Malin Åkerman



Malin Maria Åkerman (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈmɑːlɪn ˈoːkərˈ.man]; born May 12, 1978)[1]  is a Swedish Canadian actress, model and singer. She was born in Stockholm, Sweden and moved to Canada at the age of two. As a child, she appeared in several television commercials before going on to win a modelling contract at age sixteen. Åkerman's acting career began with her debut on the Canadian television series Earth: Final Conflict in 1997, after which she made appearances on several other Canadian productions. In the early 2000s, she had many television and film parts, including The Utopian Society (2003) and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004). Following a supporting role on the short-lived comedy series The Comeback (2005), Åkerman gained her first starring roles in the feature films The Heartbreak Kid (2007) and 27 Dresses (2008) and "Rock of Ages" (2012).

Åkerman was cast as Silk Spectre II in the 2009 superhero film Watchmen, a role for which she was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress. The same year, she had supporting and starring roles in both The Proposal and Couples Retreat, two commercial hits that garnered mixed to negative reviews. In 2010, she became part of the main cast on the comedy series Childrens Hospital. She starred in four feature films in 2012, including the comedy Wanderlust and the musical film Rock of Ages. Since 2012, she has had a recurring role on the sitcom Suburgatory and currently plays the lead role on the ABC sitcom Trophy Wife.

Apart from acting and occasional modelling, Åkerman has had a brief music career as the lead vocalist for alternative rock band The Petalstones, but eventually left to focus on her acting career. She was married to the band's drummer Roberto Zincone from 2007 until 2013.



Contents
[hide]  *1 Early life  ==Early life[edit] == Åkerman was born in Stockholm, Sweden to aerobics teacher and part-time model Pia (née Sundström) and insurance broker Magnus Åkerman.[2] [3]  When she was two, the family moved to Canada when her father was offered a job.[3]  Four years later, her parents divorced, with her father moving back to Sweden.[2]  Both of her parents remarried, giving Åkerman one half-brother and two half-sisters.[2]  After her mother remarried, they moved to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.[4]  Later in her teenage years, her mother divorced again.[3]  Åkerman attended many different schools,[5]  including Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School in St. Catharines, Ontario.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Yahoo_6-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  She once attended a Catholic school, though she was raised as a Buddhist.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Esquire_5-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[5]  She has recalled some portions of her childhood as "painful", explaining that "I loved my father very much and I only got to see him during the school holidays. But I think it was an advantage that they split up when I was very young, so I could get used to it."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2]  She visited her father in Falsterbo, Sweden during school breaks and talked to him regularly over the phone.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Elle_7-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NorthToronto_8-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[8]  She cites her parents as "supportive, positive influences" in her life.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NorthToronto_8-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[8]
 * 2 Career
 * 2.1 1997–2008
 * 2.2 2009–2011
 * 2.3 2012–present
 * 3 Personal life
 * 4 Filmography
 * 4.1 Films
 * 4.2 Television
 * 5 References
 * 6 External links

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">As a child, Åkerman had no plans to become an actress.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2]  Her mother introduced her to modelling while she was still in primary school, and she later landed several advertising campaign deals, but she decided to quit at age twelve.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-5" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2]  Four years later she returned to modelling after being discovered by Ford Models in a shopping mall in St. Catharines.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-6" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NorthToronto_8-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[8]  She was signed to the agency and later won a contract with skincare company Noxzema.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NorthToronto_8-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[8]  She soon moved to Toronto while attending North Toronto Collegiate Institute and later on in her OAC year, Dante Alighieri Academy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NorthToronto_8-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[8]  At the age of eighteen, inspired by the "helplessness" she sometimes felt during her childhood,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DN_4-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  she decided to become a child psychologist.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-7" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2]  She supported her education by modelling for television commercials and catalogue layouts.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-AskMen_9-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9]  While studying for a year at York University in Toronto, she was simultaneously offered guest roles on television as a result of her exposure in commercials.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-AskMen_9-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9]  She saw the acting gigs as further opportunities to pay for her education, but found herself enjoying it and decided to drop out of school to become an actress.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-AskMen_9-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9]  She moved to Los Angeles, California in 2001 to pursue her acting career full-time.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TheStar_10-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10] ==Career<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[edit] == ===1997–2008<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Åkerman made her acting debut on the Canadian science fiction series Earth: Final Conflict in 1997, in a smaller role as a robot.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-metro_11-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[11]  She originally landed a role on an MTV pilot with Rachel McAdams, but the project was never picked up by the network.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-AskMen_9-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9]  In 2000, she guest starred on Relic Hunter and had a smaller role in the American film The Skulls.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Yahoo_6-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  The following year, she made appearances on the Canada-based seriesDoc and Twice in a Lifetime.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tribute_12-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12]  In 2001, she moved to Los Angeles, California in hopes of pursuing a broader acting career.