are not. So of course it feels very lovely that people have seen your film and enjoyed what you do. But I don’t think you can take it very seriously because you know it will be gone in a shot.

Is it easy getting back to normal life?

For me at the moment I haven’t worked since the Theory of Everything. It was a very tough shoot and I did take its toll. So then I had 9 months and promoting it has been a lot of running around slightly frenzied. But really that’s the down time and that’s when you get back to normal life. So I hope I can keep doing that. I’m making this new film now but Hannah works and does a proper job so I cook, I make the dinner!

How do you feel about the comparisons with The Imitation Game and Benedict’s peformance?

I mean Ben and I are old old friends and I think he’s a staggering actor and a wonderful human being, what he did in that film is utterly brilliant. I understand why the two films get connected but to me it feels like there’s room for both and it seems like that has been the case.  The Imitation Game has done so sensationally round the world and continues to do breath-taking business. Ben’s got a lot on his plate anyway, he’s having a baby he’s getting married! I know he’s a very happy man.

Who do you think will win the Oscar?

Oh my Gosh I don’t know about that!! But I’m definitely taking this BAFTA home. I have no idea where it’s going to go, but I will let you know!