What made Alicia Vikander and her husband Michael Fassbender pick up their bags and move from London to Lisbon? Sunnier climes? The fact that it's one of the oldest cities in the world? Actually, it's all because of Brexit.
That's right, the Swedish actress and her German-born spouse moved on over the UK's decision to leave the EU.
The 29-year-old, set to play Lara Croft in the upcoming Tomb Raider movie, told Elle UK, "'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."
Continuing on, she noted that the changing geopolitical landscape shaped their decision: "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'."
Alicia and the 12 Years a Slave actor had an interesting courtship, she revealed. The first two times she bumped into him were at the dance floor of the Toronto International Film Festival and the dance floor after the BAFTAS.
"The first two times we met, we didn't chat, we only danced," the Academy Award winner confessed.
Just dancing wasn't enough to bulk her up for Tomb Raider, though! In order to be prepared to play Lara Croft, who's not just an archaeologist but also a highly athletic woman, she 'started every morning with an hour's workout' for three months before filming.
"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," the Danish Girl actress shared.
In addition to being strong, Lara has often long been seen as a sex symbol, especially in the video game world from which she originated.
"Sure, Lara is a sex symbol in some ways," Alicia said, "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."
What a wonderful perspective! We're excited to see the vim and vigour that Alicia brings to the role.
