Alicia Vikander "forgets" she is famous.
The 30-year-old actress – who is married to Michael Fassbender – admits she is often shocked by how much her life has changed but she only really has to think about it when she’s promoting her work.
She said: "Every time I do press, I’m suddenly met with the reality of my fame. I sometimes forget how my life has changed."
Alicia and her Irish husband live in Lisbon, Portugal, and though it’s a very different way of life to the ‘Tomb Raider’ star’s native Sweden, they enjoy early mornings in the ocean and practising yoga.
She told America’s Harper’s Bazaar magazine: "I was brought up in a very cold, dark country, and Portugal is the opposite. My husband loves to surf, so we like being close to the sea."
Alicia has been active in pushing for equality in Hollywood and though she thinks it is "sad" there have been a lack of opportunities for women in the past, she’s very excited about what the future holds following a wave of "big change".
She said: "It’s sad that a lot of us women haven’t had the opportunity to work together because not enough women were being hired. Suddenly we found a way not only of reaching out and getting to know each other but forging relationships that lead to creative collaborations. I’m working on several projects right now with girls that I met over the past year. That in itself is wonderful proof that a big change has happened."
One of the things the ‘Danish Girl’ star most loves about her job is being able to push herself – and she thinks she’s good at keeping her feelings hidden when she’s nervous about something.
She said: "In this industry, you must be willing to throw yourself out there, which I enjoy.
"I’m good at hiding all those nerves inside. Something I’ve heard all my life is, ‘Oh, you seem so tough.’ I think one of the main things I do well is to not show that I’m s***ting my pants."