Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander’s Relationship Timeline

Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary in October, almost 10 years after they became romantically involved on the set of the film The Light Between Oceans in 2014.

“I knew that Michael was attached to play Tom, and I think he’s one of the most brilliant actors out there,” Vikander shared while doing press for the movie.

She continued, “I was up for the game, but I was very nervous. … Michael’s support in those scenes were a big part of me daring to go all the way, which was needed for the role of Isabel.”

Fassbender was equally as effusive about working with Vikander.

“I was kind of scared when Alicia came, she was so fierce and hungry, and it was something that it’s always a great thing to see in an actor who is getting an opportunity who hasn’t been well known yet,” he added. “I really felt like I had to get my s— together and just be there and be as present as she was.”

Their on-screen chemistry spilled over offset during filming, and the fiercely private pair dated for three years before getting married in Ibiza in 2017. They welcomed a son in early 2021.

From the dance floor meet-cute that brought them together to their rare red-carpet appearances, here’s everything to know about Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander’s relationship.

September 2013: Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander meet at the Toronto International Film Festival

Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender attend the Infiniti Red Bull Racing Energy Station at Monte Carlo in May 2015.

Karwai Tang/Getty

It was Fassbender’s dance moves that first caught Vikander’s eye.

While promoting their respective movies, 12 Years a Slave and The Fifth Estate, at the Toronto International Film Festival, the two actors met on the dance floor.

“We had a boogie,” Vikander recalled in an interview with USA Today in 2016. “He’s a very good dancer.”

“I felt like I couldn’t dance,” Fassbender added. “I thought I was pretty good, but she was there with a friend of hers, just jiving all over the place. I was like, ‘God, I feel like I’ve got two left feet.’ Then I left, defeated.”

September 2014: Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander fall in love on the set of their film

Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender acting in the 2016 movie ‘The Light Between Oceans.’.

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Life imitated art on The Light Between Oceans set as Fassbender and Vikander developed feelings for each other while playing a married couple in the period romance, based on the 2012 best-selling novel of the same name.

“We met on that job and have been seeing each other since,” the Academy Award-nominated actor told Good Morning America in 2016.

He also praised Vikander’s acting skills.

“She’s such a fierce performer, she’s so brave, she’s not afraid to bring ugly personality traits to the forefront in the character,” he said. “I was just really impressed by her immediately.”

During the promotion of the film, the pair talked to Entertainment Weekly about pursuing a relationship and keeping their union private.

“It wasn’t the first time in a movie either of us had played somebody who is falling in love,” Fassbender said. “There is an element of separation there.”

“And I think we’ve made a clear statement that we keep certain things just between us,” Vikander explained. “It was very easy to unite, but that’s quite personal.”

January 2016: Alicia Vikander shares details of her New Year’s Eve with Michael Fassbender

Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander at the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards in January 2016.

Larry Busacca/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

Vikander revealed how she spent the holidays as she made the rounds at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in 2016. She stopped on the carpet to speak with E! News and shared details about her New Year’s Eve festivities with Fassbender.

“It was not a very, very late night because I had to fly here, but we had a grill going, cooked some pasta, made a good dinner, watched some fireworks,” she said. “We counted down until midnight. It was great!”

January 10, 2016: Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander make their official debut as a couple

The low-key pair made their awards-show debut as a couple at the 73rd Golden Globes, where Vikander was nominated for best actress, motion picture drama for her role in The Danish Girl. Fassbender was also a nominee for best actor, motion picture drama for his work in the biographical film Steve Jobs.

They sat beside each other during the ceremony but walked the red carpet separately and didn’t answer questions about their relationship. However, before the ceremony began, Fassbender shyly admitted that he was “very proud” of Vikander’s accomplishments.

February 28, 2016: Alicia Vikander kisses Michael Fassbender after Oscar win

Alicia Vikander in the press room during the 88th Annual Academy Awards on February 28, 2016 in Hollywood, California.

Jason Merritt/Getty

Vikander took home the golden statuette for Best Supporting Actress at the 88th Academy Awards for her role in Tom Hooper’s drama The Danish Girl. It was the first nomination and win for the ballerina turned actress.

