He was the fearless ski jumper who came in last but won the world’s heart. Nearly three decades later, Eddie’ The Eagle’ Edwards reveals the untold story behind the film that almost never happened. A tale of stalled scripts, vanished stars, and one perfect casting that finally brought his legendary leap to the big screen.

“Having a movie made about my life was not on my radar at all.”

Eddie’ The Eagle’ Edwards never imagined his story would captivate millions. As the ski jumper who soared into last place at the 1988 Winter Olympics, he became an icon not for gold medals but for grit and joy in the face of the impossible. Now, nearly a decade after Eddie’s story became a Hollywood hit, the man himself reflects on how the film came to be. 

Four years after the 1988 Olympics, where Eddie caught the world’s attention, Disney released Cool Runnings, a film based on the iconic Jamaican bobsled team who, like Eddie, defied the odds by competing at the games. The film became an instant classic. “They’ll never make another film about the same Olympics.” Thought Eddie.
However, in 1999, Eddie was approached by the production company Working Title Films to make a film about his life. “I was very excited and signed the deal,” pressed Eddie. “I sat down with the scriptwriters every night for a week straight. And they went through my life story in very fine detail.”

The production needed to secure $5 million for the film to get off the ground, a hurdle that left it in limbo for years. The search for a director and lead actor stalled repeatedly, and after half a decade of false starts, Eddie thought, “Well, the film will never be made.”

But fate had other plans. In 2013, Eddie’s unlikely victory on the British TV show Splash!, where celebrities competed in high-diving, caught the eye of director Dexter Fletcher, who, along with award-winning filmmaker Matthew Vaughn, bought the rights to the story. Suddenly, the long-dormant project had a new life.

Originally, the filmmakers envisioned pop star Robbie Williams stepping into the role of the Eagle, swapping his microphone for a pair of skis. But as fate would have it, that plan fell through.

They then turned their attention to Rupert Grint, fresh off his success as Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter series. “I thought he would have been brilliant”, Eddie admits. Yet, once again, the stars didn’t align. Names like Ewan McGregor and Simon Pegg also floated, but little came of it. 

It was as if the role was waiting for someone who could truly capture Eddie’s spirit. And then, along came Taron Egerton. “He was perfect. He was incredible as me.” Chuckles Eddie. “I couldn’t believe how much Taron looked, sounded, and acted like I did all those years ago.”

Eddie the Eagle soared onto the cinema screens in 2016, with box office success, earning £38 million worldwide. “I went to about 15 premieres when the film was released. So I have seen the film a lot.

“The first time I saw it, I thought it was amazing. They did such a great job,” says Eddie. “I love the film, and it’s given me a new lease of life and is helping fund my retirement.”

Today, a new generation discovers Eddie’s story through the film,  not as a tale of failure but as a story of defiance. What began as an underdog sports story has become a reminder that glory isn’t about podium finishes but the courage to take the leap.