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IT Girl: Swedish Siren Alicia Vikander

We have been keeping our eye on Alicia Vikander for some time. You might not see her on every single red carpet, or talking superfluously about her personal life, drunk antics or generally making a debacle of herself (yes, Jennifer Lawrence, we are talking to you) but the Swedish beauty is a talent to be reckoned with. Alicia Vikander is an actress we can depend on to deliver. What does that mean? Well even if a movie has a confusing or bad plot, if the story doesn't make actual sense, we can still enjoy the film simply for Alicia's performance. So, here are a few interesting facts about this week's IT GIRL.

Where it started
Alicia Vikander was born in Gothenburg, Västra Götalands län, Sweden. Her mother is also an actress while her father is a psychiatrist. Her parents are from small villages in the north and south of Sweden and separated when Alicia was five months old. She was mostly raised by her single mother but while growing up, Alicia says she got the best of both worlds. Being an only child to her mother and then being surrounded by a big family when she went to her father's home was the best she could ask for.

Early Start
Alicia started her career at the age of seven, starring in a production of Kristina från Duvemåla at The Göteborg Opera, which was written by the Mamma Mia! creators, Björn and Benny from ABBA - she performed in the play for three-and-a-half years! She also appeared in several musicals at the Opera, such as The Sound of Music and Les Misérables at the Gothenburg Opera.

Big Breaks
At one point, Alicia was admitted to law school but she never attended. Instead she chose to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. And we are so thankful she did! She then became known for her role in the Swedish TV drama Andra Avenyn but gained international acclaim for co-starring in the 2012 adaptation of Anna Karenina directed by Joe Wright.

Film Success
Alicia's impressive performances didn't stop there. In 2015, she gained public recognition for her starring roles in the films Testament of Youth, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. But it was really her performance where she played the Artificial intelligence Ava in Alex Garland's directorial debut Ex Machina, opposite Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac that got people talking about her. Her performance got her nominated for the Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award.

Acting Goals
In 2015 Alicia received an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her portrayal of painter Gerda Wegener in Tom Hooper's The Danish Girl, becoming the second Swedish actress to win the award. Also, not many people know this but Alicia is in a relationship with her The Light Between Oceans co-star Michael Fassbender since they met in 2014.