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You’ve probably glimpsed Malin Akerman a million times—and not realized who you were seeing. A natural blonde—she moved from Stockholm to Toronto when she was two—Malin became a raven-haired dominatrix for “Watchmen,” a redhead for “Couples Retreat” and lost her eyebrows for a role as a woman stricken with alopecia in the upcoming “HappyThankYouMorePlease,” as she revealed to EcoStiletto in this exclusive interview. And the actress literally became Marilyn Monroe, Madonna and Jean Harlow, among others, in these iconic photos shot by Steve Shaw for 944 magazine.
But Malin is just as interested in transforming the world as she is in transforming herself for a role. An environmentalist from childhood—“In Canada, it’s so easy. There’s recycling, composting, you take public transportation most of the time, you have a bike”—Malin recently took a more active role in the preservation of the planet, volunteering for the Natural Resources Defense Council, driving a hybrid, and pining for solar panels and rainwater collection systems at her rental house.
“I can’t wait until my jeans and my boots are all worn in—when you shop second-hand, it’s already done for you,” the vintage shopper said, but she also professed a penchant for silky bamboo, sourced at Los Angeles eco-clothing mecca Visionary Boutique. And although she’s a fan of the raw beauty brand Envision, she draws the line at eating only raw food. “I can’t live without pasta now and then, living with an Italian husband!” she said.
What’s her eco-sin? Read on to find out, but we’ll give you a hint: It’s not paper.
You’ve been on fire since “The Heartbreak Kid” in 2007—last year you were in three blockbuster movies and “Couples Retreat” looks amazing!
Thank you I hope so!
What are you working on now?
After “Couples Retreat” I finished two other independent films that were wonderful. “Bang Bang Club” was filmed in South Africa, based on a true story about photojournalists during the end of apartheid. Then I went to film “HappyThankYouMorePlease,” where I play a woman with alopecia. It’s a character-driven film about friends and their journey and search for love. Being a bald woman presents some complexities in finding a man. It’s a dark comedy.
Did you really shave off your eyebrows for that role?
I did. I took ‘em off! It’s kind of hard to hide eyebrows. And in an indie film there’s not much of a budget to take them off in post. I was pretty gung-ho about it, I have to say. It’s fun to transform yourself. It helps get you into character.
You were born in Europe and raised in Canada, where there’s been a focus on sustainability for far longer than in the U.S. When did you start getting involved in eco-consciousness?
It was probably two or three years ago when Al Gore’s film, “An Inconvenient Truth,” came out.
Living in Canada, it’s so easy. There’s recycling, composting, you take public transportation most of the time, you have a bike. And then I came over here and was focused so much on work, I didn’t really think about it. I wasn’t doing anything except recycling.
But when I saw that movie, it really opened my eyes. You sleep on it a bit.
So I went and bought a hybrid car. We changed all our light bulbs—it’s super easy! I [recently] went to two council meetings at the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to see what I can do, like writing letters to senators. Getting involved like that.
It’s the little things that really make a difference. Leaving your phone chargers plugged into the wall—it’s such a waste of energy! Just unplug those when you’re not using them. Whenever you don’t have to take the car, don’t. Bring that awareness to your life.
I did a show with Adrian Grenier [“Alter Eco”]. People think that when you go green you lose out on luxuries but you don’t! There are nail salons that are eco-friendly—I love Recess on Beverly—you can go shopping for jewelry, shoes, clothes made from sustainable materials like bamboo. You just have to find out where to go and what to do.
And I love second-hand shopping. You