The Commercial Break - TCB Infomercial: Malin Ackerman

Episode Date: July 29, 2025

The Commercial Break Podcast | EP#802 Malin Ackerman From epic The Watchmen Movie to 27 Dresses to the new hit Netflix show The Hunting Wives, Malin Ackerman has a wide variety of roles on her resume. She has slowly built an enviable career from her start as an independent teenager in Toronto. Malin joins B&K smack in the middle of a much hyped turn on Hunting Wives to discuss her wide ranging roles and her first marriage to the drummer of a band....NEVER marry the drummer! Never. Malin's LINKS: ⁠Follow her on Insta ⁠Hunting Wives on Netflix Check Out Her Impressive Resume on IMBD Watch EP #794 with Malin Ackerman on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠! Text us or leave us a voicemail: [phone]TCB FOLLOW US: Instagram:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thecommercialbreak⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thecommercialbreak⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tcbpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.tcbpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CREDITS: Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bryan Green⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ &⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Krissy Hoadley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Executive Producer: Bryan Green Producer: Astrid B. Green Voice Over: Rachel McGrath TCBits | TCB Tunes: Written, Performed and Edited by Bryan Green To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's not my fault. Stupid Mexican ozone. No, the Mexican ozone isn't stupid, Lila. You just needed to wear some sunscreen. I was trying to get a tan. No, you were trying to get savage. Whose side are you on, Eddie? What?

What sides are there? Mine are the ozone. Choose one. On this episode of the Commercial Break. I went to university. I only completed one year of psychology. I thought I was going to become a child psychologist. So this was like, yeah, quite a sort of go to the left and stay to the right. You took a left at Albuquerque.

Yeah. Yeah, totally. But you know, it's one of those things as well. You hear like, all right, well, of the right. You took a left at Albuquerque. Yeah. But you know, it's one of those things as well. You hear like, all right, well, ride the wave. I was young, it was early 20s and I was like, well, opportunities are presenting themselves. Let me see what could happen. And by the way, it wasn't that easy. It took years before things really started to happen. But decided to kind of go, yeah, let's, I was a bit burnt down on school and and working and going to school at the same time and I just thought let's just do one

thing for a year and see what happens so I've never gone back to university so yeah well keep that in your back pocket Mollin maybe someday you'll need to go back to university get yourself the next episode of The Commercial Break starts now. 5.30! Oh yeah, cats and kittens, welcome back to The Commercial Break. I'm Brian Green. This is my dear friend and the co-host of this show, Chris and Joy Hoadley. Best of you, Chris.

Best of you, Brian. Best of you out there in the podcast universe. Thanks for joining us on yet another episode of The Commercial Break. It's a TCB Infomercial Tuesday and a good one at that. Ma Lin Ackerman is here joining us today. A very famous actress indeed. Oh my gosh. Have we upped our game? We have. She's been in so many things. Have we upped our game? That's all I gotta say. Yes. We upped our game. I like it. Ma Lin has been in more things than I, than we could, we could go on forever and ever about all the TV and movies that she's been in. But she's probably most noted for a couple of things.

I will say Watchmen. Watchmen. I will say The Comeback. I will say Billions. Yes. Couples Retreat. Couples Retreat, yeah. What other funny movies has she...

I mean a million of funny movies she's been in. Television shows. Children's Hospital. The Proposal, 27 Dresses she's been in. The list goes on and on. She's a Swedish born actress raised in Canada and moved to Los Angeles where she found some luck. She was a model and then she found up as a model. And then she found some luck as an actress taking some small parts and then eventually becoming a big name actress.

She's got a brand new television show on Netflix streaming. It's available now. The hunting wives hunting wives hunting wives. How very exciting for her and very exciting. Watch the trailer looks really good. Yeah, I did not watch the trailer, but I trust you. Set in Texas. Oh. Little drama in Texas.

I heard it's new girl moves into town. Yeah, a new girl moves into town. Marlon takes her under the wing. Uh-huh, yeah, she's the head of contact. Sex, lies, and videotape follow. Yeah, it's like Yellowstone, Pretty Little Lies, and another one, but it looks interesting and bingeable. It's a strama.

It's a streaming drama. It's a strama and you must watch it. Those things do very well on that Netflix. I'll be bingeing. Yeah, and I imagine that Ma Lin would not be involving herself unless there were some fine people behind this, this particular television production.

And I'm very excited to have her too. Watchmen is really probably one of the first... I know it's not like comic book material, but like in that same vein, Watchmen was one of the first... Besides the original Batman movies and the Superman movies, it's something that got me very interested in like the graphic novel. The graphic novel, yeah. I remember buying the book after I saw the movie

because I was so fascinated by it. And then of course, everyone was wearing those buttons, the smiley face with the bullet, you know, the, the bullet. Oh, that's right. Yeah. Remember everyone was wearing those. I was victim to that too. I think I wore a button around for a while.

