Stephen Hawking and actor Eddie Redmayne. Photo / Getty Images
Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has congratulated British actor Eddie Redmayne, who won an Oscar for playing him in the film The Theory of Everything.
"Well done Eddie, I'm very proud of you," the wheelchair-bound academic, who suffers from motor neurone disease, said in a Facebook post.
"Congratulations to Eddie Redmayne for winning an Oscar for playing me," he said.
When the film came out last year, Hawking said of the performance: "At times I thought it was me."
Redmayne, 33, dedicated his Oscar on Sunday to people like Hawking suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and thanked the academic's family.
The film, which came out in the United States in November and in Europe in January, tells the love story between Hawking and his first wife Jane with whom he lived for 30 years and had three children.
The Oscar winner has also been sent a special congratulatory message from the Australian soap stars he credits with helping him learn the art of acting.
Image 1 of 48: Host Neil Patrick Harris speaks onstage during the 87th Annual Academy Awards. Photo / Getty Images
The Brit recently declared his admiration for Alan Fletcher and Jackie Woodburne, the actors who play long-term soap couple Karl and Susan Kennedy in hit Australian TV show Neighbours.
Redmayne branded the pair "the greatest unsung acting duo in history" and revealed he picked up many acting tips by watching them onscreen.
After winning the coveted Best Actor Oscar for his role in The Theory of Everything at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Redmayne has received a special message from Fletcher and Woodburne.
Image 1 of 45: Actress Patricia Arquette attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards. Photo / AFP
Fletcher says, "To receive such generous praise from an actor of Eddie Redmayne's startling ability and status has been thrilling for both of us. It never ceases to excite me to hear examples of the influence Neighbours has had beyond Australia. And congratulations Eddie for the recognition of your wonderful performance in The Theory of Everything."
Woodburne, adds, "It's always wonderful when someone compliments your work, but to have such lovely things said from such an incredibly talented actor is very humbling and means more to me than he will ever know."
- AFP, WENN
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