From an untamed heroine in the original The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, to a gipsy fortuneteller in Sherlock Holmes 2, Noomi Rapace has become one of the most talked about new-comers in Hollywood.

The 31-year-old Swedish actress made her first film debut at 7-years-old, but it was her role as a traumatized computer hacker in the 2009 hit, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, that she started gaining international recognition.

The original film is based on the internationally acclaimed trilogy by the late journalist, Stieg Larrsoon, and its American adaptaton will be coming out Dec.21, with Rooney Mara taking on Rapace's original role as the films heroine.

She made her English-language debut in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, this year, where she stars alongside Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as a gipsy fortuneteller who helps bring down a criminal mastermind.

Sherlock Holmes's director, Guy Richie's describes Rapace as a wild animal. That girl can kick ass, he said, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Rapace told CTV that she felt comfortable on the Ridley Scott film set as she had grown up to his films, including Alien and Thelma & Louise.

Ridley Scott is one of my heroes since as long as I can remember. I kind of actually think that he saved me sometimes, because I always felt like an outsider in Sweden. I didn't feel Swedish. I always felt like something is different with me, Rapace told CTV in an interview to promote the film.

The Swedish people are quite repressed, and they hold back a lot of things. It's like people are really afraid of conflicts and emotions, and nobody really says anything straight to you, she said.

Rapace says she always knew she was going to leave Sweden, but she never knew it would be to do such high-profile movies where she would work with so many acclaimed actors, directors and film crews.

There was a gap there when I was not into acting and I was against everything. First, I was into doing judo and kung fu. Then I was drinking a lot, Rapace said. So I kind of lost track for a while, then I came back, I pulled myself together and I decided when I was 15 that I'm going to get sober and I'm going to become an actress, she told CTV.

Once she got her act together she enrolled in a drama high school in Stockholm, which helped her get cast in films and TV shows throughout her 20s.

Outside of her role in Sherlock Holmes, Rapace is the lead actress in the upcoming Sci-fi film, Prometheus.

Swedish actress Noomi Rapace poses for photographers
Swedish actress Noomi Rapace poses for photographers as she arrives for the Elle Style Awards in London February 14, 2011. Reuters
Actress Rapace arrives for the screening of the film quotUn Prophetequot
Actress Noomi Rapace arrives for the screening of the film "Un Prophete" at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival May 16, 2009. Twenty films are competing for the prestigious Palme d'Or which will be awarded on May 24. Reuters
Actress Rapace poses during a photocall at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival
Actress Noomi Rapace poses during a photocall at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival May 16, 2010. Rapace is in Cannes to announce the shooting of the film "The Nazi Officer's Wife" by director Barthelemy Grossmann. Reuters
Swedish actor Rapace poses for photographers at the premiere of quotSherlock Holmes A Game of Shadowsquot
Swedish actor Noomi Rapace poses for photographers at the premiere of "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" at the Empire Cinema in London December 8, 2011. Reuters
Cast member Rapace poses at the premiere of quotSherlock Holmes A Game of Shadowsquot
Cast member Noomi Rapace poses at the premiere of "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" at the Village theatre in Los Angeles, California December 6, 2011. Reuters
Actress Noomi Rapace gestures as she arrives on the red carpet for the movie quotBabycallquot
Actress Noomi Rapace gestures as she arrives on the red carpet for the movie "Babycall" by director Pal Sletaune at the Rome Film Festival October 31, 2011. Reuters
Actress Rapace poses during a photocall of the movie quotBabycallquot
Actress Noomi Rapace poses during a photocall of the movie "Babycall" of director Pal Sletaune at the Rome Film Festival October 31, 2011. Reuters
quotSherlock Holmes A Game of Shadowsquot
Swedish actor Rapace poses for photographers at the premiere of "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" Reuters
Swedish actress Noomi Rapace arrives for the UK premiere of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy in London
Swedish actress Noomi Rapace arrives for the UK premiere of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy in London September 13, 2011. Reuters
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