Oscar-winning actor Alicia Vikander is starring in the highly anticipated blockbuster Tomb Raider.
Gracing the cover of ELLE UK's April issue, which comes out March 7, she opens up about harassment in the film industry, married life, and how she prefers to avoid the limelight.
On harassment in the film industry
'I've been very fortunate that I haven't had any sexual harassment on set. But I've been in situations where people in power have put me on the spot, or made me feel stupid and young when I wasn't able to express myself publicly. Once, an older female co-star actually said on my behalf, "That's not OK." I can now speak up and say that is not fine, and I've been given the fortunate position now of not being, in the same way, afraid of losing my job, which was deep down the reason you don't want to be trouble. You don't want to be difficult…'
On moving to Lisbon with her husband, Michael Fassbender
'When I met my husband three and a half years ago, he had mentioned he'd been to Lisbon and loved it, and I knew friends who were moving out there. And that was a time when I was just starting to feel really at home in London, but after Brexit I think I was like, "Meh, you know what, I want to stay in Europe".'
On her first meetings with Michael Fassbender – on the dancefloor at Toronto International Film Festival, and then on the dancefloor after the BAFTAs:
'The first two times we met, we didn't chat, we only danced.'
On training for Tomb Raider
'For three months before filming, I started every morning with an hour's workout. Then there was a lot of eating going on; I had to have five meals a day. I wanted Lara to be strong. I'm very petite myself, and I wanted the audience to find the action sequences plausible – to believe that she could do it, that she could lift herself up with her own bodyweight.'
On the new Lara Croft
'Sure, Lara is a sex symbol in some ways but for me, what makes a woman or a man attractive is someone who dares to speak up, who dares to show their personality. It's tough being a young girl at this time, you know? I'm now working in an industry which lives on creating an image, a fantasy and I feel like I need to show younger women that is what it is.'
On how her Swedish culture means she naturally prefers not to stand out
'You shouldn't be too good, or do something different… In a way it's great to grow up with that, as it makes you very grounded, but also a bit scared of standing out and making a big leap away from the rest of the group.'
Read the full interview in the April issue of ELLE UK, on sale March 7.
For more exclusive content visit www.ELLEUK.com
