Jane Napp with Eddie Redmayne on the set of ‘The Day of the Jackal.’ Source: Social Media

According to Estonian actor Jane Napp, who co-starred in TV series “The Day of the Jackal” with Eddie Redmayne, said the Oscar-winner has remained personable and kind-hearted despite achieving global fame.

“The Day of the Jackal” was released in 2024. In the series, the Jackal is an elusive assassin who makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee. He soon meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer who tracks him down in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe.

To find the right Estonian actors for the series, the producers turned to casting director Piret Toomvap-Schönberg. She, in turn, approached Napp and invited her audition. “You get a scene and you do it your way. If you’re right for it, your style is right for it and your English is right for it, then that’s how it goes,” Napp said.

The series stars Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne, alongside whom Napp also appeared in a few scenes. The Estonian had nothing but praise for Redmayne.

“I’m so grateful for the experience. He was so personable! Such a huge star has decided to remain down-to-earth. I think that’s very rare in the world. He was very supportive, very humble. He treated you as an equal, the ego of a big star didn’t shine through. Really, really great,” she said.

Napp, who worked at the Endla Theater in Pärnu until 2023, now lives in France. She moved there for love – her partner is French. She believes the biggest difference between Estonians and French people is down to mentality.

“Cheerfulness is a bigger guest in France than in Estonia, especially in the service sector. There is a lot of sadness and seriousness, people are grumpy. The French are perhaps better at enjoying life,” Napp said.

Napp continues to have ties with Estonian theater, and appeared last summer in a local production of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

“I really like Estonia and I love theater, it’s really important to me. I’ve reduced the amount of it in my life, but I don’t want to leave it, it’s still important to me,” she said.