Trailer
Plot summary
In 1926 Copenhagen, Gerda Wegener paints portraits while her husband Einar paints landscapes, and his meticulous canvases win praise that hers do not. An art collector tells Gerda she needs a better subject. When the model for her current portrait is late, Einar puts on her stockings and shoes and holds the dress up so the fabric flows as she paints it. Under his shirt one evening she finds her own undergarments. Rather than face an artists' ball where guests praise him, Einar goes as Lili, a cousin, with makeup and a wig Gerda provides. Henrik Sandahl takes an interest in Lili there. Gerda begins painting Lili, and the collector admires those portraits and asks to meet the sitter. Gerda suggests that Einar see a doctor.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Danish Girl (2015)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- In 2008 Nicole Kidman was originally attached to play Lili and produce the film through her company Blossom Films; Charlize Theron was slated to play Gerda Wegener before leaving and being replaced by Gwyneth Paltrow, who then left over location changes, with Uma Thurman a rumored replacement.
- The name "Lili Elbe", the only name used in the film, was never hers in life: it was made up by the Copenhagen journalist Louise "Loulou" Lassen, while her real post-transition name was Lili Ilse Elvenes.
- The film was banned by Qatar on the grounds of "moral depravity", and also banned in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Malaysia.
SPOILER
Elbe died from organ rejection due to a uterus transplant, her fifth operation, in 1931 at the age of 48; in the film she instead dies after the second sex reassignment surgery.- Distributor Focus Features campaigned for Vikander in the Supporting Actress category and intentionally did not shortlist her for Best Actress, where she would have competed against Brie Larson for Room, which would have decreased her chances of winning.
- After Tom Hooper was announced as director with Eddie Redmayne as the lead, Redmayne spoke with Lana Wachowski while filming Jupiter Ascending; she "told me where to start reading, and where to start educating myself" about Gerda and Lili, he said.