Before taking the stage to accept the award at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Vikander paused to plant a kiss on her beau. For his part, Fassbender beamed throughout his girlfriend’s acceptance speech.

Just two weeks earlier, the couple avoided getting caught on the kiss cam at the BAFTAs.

September 1, 2016: Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander appear at the premiere of The Light Between Oceans

Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander attend the premiere of ‘The Light Between Oceans’ during the 73rd Venice Film Festival in September 2016 in Venice, Italy.

Franco Origlia/Getty

Fassbender and Vikander showed their support for the movie that brought them together at the Venice Film Festival.

The couple posed for pictures on the red carpet at The Light Between Oceans premiere only hours after attending a photo call for the film. The twosome had a rare PDA moment as Fassbender wrapped his arm around Vikander’s waist.

October 2017: Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander get married

Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender arrive for the U.K. premiere of ‘The Light Between Oceans’ in October 2016 in London, England.

Karwai Tang/WireImage

Fassbender and Vikander exchanged vows in Ibiza surrounded by family and friends, a source confirmed to PEOPLE. The couple tied the knot at the La Granja farmstead resort on the Northern side of the Balearic island.

Ahead of the nuptials, the actors were spotted in breezy summer wear, enjoying a sun-soaked day with loved ones on the beach.

In the lead-up to the big event, The Ex Machina star’s friends gave her a surprise bachelorette party in France.

“I was there [in Paris] for the Louis Vuitton show and suddenly got a text that says, ‘Go out. We need you right now.’ They kidnapped me for 24 hours!” Vikander told Marie Claire in 2018.

After the ceremony, the newly married-couple were photographed sporting their rings. When asked about life as husband and wife in a 2018 Vogue interview, Vikander responded, “I feel I’m more happy and content than I’ve ever been.”

October 2017: Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander honeymoon in Italy

Following their ultra-private wedding in Ibiza, Fassbender and Vikander enjoyed a honeymoon in Italy.

Their vacation was primarily documented through photos from fans. The couple made a stop in Bologna, where they posed for a selfie with a fan at Osteria del Cappello restaurant. The actors were all smiles as Vikander showed off her new wedding band in the shot. They also stopped for snaps with fans in Verona and Florence.

February 2018: Alicia Vikander praised Michael Fassbender’s acting skills

Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander attend the screening of ‘Holy Spider’ during the 75th annual Cannes film festival in May 2022.

Gisela Schober/Getty 

Both Fassbender and Vikander are talented actors who have received critical acclaim, but the Anna Karenina actress took a moment to highlight her husband’s skills in a 2018 Vogue interview.

“I think he’s one of the absolute best actors I’ve worked with,” she told the publication. While Vikander recognized that Fassbender had “done more films” than her, he was receptive to hearing her “new ideas and thoughts.”

Vikander explained, “He would be like, ‘I’m stuck; what should I do?’ and I would say, ‘You’re asking me?’ That was such a sweet thing.”

July 2020: Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander take a trip to Ibiza

Fassbender and Vikander enjoyed a summer getaway to Ibiza. The duo dined at the Es Xarcu seafood restaurant and followed COVID-19 pandemic safety protocols by wearing their masks before entering their vehicle. Once inside, they shared a laugh and appeared in good spirits.

October 2020: Michael Fassbender surprises his wife Alicia Vikander with a birthday trip

Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander attend a photocall for ‘The Light Between Oceans’ during the 73rd Venice Film Festival in September 2016.

Stefania D’Alessandro/WireImage

Vikander was born and raised in Gothenburg, Sweden, to stage actress Maria Fahl and psychiatrist Svante Vikander. While promoting her film The Glorias on Good Morning America, Vikander shared that Fassbender arranged a sweet surprise to celebrate her 32nd birthday.

“My husband surprised me with a trip to Sweden,” she said. “Landed, I got a COVID test and was negative so I was able to hang out with my mom and my dad and a lot of family members I haven’t seen in a long time, so that was kind of a perfect gift.”

September 2021: Alicia Vikander confirms that she and Michael Fassbender have welcomed their first baby

Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender attend the ‘Firebrand’ after party hosted by La Mome Plage and Louis Julian Jewellery during the 76th annual Cannes film festival in May 2023.

