Not a lot of movies take 15 years to make but "The Danish Girl" is one of them. It stars Eddie Redmayne and is a story about a transgender woman, the first of such kind directed by Tom Hooper.
In an interview with Page Six, Hooper said, "The story happened around 1931. The film, based on the book, took 15 years to make. I worked on it seven years. The information's always been there, but this saga of courage was marginalized. Although I kept pushing the idea, this project remained sidelined.
"I picked Eddie for the lead because we met when he was 22 and playing against Helen Mirren. She was Elizabeth I, he a young rebel sentenced to death. He was emotionally raw, not emotionally repressed and I figured if this kid could stand against Her Majesty Mirren, he's pretty good."
Hooper added that years ago, the idea about transgender movie would not have been accepted and would be difficult to sell so financing was really difficult but since it is now in the open, the timing could not have been any better.
On the other hand, Alicia Vikander, who plays the opposite Redmayne, reveals her terror in being in the movie. Cinema Blend reports that the actress is worried about her painting abilities, hence the nerves while shooting "The Danish Girl." Why? Because one particular and prominent trait of Gerda Wegener, the role she's playing is she might paint Redmayne. In her time, Gerda Wegener was one of the most recognized painters and illustrators and Vikander knew that her performance should be on that caliber.
In the end, Vikander did deliver a supreme performance, delicate emotion and heart wrenching sorrow. She did not really have anything to worry about. In short, pure beauty. Redmayne's Lili Elbe is a transformation that everyone must see.
Viewers may have to expect awards for the movie in the coming months. "The Danish Girl" opens in theaters Nov. 27.