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DN_4-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  At first, she worked as a waitress and stayed at a friend's house.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DN_4-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Elle_7-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7]  In 2002, she received smaller role in the film The Utopian Society.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Yahoo_6-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-WFP_13-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[13]  The film was edited by Francesco Sondelli, the guitarist for alternative rock band Ozono.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tribute_12-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12]  Sondelli asked Åkerman to help the band with song lyrics and later asked her to sing.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-AskMen_9-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9]  Åkerman subsequently became the band's singer, and they changed their name to The Petalstones.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-AskMen_9-5" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TheStar_10-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]  The band's debut album, Stung, was released in August 2005,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  but Åkerman eventually left to focus on her acting career, admitting that she "actually can't sing".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-8" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2]  She described her singing as "sort of a self-made, self-taught, if-you-can't-hit-the-note-scream-it kind of thing".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-WFP_13-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[13]

Åkerman at New York Fashion Week, September 2008<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 2004, she got a small role in the film Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Yahoo_6-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  but considered moving back to Canada as most of her auditions failed.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DN_4-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  She was then cast in a supporting role as Juna on the short-lived HBO television series The Comeback, with Lisa Kudrow in the main role.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Yahoo_6-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  Kudrow played a former sitcom star who tried to restart her career.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[15]  Åkerman's appearance on the show garnered media attention and resulted in her being offered more roles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DN_4-5" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  A year later, she guest starred on an episode of Love Monkey and two episodes of Entourage.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tribute_12-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12]  Before the Entourage episodes aired, she landed a role in the 2007 comedy film The Brothers Solomon.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Entourage_16-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[16]  The film was a box office bomb and received largely critical reviews.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[17] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[18]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Åkerman signed up for a role opposite Ben Stiller in the comedy film The Heartbreak Kid, directed by the Farrelly Brothers, in 2006.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Entourage_16-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[16]  She played in the lead female role as Lila, the newly wedded wife of Stiller's character.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Heartbreak_19-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[19]  The film follows the couple's honeymoon in Mexico, where Stiller's character falls in love with another woman and realizes that the marriage was a mistake.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Washingtonpost_20-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[20]  A remake of the 1972 film of the same name, it was released in October 2007 to generally poor reviews, as critics deemed it "neither as daring nor as funny" as the directors' earlier films.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-RottenHeartbreak_21-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[21]  Åkerman's performance garnered more positive reviews; Desson Thomson of The Washington Post called her a "fabulous comic partner" to Stiller,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Washingtonpost_20-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[20]  while Roger Moore of Times Herald-Record asserted that she had outperformed him.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[22]  The film grossed $14 million in its opening weekend in the United States, and went on to gross $127 million globally.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[23]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 2007, Åkerman joined the cast of 27 Dresses, a romantic comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher with Katherine Heigl in the lead role.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-24" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[24]  The film follows Heigl's character Jane, who has always been the bridesmaid and dreams of her own wedding. Åkerman played Jane's sister Tess.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[25]  The film was shot during the summer of 2007,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-26" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[26]  and was released in January 2008 to weak critical reception as it was considered "clichéd and mostly forgettable".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[27]  The film was more successful commercially, with a gross of $160 million.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-28" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[28] Åkerman played the title role in Bye Bye Sally, a short film directed by Paul Leyden and based on Lisa Mannetti's short story Everybody Wins.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ByeBye_29-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[29]  The film premiered at the 2009Newport Beach Film Festival.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ByeBye_29-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[29] ===2009–2011<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 2009, Åkerman starred as Silk Spectre II in Zack Snyder's superhero film Watchmen, an adaption of Alan Moore's graphic novel of the same name.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Watchmen_30-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[30]  The film is set in an alternate reality in 1985 where a group of retired vigilantes investigate an apparent conspiracy against them.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-9" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Watchmen_30-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[30]  Snyder favoured Åkerman over other more well-known actresses as he felt that they could not play such a serious part.