Dave Benett/Getty

The duo quietly welcomed their first child together earlier in the year, Vikander revealed in an exclusive PEOPLE interview.

“I now have a whole new understanding of life in general,” the Swedish native said. “That’s pretty beautiful, and obviously will give a lot to any of my work in the future.”

She elaborated that one of her goals as a new mother is to focus on the present. “I’m enjoying finding it out in the moment right now, more than anything,” Vikander shared.

She later revealed to Harper’s Bazaar U.K. in 2022, she didn’t realize she wanted to be a mom until she turned 30 and faced difficulty trying to conceive “during lockdown.”

“I tried to get pregnant for a while,” Vikander said. “I struggled … I didn’t think that I could get pregnant.”

She described the birth of her son as “profound,” adding that she changed “in every way.”

April 2022: Alicia Vikander shares her lockdown routine with husband Michael Fassbender

As the COVID-19 pandemic forced a global lockdown in 2020, Fassbender and Vikander passed the time in the Basque country of France.

“There was obviously quite a lot of fear,” the Tomb Raider actress told Harper’s Bazaar U.K. “But I was very fortunate that all my loved ones were fine. And it was the first time I was at home for that long since I was 19. That was quite a blessing, in the end.”

The COVID-19 pandemic was “a chance for my husband and me to be at home, just cooking,” she added. “We had a routine. We worked and we met up with five other families on Zoom and worked out Monday to Friday together.”

July 2022: Alicia Vikander opens up about suffering miscarriage with husband Michael Fassbender

Fassbender and Vikander welcomed a son in 2021, but the path to parenthood was not easy. In an interview with The Sunday Times, the Academy Award winner revealed that she had suffered an “extreme and painful” miscarriage previously.

“We have a child now, but it took us time,” she shared.

The experience was similar to that of her character in The Light Between Oceans, who suffered two miscarriages. This gave the film another layer of meaning for Vikander and showed how movies exploring complex issues can be cathartic for both the performer and the viewer. The actress experienced the challenge of dealing with personal turmoil in public.

“Sometimes you go through things that are tough in life and if you have an office job you can step away for a bit,” she said. “But there are times that myself or colleagues have been through something and, well, I can’t understand how they went on to the red carpet afterwards.”

Vikander continued, “To be met by people asking, ‘How are you doing?’ Given what they had just been through? Most people would not be able to step out of their house.”

November 3, 2022: Michael Fassbender gets support from Alicia Vikander during his races

Michael Fassbender attends the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in June 2022 in Le Mans, France.

Marc Piasecki/WireImage

Fassbender realized his car racing dreams in June 2022, debuting in a Porsche 911 RSR-19 for the German racing team Proton Competition at France’s legendary Le Mans 24-hour race.

“Anything with four wheels, basically. I wasn’t really interested in bicycles. All I wanted was one of those little pedal karts. I was always obsessed with cars,” the actor told Top Gear about his passion for motorsports.

His biggest fan is Vikander, who supports her husband while trackside.

“I get, like, so excited,” Vikander shared on The Late Late Show With James Corden. “I remember in the beginning, I thought I was going to be terrified, but instead, I go up there, and I’m like, ‘You go!’ ”

May 22, 2023: Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander walk the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival

Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender attend the ‘Firebrand’ red carpet during the 76th annual Cannes film festival in May 2023.

Gisela Schober/Getty

Fassbender and Vikander are one of Hollywood’s most low-profile couples, but the two stepped out at the Cannes Film Festival where Vikander promoted her film Firebrand, in which she plays Catherine Parr, the sixth wife of 16th-century English King Henry VIII.

The Oscar-winning actress wore a pink gown with sequin details and minimal jewelry. Fassbender donned a simple, classic tux. They walked arm in arm while posing for photos on the carpet.

Variety reported that the movie received an eight-minute standing ovation after its premiere.

July 5, 2023: Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander make a stylish appearance at Paris Fashion Week

The couple appeared at Paris Fashion Week in complementary silver and ivory looks. Vikander attended the Louis Vuitton event in a long-sleeved, sequined dress, while Fassbender matched his wife in an ivory suit with a silver dress shirt.

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