Tomb Raider: Alicia Vikander was 'big fan' of video game growing up

Actor Alicia Vikander, who is playing the latest iteration of video game hero Lara Croft in her next Tomb Raider, has said watching the iconic character during her childhood felt like an empowering experience to her.

The 29-year-old actor takes over from Angelina Jolie, who played the role in two films, in the Roar Uthaug-directed film, and she revealed that she initially felt "ashamed" when she signed up for the project as none of her friends had ever played the game.

"I also grew up in a time when there was none of my girlfriends who played video games. I was kind of ashamed for doing it," Vikander said on The Graham Norton Show.

Vikander said she was introduced to Tomb Raider at a friend's house and she was intrigued by the game that it led her to change her mind.

"It was a female protagonist in a video game, and I had never seen that. I was a bit too scared to play the whole game when I was about 10, so I mostly spent time doing the tricks and learning her moves in that manner. But yeah, I was a big fan when I was a kid," she added.

The actor also said that she left her Oscar award that she won for The Danish Girl in Los Angeles as it was "too heavy to bring home".

"I only had one night with him. I decided he was too heavy to bring home in my hand luggage so my friend's daughter has him in her bedroom," Vikander said.

"I get updates with photos on what he's up to. I've been on the move for some time but I am going to get him soon and bring him home," she added.