Alicia Vikander Says Being an Action Hero Is Hard and All, But Ballet Training Was Harder
March 16, 2018

Today in Ballet Dancers Are Actual Superheroes news:

You’ve no doubt heard that the fabulous Alicia Vikander is playing Lara Croft in the newest iteration of Tomb Raider, which hits movie theaters this Friday. But while her training for the high-octane action role was crazy tough, she says, studying at the Royal Swedish Ballet Schoolwas far tougher.


Vikander put on 10-12 pounds of muscle in preparation for the part through weight training, rock climbing, and MMA fighting (!). How’d she survive? By thinking back to the days she spent at RSBS, where she trained until she was 18. “Nothing is going to be harder than the ballet!” she told the Associated Press. “Throughout life, I’ve said that whenever things are really tough. [Ballet] gives you a work ethic.”

Wondering what Vikander looked like during her dancing days? Check out this cute clip of her as an 11-year-old trina in Coppélia, and this (pretty impressive) #TB photo:

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