VOD Spotlight: The Danish Girl

UPDATE: Alicia Vikander won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Danish Girl

Loosely inspired by the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener, The Danish Girl is a love story that explores Lili’s journey as one of the first known recipients of male-to-female sex reassignment surgery. The Danish Girl stars Eddie Redmayne as Lili and Alicia Vikander as Gerda.

In 1926 in Copenhagen, artist Einar Wegener is married to Gerda Wegener and is well known as a painter of landscape. Gerda is also an artist, working as a portraitist of prominent citizens.

One day, when an expected model has not arrived, Gerda asks her husband to fill in for the model by putting on a dress so that she can finish the painting. The experience strikes a chord in Einar, who soon realizes that she identifies as a woman (who she names “Lili”). Einar begins a public life as Lili, and Gerda finds her sought-after success with her portraits of her spouse. But the couple also face unwelcome scrutiny from others in the community and decide to relocate to Paris.

There, both Lili and Gerda continue to evolve, as does their relationship, as Lili embarks on a journey — via gender confirmation surgery — that will change her life, and Gerda’s, forever.

Director Tom Hooper recalls his decision to cast Redmayne as Lili. “From my first reading of the script, I thought about Eddie for the role. I said to [producer] Gail Mutrux, ‘That’s who I want to make the film with.’ We had already made Elizabeth I together. But it wasn’t until we were making Les Misérables in 2012 that I gave him the script.”

Redmayne adds, “I was at the Les Misérables barricades, and Tom said, “I would like you to read something.” Tom then got me the script and I sat down to read it, knowing nothing about it. I was profoundly moved, it blew my mind. I found it extraordinarily passionate and deeply felt. I told Tom I wanted to be part of telling this story. Was I daunted by it? Yes, I was, but I’m daunted by everything! But I have begun to realize that fear of not doing a character or a story justice is a galvanizing thing – it pushes me forward and makes me work harder.

“Lili Elbe was a courageous woman; she was complicated, colorful, and vibrant. I hoped to be able to immerse myself in her world, to try and get an insight into what she went through inside. The thrill of being an actor is that, with each character, you get to further yourself.”

The Danish Girl is available beginning March 1 on Video On Demand. Check your cable system for availability.

Released by Focus Features Credit: Focus Features