Alicia Vikanderis having one heck of a year.The Man from U.N.C.L.E.is a blast, she delivers superb work inEx MachinaandTestament of Youthdeserved far more attention and notoriety than it got, and then of course there’sThe Danish Girl, the film that will likely spark a very busy awards season for the actress who skyrocketed to fame this year.
It wasjust announcedthis morning that Vikander earned a Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination for her performance as Gerda Wegener. For the most part, all eyes have been on Redmayne who plays Lili Elbe, the first person to undergo gender confirmation surgery. Redmayne certainly deserves that SAG nomination himself, butThe Danish Girlis just as much Gerda’s story as it is Lili’s, and that comes through to overwhelming proportions in the film.
DuringThe Danish Girlpress day a few weeks back, I got the chance to have a chat with Vikander during which she noted that Gerda is going through a transition too, not just Lili. Check out what she told me about that and about how directorTom Hooperput her at ease during her audition in the video interview below. In case you missed it, clickherefor my full interview with Redmayne andherefor my interview with Hooper.The Danish Girlis currently playing in select theaters and expands this month.
Here’s the official synopsis forThe Danish Girl:
The remarkable love story inspired by the lives of artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener (portrayed by Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne [“The Theory of Everything”] and Alicia Vikander [“Ex Machina”]), directed by Academy Award winner Tom Hooper (“The King’s Speech,” “Les Misérables”). Lili and Gerda’s marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili’s groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer.