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-tf_31-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[31]  Åkerman rehearsed with "months of hardcore training" and went on a very strict diet.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TheStar_10-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]  She wore a brunette wig, high heels and an uncomfortable latex costume, which provided little protection when performing stunts, and she often bruised herself during filming.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-tf_31-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[31]  Åkerman stated that her character carries the emotion of the film as she is the only woman among several men.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[32]  Premiering in February 2009, the film received generally favourable reviews,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-RottenWatchmen_33-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[33]  and was a commercial success, grossing $185 million worldwide.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mojo_34-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[34]  Although Åkerman was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Teen Choice Award for her performance in the film,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-35" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[35] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-36" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[36]  critics were generally negative towards her acting.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-37" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[37] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-38" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[38] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-39" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[39]

Åkerman at the premiere of The Bang Bang Club (film)<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Åkerman appeared in the 2009 romantic comedy film The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds in the lead roles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-40" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[40]  Åkerman played a supporting role as Gertrude, the ex-girlfriend of Reynolds' part.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-41" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[41]  Although the film received mixed reviews, it went on to gross $317 million worldwide.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-42" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[42]  Also in 2009, Åkerman starred in the comedy film Couples Retreat, opposite Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Couplesinfo_43-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[43]  The film follows four couples as they travel to a tropical island resort for couples therapy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Couplesinfo_43-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[43]  Åkerman played Ronnie, the wife of Vaughn's part.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-CouplesAbout_44-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[44]  She enjoyed playing a mother for the first time and tried to make her character as truthful as possible,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-CouplesAbout_44-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[44]  which included dyeing her hair brown to not look like a "blonde bombshell".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-10" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2]  The film premiered in theatres in October 2009 and grossed $34 million in its opening weekend in the United States, entering number one at the box office, and totalled $171 million worldwide.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-45" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[45]  Reception for the film was mainly negative, although Åkerman's performance was met with more positive reactions.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-RottenCouples_46-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[46] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-47" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[47]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 2010, Åkerman co-starred as Annie in the Josh Radnor-directed comedy-drama film happythankyoumoreplease.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Radnor_48-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[48]  As her character has alopecia, Åkerman shaved off her eyebrows and wore a bald cap to cover her hair.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-happy_49-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[49]  She was originally offered a different part, but felt that she wanted to play Annie as it was different from her previous roles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-happy_49-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[49] The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2010 and received an audience award for Favorite U.S. Drama.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Radnor_48-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[48]  Reviews from critics were polarized, but Åkerman received praise.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-50" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[50] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-51" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[51] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-52" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[52]  Later in 2010, she guest starred on the How I Met Your Mother episode "The Wedding Bride",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-himym_53-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[53]  and joined the cast of the currently ongoing Adult Swimcomedy series Childrens Hospital.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-childrens_hospital_54-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[54]  Playing the part of the promiscuous Dr. Valerie Flame, Åkerman joined during the series' second season along with Henry Winkler.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-CH_IGN_55-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[55]  The series was originally a web series and Åkerman accepted the role after viewing several webisodes. "It was totally up my alley, my kind of humor", she said of the series.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-CH_IGN_55-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[55]  The same year, she played a supporting role in the romantic comedy film The Romantics with Katie Holmes, Josh Duhamel and Anna Paquin.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-56" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[56]  The film premiered in September 2010 on limited release to generally negative reviews.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-57" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[57]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 2010, she starred in Sebastian Gutierrez's comedy film Elektra Luxx opposite Carla Gugino and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The film is a sequel to 2009's Women in Trouble.