Swede Alicia Vikander wins supporting actress Oscar

Alicia Vikander wins award for best supporting actress for the movie The Danish Girl at the 88th Annual Academy Awards. Photo courtesy of The Oscar)

LOS ANGELES—Alicia Vikander used to set her alarm clock at 2 a.m. in Sweden to get up and watch the Oscars. Now she has a statue of her own.

The 27-year-old won supporting actress honours on Sunday night for her portrayal of the wife of an artist who realizes he is transgender in “The Danish Girl.”

Vikander added the Oscar to her earlier victories at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and BAFTA awards.

A breathless Vikander arrived backstage clutching her gold trophy, still amazed at hearing her name.

“I’m trying to remember anything that happened in the last five minutes,” she said. “To get this is beyond anything that I imagined.”

The first-time Oscar nominee said she hopes the film opens the door for more movies that represent the LBGT community.

“To see the kind of cultural change since I finished the film, it’s like a social change,” Vikander said, citing the coming out of Caitlyn Jenner. “I hope it can open up an even wider conversation.”

Vikander sat next to her mother Maria, a stage actress, in the audience.

“To have my mom’s hand and experience being here in this room is pretty cool,” she said.

Vikander expressed the hope of all actors when asked what effect an Oscar would have on her career.

“If I can continue to work that would be great,” she said.