What The Real 'Eddie The Eagle' Thinks Of The Film

It's hard to imagine anyone walking away from Eddie the Eagle , a new sports movie out on Feb. 26, without a massive smile on his or her face. The film is a classic underdog tale, full of heartbreak and triumphs that (not-so-spoiler) ultimately leave you cheering in your seat. And it's even better knowing that the film, which stars Taron Egerton as Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, a British skier with Olympic dreams and Hugh Jackman as Bronson Peary, his coach, is based on real events — and to know what the real "Eddie The Eagle" thinks of the movie makes the whole thing even sweeter.

Speaking after a recent New York screening of the film alongside its director, Dexter Fletcher, Edwards, now 52, revealed his thoughts about what it's like for him to see his younger self portrayed on-screen. "It's very surreal," he told reporters, adding that he upon first seeing it, he couldn't believe it was truly happening. He also revealed how emotional the movie made him, saying with a laugh, “when I saw the film for the first time, I needed a box of Kleenex.”

He's definitely not alone in that regard. Eddie the Eagle is a tearjerker at times, showing the struggles a young Edwards faced while attempting to reach Olympic glory for ski jumping. Told by many that he'd never be an athlete, Edwards faced criticism during every step of his journey, and even when he (spoiler!) finally reached the Olympics, his presence was still considered ridiculous by many. Yet the movie keeps its star in balance, something that Edwards said at the screening that he was happy to see.

"I didn’t want to be made into a superhero, but at the same time, I didn’t want to be made into a laughingstock or a joke," he said, adding that he felt overall, "they’ve really done the film well."

He especially approved of Egerton's portrayal of him, saying, "Taran just does me beautifully.” Edwards revealed that the two had sat down before production began, during which time Egerton took note of the athlete's unique accent and mannerisms. Said Edwards of the end result, “He did a fantastic job."

As reviews of the film and audience reactions to the screening showed, everyone seems to be in agreement that Egerton's performance — and Eddie the Eagle itself — is not to be missed.

Image: 20th Century Fox