Once upon a time, in the charming city of Gothenburg, nestled in the idyllic Västra Götalands län region of Sweden, a little bundle of joy was born on October 3, 1988. Her parents named her Alicia Amanda Vikander, and little did they know, they were raising a future star.
Family Background and Childhood
The daughter of Maria Fahl, a stage actress, and Svante Vikander, a psychiatrist, her parents hail from small villages in the north and south of Sweden, respectively. Alicia Vikander’s mother and father separated just two months after her birth.
Alicia Vikander’s ethnicity is a mix of Swedish, Finnish, and distant Baltic German heritage (Credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock)
Unique Ethnicity and Appearance
Raised mostly by her mother, Vikander has five half-siblings from her father’s side and has described her childhood as the best of both worlds – enjoying the solitude of being an only child with her mother while being surrounded by a large family on her father’s side, which she visited every other week.
One-quarter Finnish, her maternal great-aunt had fled Finland during World War II and settled in Sweden, thus adding a rich blend of Finnish culture to Vikander’s Swedish roots.
Known for her olive-toned skin, dark hair, and brown eyes, Alicia Vikander is noticeably petite compared to the average height of Swedish women. Her height of 5ft 5 (165.1 cm) is slightly below the average for Swedish women, approximately 5ft 7 (170 cm).
Despite being born and raised in Sweden, Alicia Vikander’s brown hair and olive skin have led to misconceptions about her Swedish heritage (Credit: Fred Duval / Shutterstock)
Challenging Stereotypes and Embracing Diversity
During an interview with The New York Times, Alicia Vikander revealed an interesting anecdote from the production of “The Danish Girl.”
Despite being the only Scandinavian in the film’s cast, the filmmakers attempted to make her look lighter-skinned by applying makeup. Vikander clarified that her skin tone was not a result of tanning but her natural complexion.
The actress, who has brown eyes, brunette hair, and olive skin, played the role of Gerda Wegener, a blonde and blue-eyed Danish woman with fair skin. In addition to lightening her skin tone, Vikander wore blonde wigs for the film.
In a May 5, 2015, interview with Conan O’Brien, Alicia Vikander shed light on a common misconception about Swedes. Conan said many people believe Swedes all have blonde hair and blue eyes, to which Alicia humorously replied that she dyes her hair.
She explained that her parents hail from small Swedish villages in the north and south, respectively, and that she is a quarter Finnish, although she added that it doesn’t contribute much to her skin tone. Alicia’s remarks emphasize the diversity that exists even within a single country and debunk the stereotype of what it means to be Swedish.
A Rising Star in the Entertainment Industry
Alicia’s exotic blend of Swedish, Finnish, and Baltic German heritage added to her allure as she grew up. Her unique background made her stand out from the crowd, and it’s no wonder that she quickly caught the attention of the entertainment industry.
Alicia Vikander wears her hair in a messy bubble ponytail at the European premiere of “Jason Bourne” held on July 11, 2016, at Odeon Leicester Square in London (Credit: Joe Alvarez / Lexi Jones / Zibi / WENN)
Making a Mark on the Red Carpet
In July 2016, Alicia Vikander — the latest “Bourne Girl” — arrived at the London “Jason Bourne” premiere, ready to fangirl over the franchise.
The Anna Karenina actress had spent months filming the latest sequel but still gushed over the concept. Alicia said she’d been a huge franchise fan since the first film.
“Jason Bourne” stars Matt Damon and Alicia Vikander pose for photos at the movie’s European premiere (Credit: Joe Alvarez / Lexi Jones / Zibi / WENN)
Alicia wowed on the red carpet in a custom-made sleeveless sequined Louis Vuitton dress featuring a thigh-high slit and ruffles. The Ex Machina actress finished her look with jewelry from Bulgari.
Alicia Vikander stuns on the red carpet in a floor-length sequined gown from Louis Vuitton (Credit: Joe Alvarez / Lexi Jones / Zibi / WENN)
Alicia, the face of Louis Vuitton, wore white ankle-strap sandals from the same designer with her gown.
Alicia Vikander’s feet in white Louis Vuitton heels (Credit: Joe Alvarez / Lexi Jones / Zibi / WENN)
Alicia’s Louis Vuitton white sandals are unavailable online, but you can grab a similar pair from Stuart Weitzman on Nordstrom and Zappos.
Stuart Weitzman “Nudistsong” Dress Sandals, $172.43 – $435