10 things you need to know about Alicia Vikander

We bring you the facts about the star of SON OF A GUN…

This week, Alicia Vikander continues her assault on the Irish box office with her role as Tasha in SON OF A GUN. Since this will be Vikander’s third cinema release so far in 2015, Movies.ie decided to find out the facts about the talented actress.

1. Moder Svea
Although Vikander has got her biggest breaks playing characters in the English language, she is from Gothenburg, Sweden.

2. Early Work
Vikander trained in ballet at the Royal Swedish Ballet School for nine years, before turning her attention to acting. She began her acting career by appearing in Swedish television shows and movies. She had a leading role in the film PURE, for which she won the Guldbagge Award, the Swedish equivalent to the Academy Award.

3. Shooting Star
In 2011, Vikander was named as one of European films’ Shooting Stars by European Film Promotion. Also named in the same year were Andrea Riseborough and an actor who Vikander has already worked with twice; our own Domhnall Gleeson.

4. Lost in Translation
Vikander starred in Danish film A ROYAL AFFAIR with Mads Mikkelsen in 2012. When she was cast in the role, Alicia did not speak Danish – although she tried to fake it – and underwent rigorous language classes to prepare for the role.

5. Anna Karenina
Alicia replayed Saoirse Ronan as Kitty in Joe Wright’s ANNA KARENINA. When filming outside St Petersburg in Russia, the temperatures dropped as low as -40 °C. Vikander stayed in a cabin for five days that didn’t have hot water and had benches instead of beds. As well as this, Russian security guards protected her and co-star Domhnall Gleeson from wild wolves and bears that dominated the deserted area. Eek!

6. Replaced again
Alicia Vikander replaced also replaced Saoirse Ronan in the lead role of TESTAMENT OF YOUTH. Vikander also replaced Jennifer Lawrence in the lead role of SEVENTH SON, which is de for release in Ireland in March this year.

7. Recurring colleagues
As well as working with Domhnall Gleeson on both ANNA KARENINA and EX MACHINA, Vikander worked with Cinematographer Rob Hardy on both EX MACHINA and TESTAMENT OF YOUTH.

8. Rumour
Currently, it is rumoured that Vikander is dating our own Michael Fassbender. The two star in Derek Cianfrance’s THE LIGHT BETWEEN TWO OCEANS, which is also due for release this year.

9. Workaholic
Alicia has no less than five more films due for release in 2015, and was so determined to grab the role of Ava in EX MACHINA, she made audition tapes for the role while she was on the set of SON OF A GUN. Phew!

10. What’s next?
SON OF A GUN is released in Irish cinemas on January 30th 2015, with SEVENTH SON, THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E and TULIP FEVER still to come in 2015.

Words: Brogen Hayes