A Life in Hollywood
Chapter 16 - Alicia Vikander - Part 2
As the days went on, Alicia started finding more reasons to chat with him between setups. She'd wander over during resets with a coffee in hand, hair still pinned up from the previous take, asking his opinion on a blocking adjustment or just talking about her day. She was sincere, thoughtful, and clearly sharp—asking questions that showed she was paying real attention to how the crew side worked. Osiah sensed the interest in the lingering looks, the small smiles that lingered a second longer than necessary, and the way she'd lightly touch his arm when laughing at something he said. But he held back. Alicia didn't feel like someone looking for a quick set fling. There was real weight and sincerity behind her eyes, especially when she talked about the film.
One afternoon during a longer break they sat on a couple of folding chairs near the craft services table. Eddie had stepped away to take a call from his agent. The set was relatively quiet, soft chatter from nearby crew members drifting over.
"This film… it's special," Alicia said quietly, looking out at the set dressed as 1920s Copenhagen. The painted backdrops and carefully placed props created an intimate world of art studios and quiet apartments. "It's not just about one person changing. It's about love, and bravery, and what it costs to let someone be who they really are. I keep thinking about how Gerda has to evolve too. She has to become someone who can support the person she loves even when it changes everything—her art, her identity, her future. It's terrifying and beautiful at the same time."
Osiah nodded, following her gaze across the set. "That's heavy material. You're doing strong work with it. The way you shift between support and your own quiet grief… it reads."
She glanced at him, a small, appreciative smile touching her lips. "Thank you. Some days it feels like I'm barely keeping up. Eddie makes it look effortless, the way he transforms. I watch him and think, 'How do I match that honesty?'"
They talked more about the script, diving deeper into the real Lili Elbe's story and the courage it took in that era. Alicia opened up about the research she'd done—letters, diaries, conversations with historians—and how it had changed her perspective on identity and love.
"It's scary putting yourself out there like this," she admitted, her voice softer. "Coming off Ex Machina, which was all cold and intellectual, and now this very different, very emotional role. Ex Machina is blowing up in festivals right now, and people keep asking me about AI and humanity, but this film feels more personal. More vulnerable. I want it to land with audiences the right way."
Osiah listened attentively, offering quiet support without pushing. "You're bringing something real to Gerda. That vulnerability is what's going to connect with people. The film has something important to say—about love that doesn't stay the same but grows anyway. You're showing both the fear and the strength in her. It lands."
Alicia's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer than usual, her smile warm and genuine. She reached out and lightly touched his forearm as she laughed at a small joke he made about the corset Eddie had to wear earlier that morning. The touch was brief, but intentional—her fingers warm against his skin before she pulled away. "You always know what to say to make it feel less overwhelming. Thank you. Some days I worry I'm not giving her enough depth, that I'm just reacting to Eddie instead of bringing my own layer. But hearing that helps."
As the break ended and they stood up, she gave him one last look—soft, interested, a little hopeful—before heading back to wardrobe. Osiah watched her go for a second, then shook it off and returned to his notes.
Filming continued at a steady, focused pace. Osiah threw himself into the 2nd AD work with the same calm efficiency he'd brought to every set. One of the key scenes they were shooting that afternoon was an emotional exchange in a sunlit art studio set. Eddie, as Einar beginning to explore his identity, stood near a large window in a simple suit, while Alicia as Gerda sat at an easel, paintbrush in hand. The background needed to feel lived-in but subtle—two or three extras as assistants or visitors moving quietly in the periphery.
Osiah coordinated the small group of background actors carefully before the take. "Alright, you two by the door—sort the canvases slowly, like you've done it a hundred times. Don't look directly at the leads. You're part of the world, not watching a play. And you at the table, keep sketching. Natural movements, no big gestures. We want the focus on Gerda and Einar, but the room needs to breathe."
The 1st AD called for quiet on set. Osiah stood off to the side, headset on, eyes scanning the frame. The cameras rolled. Eddie delivered his lines with quiet intensity, his posture shifting subtly as Einar wrestled with feelings he couldn't quite name yet. Alicia's response as Gerda was layered—love mixed with confusion and quiet fear, her brushstrokes slowing as she listened. The extras moved naturally in the background: one adjusting a frame on the wall, another carrying a stack of sketches across the room without drawing attention.
Osiah made a small hand signal to one of the background captains when an extra's foot drifted slightly into a sightline. The adjustment was smooth and immediate. The take continued, the emotional weight between Eddie and Alicia building until the director called cut. There was a quiet murmur of approval from video village.
During the quick reset, Osiah walked the background again, giving quiet notes. "Good on that last one. Keep the energy low but present. You're in an artist's studio—focused on your own tasks, but aware of the conversation happening. Less movement on the left side; we're catching reflections there."
Eddie wandered over during the break, still in character clothes, wiping his brow. "That felt solid. The background had just the right hum today. Thanks for keeping it alive without making it busy."