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-elektra_luxx_58-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[58] Åkerman played Trixie, an awkward drug store clerk who falls for Gordon-Levitt's part, who in turn is obsessed with Gugino's character, a retired porn star.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Interview_59-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[59]  Åkerman was offered the role during a screening ofWomen in Trouble.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Interview_59-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[59]  The film premiered in March 2011 on limited release and received generally unfavourable reviews; critics dismissed its many subplots and called it a "bizarre sex comedy".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-RottenElektra_60-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[60]  Next, Åkerman starred in the lead female role in the film The Bang Bang Club, which follows a group of young photojournalists in South Africa during the final stages of the apartheid.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-61" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[61]  Åkerman played Robin Comley, a newspaper photo editor.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-62" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[62]  The film premiered during the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival to mixed reviews from the press.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-63" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[63] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-64" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[64]  In 2010, Åkerman signed up for a part in newcomer Aaron Harvey's Catch .44, a drama-thriller film with Forest Whitaker and Bruce Willis in the male lead roles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Catch_65-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[65]  The film was generally ignored by critics and movie goers alike.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-66" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[66] ===2012–present<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] === Åkerman (right) with Kathryn Hahn and Adam Sandler, February 2012<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Åkerman had a supporting role in the 2012 comedy film Wanderlust, with Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Wanderlust_67-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[67]  The film focuses on an overworked couple who end up at a commune when they try to slow things down.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Wanderlust_trailer_68-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[68]  Åkerman played Eva, a woman at the commune.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Wanderlust_trailer_68-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[68] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Wanderlust_DS_69-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[69]  The film received mixed to positive reviews from critics, who were divided regarding its humour, but ultimately praised the cast.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-70" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[70]  Wanderlust underperformed at the box office, earning just over $20 million worldwide during its theatrical run.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-71" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[71]  Åkerman appeared in the comedy film The Giant Mechanical Man, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 23, 2012, to average reviews.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-72" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[72] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-73" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[73]  She had a supporting role in the 2012 rockmusical film Rock of Ages, based on the stage production of the same title.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-WFP_13-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[13] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ROA_BOX_74-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[74]  She played Constance Sack, a journalist who interviews Tom Cruise's character Stacee Jaxx. She hired a vocal coach as her role required her to sing; she and Cruise recorded a duet of Foreigner's "I Want to Know What Love Is" (1984).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-WFP_13-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[13] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-RS_RoA_75-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[75]  Although the film grossed lower than expected, its opening weekend gross in the United States became the third-highest ever for an adaption of a stage production.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ROA_BOX_74-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[74]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Åkerman starred in the 2012 bank heist action film Stolen opposite Nicolas Cage.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Cinema_Blend_76-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[76]  In 2010, she replaced Lindsay Lohan as Linda Lovelace in the planned film Inferno: A Linda Lovelace Story<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-77" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[77]  but the project never entered production.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-78" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[78]  Two other projects, Cottage Country and The Numbers Station, were released in 2013.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-new_2012_79-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[79] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-80" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[80]  She is up for a role inSerpent Girl, based on Matthew Carnahan's book of the same name.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Cinema_Blend_76-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[76]  In February 2012, Åkerman was cast in the ABC comedy pilot The Smart One opposite Portia de Rossi andJean Smart.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-81" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[81]  The pilot was not ordered to series. In May 2012, it was revealed that Åkerman will play Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry in Randall Miller's film CBGB.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-82" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[82]  In the fall of 2012, Åkerman guest starred as Alex on two season two episodes of ABC's Suburgatory.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-83" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[83]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Åkerman currently plays the lead role on the ABC sitcom Trophy Wife. Åkerman plays Kate Harrison, the third wife of Pete Harrison (Bradley Whitford). Marcia Gay Harden and Michaela Watkins also star as Pete's ex-wives. The show has received positive reviews, with critics singling out Åkerman for praise. Matt Webb Mitovich of TVLine said she "no less than shines here, coming off as fun-loving but not flaky, warm and not overheated".