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Hellin Kay

To read all of the honorees' funny and revealing stories, check out the full feature exclusively in the November issue of ELLE—available digitally and in select cities now, and on newsstands nationwide October 20. 

Director Joe Wright, the director of Pride & Prejudice and Anna Karenina on Vikander:

"The thing about Alicia and that dance training is that those ballerinas, they get up on those pointes until their feet bleed, literally, and yet they keep this serene composure, as if they are floating through space. There's part of that to Alicia. She's incredibly determined and hardworking, and yet, from up above, it all looks simple and elegant and easy."

On her nerves filming in Testament of Youth:

"I was nervous taking on the role of Vera Brittain. I needed to do justice to it not only for those who knew of her, but also for the family who remember her."

On working with Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl: 

"You can never tell enough love stories on film. To work with Redmayne, who is just the most generous person and actor, was amazing."

Alicia Vikander wears a sheer top, bra, and leather pants from Louis Vuitton and aluminum bracelets from David Yurman. Photographed by Paola Kudacki. Styled by Simon Robin.