"No problem," Osiah replied. "You and Alicia carried the weight. The hesitation in your delivery read really well."
Alicia joined them a moment later, still holding her prop paintbrush, a small smear of paint on her sleeve. "I keep thinking about that last exchange. Gerda wants to be supportive but she's scared. It's such a delicate line. Osiah, you see a lot from your angle—did the emotion read from the background?"
Osiah nodded. "It did. The way you paused with the brush before answering… it sold the internal conflict. The room felt lived-in around you two."
The three of them talked briefly about the scene's challenges. Eddie shared a quick story about a similar emotional beat in The Theory of Everything where he'd struggled with the physical limitations of the character. "There was one day where I was so deep in it that I forgot to eat lunch. My wife had to remind me I couldn't actually live in the chair. These roles take pieces of you."
Alicia laughed softly. "I know the feeling. After a heavy day on Ex Machina I'd sit in my trailer and just stare at the wall, trying to shake off the coldness of the character. This is warmer but somehow heavier. Gerda's love feels so real."
Osiah listened, offering quiet observations when needed. "The background helps sell that reality. When the extras feel like they belong in the world, it gives you both more space to go deep without the set feeling empty."
The conversation flowed easily for a few more minutes before they were called back. Alicia gave Osiah one last warm glance as she returned to her mark. Filming continued at a steady, focused pace. Osiah threw himself into the 2nd AD work with the same calm efficiency he'd brought to every set. He coordinated small groups of background actors in the carefully dressed Copenhagen streets, making sure their movements felt natural and period-appropriate without pulling focus from the intimate scenes between Eddie and Alicia. He worked closely with the 1st AD, double-checking sightlines, adjusting extras so a stray modern watch or awkward posture didn't ruin a take, and keeping the atmosphere supportive during the longer, emotionally demanding sequences.
It was quieter work than Ultron, more contained, which suited the material. No massive rigs or explosions—just the weight of performances and the need for everything around the leads to feel lived-in and real.
Alicia kept finding moments to talk to him throughout the day. During resets she'd wander over with a coffee in hand, still in Gerda's soft blouse and tailored skirt, hair pinned up but with a few strands escaping from the emotional takes. At first the conversations were light—comments about the weather in London, how the catering compared to other shoots. But they quickly grew more personal.
One afternoon she sat beside him on a bench during a longer break, legs crossed, the wool skirt hugging her thighs. "Growing up in Sweden was very different from this," she said, voice thoughtful. "Smaller places, more nature around. My family was artistic, but it was still very grounded. Coming here and doing these big emotional scenes every day sometimes leaves me drained. I finish a take where Gerda is watching Lili struggle and I feel it in my chest for hours afterward. Like I've been holding someone else's pain."
Osiah listened, nodding. "That's the hard part of this kind of work. You have to let it in to do it justice, but then you have to let it go at the end of the day. How do you shake it off?"
She smiled faintly. "Badly, sometimes. I go for walks, call home, try to remember it's a character. But these costumes don't help. They're beautiful— the fabrics, the tailoring—but wearing them while playing such raw emotions feels strange. Like I'm this elegant 1920s woman on the outside while everything inside is messy and complicated. It adds another layer."
She asked about his own experiences balancing the technical side of the job with the human one. Osiah kept his answers honest but measured. "On the big sets it's easier to stay detached because everything moves so fast. Here it's slower, so you feel the weight more. You learn to listen when people need to talk it out, but keep enough distance to do your own job."
Alicia's glances grew warmer over the following days. She found more excuses to chat—stopping by during lighting adjustments, asking his opinion on a small blocking change, sharing a quiet laugh about a crew member's accent. Her touches became a little more lingering: a hand on his arm when she laughed at something he said, fingers brushing his when she handed him a coffee. She was sincere and thoughtful, but the interest was clear. Osiah sensed it, but he held back. Alicia didn't feel like someone looking for a quick set fling. There was real weight behind her eyes when she talked about the film, about Gerda's journey, about what the story might mean for people like Lili. He wasn't going to push or assume.
Alicia, for her part, was clearly working up her courage.
***
The cast and some senior crew had dinner together at a quiet restaurant near the hotel. Eddie was in good form, relaxed after a solid day, telling stories from his time on Les Misérables. He had everyone laughing with a tale about getting stuck in a barricade rig during rehearsals, dangling awkwardly while trying to stay in character.
"I looked like a very dramatic puppet," Eddie said, grinning as he gestured with his wine glass. "The director kept shouting 'More passion!' while I was just trying not to fall on my face."
Alicia sat across from Osiah, occasionally catching his eye across the candlelit table. She looked lovely in a simple dark sweater and jeans, her hair down after a long day in costume. She smiled at him more than once, warm and a little nervous. After dessert and a couple rounds of drinks, people started drifting off. Eddie had an early call the next morning and excused himself with a wave. Soon it was just Alicia and Osiah at the table, the restaurant winding down around them with soft chatter from the remaining staff.
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