2014 – The Theory of Everything

The biographical film about Hawking documented the physicist's life from early childhood as a prodigy to the aftermath of the diagnosis of his disease. The role was taken on by British actor Eddie Redmayne, who went on to beat Benedict Cumberbatch to win the Oscar for best actor at the 2014 Academy Awards.

Intriguingly, Cumberbatch also played Hawking before – in a BBC feature-length drama by Peter Moffat in 2004. Cumberbatch met Hawking twice but didn't develop a relationship.

Redmayne, however, devoted more time and energy. He spent six months doing the research and reading A Brief History of Time. He also spent time meeting the physicist and his family and joined the Hawking family at the London premiere of the film.

"I thought Eddie Redmayne portrayed me very well in The Theory of Everything movie. He spent time with ALS sufferers so he could be authentic. At times, I thought he was me," Hawking wrote on his Facebook page.

On the heels of hearing the sad news, Redmayne paid his tribute. "We have lost a truly beautiful mind, an astonishing scientist and the funniest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet….My love and thoughts are with his extraordinary family."