Interview: Oscar Winner Alicia Vikander Discusses the Appeal of ‘Blue Bayou’ and Still Having Fun

Alicia Vikander has talent to spare, so whenever she decides on a film to make, it’s a big deal. So, when Blue Bayou was the project she opted to take on, it was a sign that she saw something in Justin Chon‘s passion project. As you might imagine, she’s a busy woman, so finding time to talk with her about the flick can be tricky. Luckily, during my stay up in Canada recently at the Toronto International Film Festival, a phoner was arranged. With some creative scheduling and fast walking on my part, Vikander and I got together to talk about Blue Bayou. Today, I present our conversation to you all…

Below, you can hear my chat with Vikander. We obviously talk plenty about Blue Bayou, but I was fascinated about her career choices in general. Specifically, being an Academy Award winner opens up some interesting possibilities for a young actress. So, hearing from her about how she selects a role, especially now, is very interesting. In particular, how this part for Chon (who I spoke to here) came about. Then, it’s just lovely to hear that she’s still having fun and pinching herself that she gets to do this for a living. Who doesn’t love that? She’s a great person to talk with, and this being my second time with her (years ago I spoke to her and Oscar Isaac for Ex Machina), I relished the opportunity.

Here is a bit from my Blue Bayou review, found here on the site, talking about some of the acting:

Justin Chon the actor is very much on point here, even if he’s upstaged by Alicia Vikander. They have an easy chemistry, while Chon’s best scenes are with the precocious young Sydney Kowalske. The three of them are good, with Vikander best in show. Chon really does throw himself into the character, though, and it’s a very good performance. 

Enjoy my interview with Oscar winning actress and Blue Bayou co-star Alicia Vikander:

Blue Bayou is in theaters now!