Eddie the Eagle is really taking off in US, says star Ania Sowinski

Film is bringing ski hero to a new audience, says one of its stars
Iconic role: Taron Egerton stars in a brand new film abut Eddie the Eagle
Lionsgate
Alistair Foster7 March 2016
The Weekender

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Edde the Eagle’s skiing heroics at the 1988 Winter Olympics made him a cult figure in the UK.

Now, nearly 30 years later, the US is falling in love with him too - thanks to a film about his exploits.

Ania Sowinski, who stars in the biopic, said Americans had been inspired by the story of Michael Edwards, the plasterer from Cheltenham who became Britain’s first Olympic ski jumper at the Calgary Games.

Although Edwards finished last, his story caught the British imagination.

On the slopes: Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman as Eddie Edwards and Bronson Peary 
Lionsgate

The movie, which stars Taron Egerton as the underdog competitor and Hugh Jackman as his coach, is released in this country at the end of the month.

But it has been out since last week in the US — where audiences have taken the unlikely hero to their hearts.

Sowinski, who plays Edwards’s PR Carrie, said: “We all thought Eddie was a bit of a joke in this country, but this film turns that idea on its head as you see what an inspiration he really was.

“He wasn’t out to win — his only dream was to make it to the Olympics. He went through hell to achieve it and never gave up.

Ski legend: Taron Egerton as Eddie the Eagle
Rex

“Of course in America, they had never heard of him. But the reaction from people has been amazing — they are absolutely loving him and he’s becoming something of a hero over there.

“We keep hearing the same thing from people who have seen it — it’s the ultimate underdog story and they all say what an inspiration he is.”

Critics have lauded the film, with the LA Times saying: “Who doesn’t love an underdog sports story? That’s especially true when it’s one as diverting and big-hearted as Eddie The Eagle … Prepare to be amused, moved and inspired.”

Eddie The Eagle is directed by Dexter Fletcher and was filmed in a ski resort in Bavaria. Edwards himself visited the set during filming.

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Sowinski, 36, who has appeared in Luther and Silent Witness, praised Jackman for keeping spirits high.

She said: “He was always happy and a joy to be around. I would walk into the make-up truck at 6.30am and he’d often be singing show tunes, keeping everyone upbeat in the cold. It’s true what they say — he is the nicest man in the industry.”

On the film’s humorous tone, Jackman has said: “It’s called ‘being British’. It has got that kind of British Full Monty quality. If you’re too earnest and on the nose in England, it’s never a good thing.

"And I don’t think Eddie would’ve liked it, to be honest, I think he enjoyed having a good laugh, and if anyone ever in sports has shown it’s okay to have a little bit of a laugh at yourself, it’s Eddie.”

Eddie The Eagle is out on April 1.

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