Interview - Malin Akerman

By Sean Lynch
Interview with Malin Akerman
Star of Watchmen

From humble beginnings as the topless wife of a Freakshow in the cult classic "Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle" to becoming the ever-so-annoying wife of Ben Stiller in "The Heartbreak Kid", to taking on weddings with Katherine Heigl in "27 Dresses" - the rise to the top has been an exciting one for Malin Akerman.

She now enters the realm of comic books heroes as the sexy Silk Spectre II in the long awaited film adaptation of "Watchmen" - the latest epic tale from visionary director Zack Snyder.

Sean Lynch caught up with the bubbly blue eyed beauty to talk tights, tears... and toes.

It's the question that will be asked the most - but I'll get it out of the way now... the Silk Spectre II suit - was it borrowed from Cher?

[Laughs]. It could have been, I'm starting to delve into that - I've got a private investigator finding that out.

But it was quite the suit - it looks amazing... but it really doesn't feel as amazing as it looks. [Laughs]

I heard you say somewhere that it felt like wearing "Wet Bathers with a Rubber Band Wrapped Around It"?

Yeah - doesn't that feel amazing?

I'm actually wearing that now...

I noticed, I can see it underneath [your clothes]...

But it was [uncomfortable]. It was literally being damp all day and feeling like you are wearing a rubber band.

I don't want to get crass, but surely at some point walking around set - you would have to start worrying about Camel Toe... I'm not saying there was [Laughs]

[Laugh] Actually...

No there wasn't any Camel Toe happening - I swear! But there were definitely concerns during fight scenes - the kicks and such. But it all worked out...

You can always CGI it out later...

Exactly [Laughs]

You did Comic-Con which must have been a huge thrill for the Watchmen book fans. Does it daunt realising that you may just spend the rest of your life making appearances at Comic Book Conventions?

No, I love it. I mean, I'm excited, because when I'm 60 years old and maybe have let myself go I can still go back to Comic-Con and be Silk Spectre [Laughs].

Have you encountered any freaky fans just yet?

Not yet! Because when we went to Comic-Con last time we were on a panel, so there wasn't to much "contact" yet. But I'm looking forward to going back now - once the movie has come out.

I've heard a lot of stories about how freaky it can get - but I'm like "Bring It On!" [Laughs]

The movie is quite dark and ambitious - and in the past not all comic book movies have been great - did you sign onto this post Dark Knight and Iron Man knowing how good Watchmen could now potentially be?

Was there any point where you wondered "Will this actually work?"

There were no questions about. For me, it was before Iron Man and Dark Knight came out and for me - when I read the script - I was in. That was it for me. I thought it was brilliant, I love that it's really dark.

I love that it's more about the characters, it's not really about "Super Human" people with super powers - we're really real. And I love the rawness and the darkness of it.

It's hard to put it in a superhero genre because it's a film on it's own - it's hard to give it one genre.

Aside from the violence and sex - it's got a very film noir and satirical approach to it, which in a way, forces the audience to take a moral stance (whether the Watchmen are doing the right or wrong thing) on the issues thrown up in the film.

How did you rationalise it to yourself, or what is your personal stance on it?

I really liked that we took the law into our own hands [Laughs]. I mean, I wish I could be that tough to go out there and fight some crime.

But I think it was cool because, you walk out and you kind of go "Who is right and who is wrong?". And a lot of times in life that is sort of the question - we have struggles within ourselves, constantly, of doing the right thing or doing the wrong thing. How do you decide?

So that was one of the things that attracted me to it, initially, is that they are doing what they think is right - and it's not necessarily always is. And you see the repercussions of what happens when you go out and you fight people.

You know, it's just a regular day job [Laughs].

Zack Snyder has picked a really specific cast - not necessarily the biggest names, but more so, the right actors for the right roles.

Absolutely. That's one of the many reasons I love Zack Snyder so much, he is all about the art - he is not about anything else.

It was amazing to see all of these cast members get into their roles, they are so perfect. He cast it so perfectly - and thank God he had the liberty to do it - because otherwise I wouldn't have been doin' it [Laughs].

You've done a bit of comedy now, you've done a bit of action - is there any genre you'd like to get into... or avoid?

I want to do everything. I don't want to miss out on anything, and that's one of the main reasons I was seeking out a role that wasn't comedy. And, you know, it happened to be Watchmen - which is pretty incredible.

I would love to do a time piece in the 1800s - actually, maybe not, because that would involve corset s again [Laughs]. But something!

Something different, maybe a horror film. That's the one thing I love about this business is that you can go out and challenge yourself every day.

I heard you're heading back into comedy with Couple Retreat with Vince Vaughn [and written by Jon Favreau].

Is that a case of once you work with Ben Stiller that you join that little clique of friends - you're in work for life?

A little bit. They all know each other, their paths cross all the time. But I think maybe once you've shown your comedic acting chops people have more faith in you.

So I think having done The Heartbreak Kid with Ben Stiller, Vince is the same type as Ben in that they like to do a lot of improv. So he knew that since Ben does a lot of improv, and he does, that he could probably rely on me to bat with him back-and-forth.

So did you find working with Ben helped you read Vince's comic direction [during improv]?

It's sort of like when you trained for track and field, you should always run with the fastest person so you can try and keep up and get to that point.

And that's the same way I felt about working with this caliber of actor - they make you better.

Just a few quickies before we go - True or False: Do you have a Webbed Toe?

True [Laughs]

Does that come in handy in any situation except at parties?

Swimming.

And have you ever whipped it out to impress anyone at a Hollywood function?

[Laughs] I whip it out all the time! Or to scare people off - one or the other [Laughs].

And finally, we ask everyone this, can you finish this sentence: "It's better to have loved and lost than to..."

Than to have never loved at all... Wait, that's already a saying isn't it? [Laughs]
 
WATCHMEN is in cinemas MARCH 5th, 2009