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-84" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[84]  Gabriel Mizrahi of The Huffington Post called Åkerman "terrific"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-85" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[85]  and Roth Cornet of IGN singled out her chemistry with co-star Bradley Whitford and her aptitude for physical comedy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-86" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[86]  Åkerman said that she was initially put off by the title, having previously expressed frustration at constantly being asked to play the "trophy wife."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-11" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2]  However, when she read the script, she loved the writing and the character and how "not trophy wife" she is.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-87" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[87] ==Personal life<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[edit] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Åkerman was born in Sweden and grew up in Canada; she has "conflicting feelings" for the two countries.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TheStar_10-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]  In an interview for Toronto Star, she said, "Every time I'm in Canada I feel more Swedish, and every time I'm in Sweden I feel more Canadian. I belong in both places and I love them both equally."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TheStar_10-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]  She holds both Swedish and Canadian passports.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TheStar_10-5" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]  Apart from speaking fluent English and Swedish, she also speaks French and Spanish.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Vild_3-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[3] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DN_4-6" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  She describes herself as a feminist as she believes in equal treatment for both sexes, but also considers that "We [women] are different", adding that she "embrace[s] those differences."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-12" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2] She has revealed that she is dyslexic and said that it took her "a long time" to learn her lines. "I get horrified when I have to do table reads with the whole cast, because there’s a lot of stuttering coming from me, so I have to do a lot of prep", she explained.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Dyslexia_88-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[88]  Because of this, she prefers to improvise her lines.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Dyslexia_88-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[88]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Åkerman was raised a Buddhist,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-AskMen_9-6" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9]  which inspired the lotus flower tattoo on her upper back.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Esquire_5-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[5]  She also has a tattooed 'Z' on her right wrist, honouring her husband, Italian musician Roberto Zincone.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Esquire_5-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[5]  The two met in 2003 when Åkerman was the lead singer for The Petalstones, for which Zincone served as the drummer.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-13" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2]  After band practices, they usually socialized, using a dictionary as he could not speak English.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Esquire_5-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[5]  They eventually started dating and married at Grand Hotel Moon Valley in Sorrento, Italy on June 20, 2007.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-14" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Elle_7-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7]  The couple had one son, Sebastian Zincone, born on April 16, 2013.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-89" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[89]  On November 25, 2013, the couple announced that they were separating. Zincone filed for divorce on December 2, 2013.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-90" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[90]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Åkerman is noted for frequently appearing in nude scenes in her films, such as The Heartbreak Kid and Watchmen.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-91" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[91] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-92" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[92]  She has stated that she feels comfortable as long as the scenes are not gratuitous.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-15" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2]  In an interview for Daily Mail, she commented, "I spent a lot of time as a child in Sweden; it’s natural there ... I don't know many women who go to bed with their husband at night and have sex with a bra on ... So let's make it real in the movies."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-16" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2]  In 2008, she made her first appearance on AskMen.com's "99 Most Desirable Women" list at number 60.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-93" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[93]  The same year, men's magazine Maxim placed her at number 59 in their annual "Hot 100" rankings.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-94" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[94]  The following year, the magazine ranked her at number four.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-95" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[95]  Although admitting that sex appeal is one of the "best assets", Åkerman considers being beautiful both "a blessing and a curse", stating, "I tend to get a lot of scripts in which people want me to play the trophy wife, which is frustrating because I want the interesting, meaty roles."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DailyMail_2-17" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.399999618530273px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 2012, Åkerman travelled to Tanzania with Opportunity International, and has since begun support of their international development work, becoming a Young Ambassador for Opportunity in June 2012<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-96" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[96]  and hosting a fundraiser for Opportunity in October 2012.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-97" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[97] ==Filmography<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[edit] == ===Films<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] === ===Television<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] ===