Actor Michael Fassbender has stated he wants to keep his emotional relationship with actress Alicia Vikander off the public eye. The 39-year-old star revealed he doesn’t want to talk about his private life at the premiere of his latest film “The Light Between Oceans” a melodrama where he co-works with Vikander.
The “Steve Jobs” actor started his relationship with Vikander in 2014, however, “The Light Between Oceans” premiere was his red carpet debut next to the Oscar-winning actress at the Venice Film Festival this week. They met on the set of the movie, but they are not very willing to talk about their relationship yet.
“I’m not going to talk about my private life with a total stranger unless I feel like I need to. Why would I? I don’t.” said Fassbender. “It’s the worst thing if you’re sitting there in the theater, going, ‘Oh, that’s the guy who dates this person and likes to do this in the morning and that in the afternoon,” he assured.
‘The Light Between Oceans’ is a rehearsal for Fassbender
Michael Fassbender stars the movie as Tom Sherbourne, a World War I veteran who returned to Australia after fighting in the trenches of France. He tries to escape the horror of war by taking a job on an isolated island in the Indian Ocean, manning a lighthouse. But he falls for the local reverend’s daughter, Isabelle (Alicia Vikander). They want to start a family, but they have a series of miscarriages. One day they find a rowboat with a dead man and a crying infant. Vikander’s character is determined to raise the baby. This could certainly give people something to think about on the relationship between the actors. When Fassbender was asked if the movie could be seen as training for becoming a real family man, he answered that “everything is a rehearsal,” what could be a hint about the future of the couple.
Even though the actor wasn’t willing to talk about personal details he assured that meeting Vikander made him a little scare since the actress was “Fierce and hungry” and that disoriented him when meeting Alicia.
Other stars such as Rachel Weisz, Bryan Brown and Jack Thomson also have a role in the movie.
The Light Between Oceans’s director had to convince Fassbender to live five weeks on an isolated island.
The Light Between Oceans’ director, Derek Cianfrance, had to practically beg Fassbender to live on a remote island, one and a half hour away “from any living person”, since the actor was not keen to be relocated to the lighthouse with just the director, his co-star Alicia Vikander and a 12 people crew.
“I remember when I first presented that idea to Michael and he asked if it was really necessary. And I told him ‘Michael I fought so many battles to allow us to do this. This is a gift I am giving you. More than any type of direction, I can give you this experience. So, please give it a shot.” Said Cianfrance.
To this, Michael said he would give it one night, but after the five weeks, Cianfrance had to pull him from the location. Fassbender was enchanted by it.
Cianfrance always had Fassbender in mind for the role
Derek Cianfrance, a 42-year-old American director, is an expert at melodramatic stories. He has directed movies such as the emotionally-devastating drama “Blue Valentine” (2010) and the “Place Beyond the Pines” (2012). Now he brings to life “The Light Between Oceans” which is a human drama which, creating real feelings in the characters and the audience.
The director reveals that he always had Michael Fassbender in mind for the complex role of Tom Sherbourne since he believed that Michael was like a mental giant in films. But he assured he had to know him more. He wanted to see his heart. It certainly worked out fine, since Tom is the one who ends up containing all of the emotional conflicts during the film, reminding the audience why Fassbender is one of the best actors nowadays.
“When I met with him I wanted to understand what his heart was about,” said Cianfrance.
Nevertheless, he wasn’t sure about who he wanted as Isabella. He said he wanted someone who matched with Fassbender, someone impulsive, strong. He wanted to find a Gena Rowlands from “A Woman under the Influence” or Vivien Leigh from “Gone with the Wind.” And then the casting director said to the filmmaker “You need to meet Alicia.”
Alicia’s character wants to keep, Lucy, the baby girl they found, but it all get complicated as they face with a woman (Weisz) who alleges she’s lost her husband and her baby daughter some years earlier. That is when the real melodrama starts. They grow conscious of what they have done, and Tom must handle the fact that Isabelle doesn’t want to give up the desire of raising the child that natured denied for her.
Source: Sunday World