Alicia Vikander is an Oscar-winning actress who has been in films like ‘The Danish Girl’, ‘Ex Machina’, and ‘Tomb Raider’. Alicia Vikander had always been exploring the idea of more women in film positions in her early work. Ever since she started acting, Alicia Vikander’s journey through layers of acting has also involved a lot of speaking about gender inequality in cinema. This is because in a film, the role of women issues is called out mostly at present due to diversity and inclusivity.
Representation on and Off Screen For Vikander, women who play leading roles must do more than just show face.
“It’s important for women to see themselves reflected in stories, especially in ways that go beyond stereotypes,” she pointed out in an interview. She demands more rich female characters since she argues women barely featured in most of the movies as anything but a love interest or other sidekick. Decisions from Vikander expose an intention to portray the essence of women with depth or be a transgender trailblazer like in ‘The Danish Girl’ or a renegade AI like in ‘Ex Machina’. Indeed, she has argued that real change in the mainstream is not only about having a broad presence in front of the camera but behind it. Vikander has campaigned for more equal opportunities for women behind the camera in terms of directing, producing, and screenwriting. “We need more female voices behind the camera to tell stories that resonate with other perspectives,” she argued, saying a more vibrant and inclusive industry will help in creating richer, true-to-life stories.
Challenges and Progress
It is just the past year that has seen growth, with MeToo and Time’s Up as the lit fires in an industry discussing power and inequality,” Vikander says. But she thinks so much work is yet to be done. “We’ve seen some amazing changes, but it’s not enough to stop halfway,” she says, making sure to point out sustained efforts for women to get paid the same and treated fairly along with having equal creative freedom.
A Brighter Future
Actress and producer Vikander is upbeat about the future of women in film. She would like to see women as leaders taking on heading projects, not installing man-made barriers, she says. “My company is really about opportunities for female filmmakers and voices that are under-represented, continuing, for lasting change.”.
Finally, Vikander believes it is female voices that bring this “authenticity” and gold dust to polish the whole industry. “We need stories from all perspectives to reflect the world we live in,” she says. The future of cinema is in diversity—not in trends but as a core principle that blends storytelling and culture.