Uh, but just such a beautiful young lady and such a great part in the watchman is just a complicated and layered movie and a very long one at that nonetheless. And then have watched her in so many other comedic roles that she's taken on, sitcoms and television shows, Children's Hospital. I think she was in like 40 episodes of Children's. Have you ever watched Children's Hospital? I didn't watch it, but I saw that that was on Adult Swim. It was so good. That show was so good. It was on for a long time, I think. It was on for a very long time on Adult Swim. And if I'm not mistaken, another one of our guests, Paul Scheer,

was in Children's Hospital also. I think so. I think I might be right about that. Okay, Malin Ackerman. We're gonna put a link to our brand new Netflix series. We wish that you would go watch it because these people don't come here for their health. They come here because they love Brian and Chrissy. Then secondarily, they're promoting

something. And today, we're promoting the Netflix show, The Hunting Wives. So go watch it. Click on the link, watch it on your own Netflix subscription. If you need my login, let me know and I'll send it to you. And then- Nicole Soule-Nichols They're cracking down on that. Brian Smith They are cracking down on that. We know that here in this family because we have a few stragglers who were out there in the wind using our Netflix account. We didn't know that until they said, did you change your password? And I said, are you still using my Netflix account? Yes. But they couldn't get in even using our password. It said too many people are logged in

from different locations. Sorry, Charlie. And then sometimes early on in this old Netflix process, we were getting kicked off our Netflix accounts. We wouldn't be able to log in and be like, what the fuck is going on? There's only one person in the house. And to find out other people were using our Netflix accounts. Everybody was doing it. No more. Disney Plus has done the same thing. It's all... Yeah, the game's over now, kids. We all got to pay $19.95 a month.

But in this case, maybe worth it as the hunting wise, the new Strama from Netflix. We're all gonna But in this case, maybe worth it as the hunting wise, the new Strauma from Netflix. We're all gonna watch it. Okay, let's do this. Let's take a break. And when we get back through the magic of tele-podcasting, wherever in the world she happens to be,

we'll find out and we'll talk to her right here on this screen. What do you think, Chrissy? I think we should do it. Okay, we'll do it after this break. this break. Why don't you text us and we can text back and then you can text us in reply, then so on. It's a fun little game I've been playing and I think you'll be great at it. 212-433-3TCB. That's 212-433-3822. You could leave a message too. If you do, maybe you'll end up being the voice of the

show. But be warned, the pay is not great. You could go to the website and drop us an email also, tcbpodcast.com. And while you're there, you can get a free sticker. Who doesn't want a free sticker? Just go to the Contact Us button and ask for one. Follow us on Insta at The Commercial Break and watch the episodes at youtube.com slash The Commercial Break. Now I'm going to go back to that texting game. You want to play? Come on. Bye.

Hey, what's up, Flies? This is David Spade. Dana Carvey. I know we never actually left, but I'll just say it. We are back with another season of Fly on the Wall. Every episode, including ones with guests, will now be on video. Every Thursday you'll hear us,

and see us chatting with big name celebrities. And every Monday you're stuck with just me and Dana. We react to news, what's trending, viral clips. Follow and listen to Fly on the Wall, everywhere you get your podcasts. And Malin is here with us now. Thank you so much for joining us. I was very excited to learn

that you were gonna come on the show. Yes, welcome. Thank you. Because you just take one look at your now very long laundry list of TV shows and movies that you've been in and you're so recognizable from so many things that we love. But I would imagine that the thing you get the most love for

in your career, or the thing that most people fawn over you about, is Watchmen. Am I right about that? If you go to a Comic-Con, then yes, yes, I will. Yes, that's the kind of people I'm talking about, Mollanne. Yeah, yeah, the cool ones. Yeah.

My people. Yeah, that's a big one. But if you talk to the ladies, it's usually 27 dresses. That is a good movie also. Or couples retreat. Or couples retreat. I love that. I know.

So there's a few of those. Like, it's a real mixed bag, to be honest with you. But Watchmen was the biggest undertaking for sure for me and my career and really just an incredible once in a lifetime kind of thing. I am not one of those people. Now, God bless our Comic-Con fans that we have. I'm sure we have a lot of them that listen to the show, but that's not me. But I did, I'm not like a super superhero type, you know, comic book type of fan, but The Watchmen, I went and saw it in the theaters with some friends and I was fascinated by the movie.

I loved it. I thought it was so good. Why is it the biggest undertaking of your career? Well, first of all, yeah, I think that it was really because it's not quite a superhero film. It's more like a real, that's what I loved about the graphic novel. I'm also not like a huge superhero moviegoer. But I thought this was brilliant. It's more like humanity, existentialism. It's all wrapped into these vigilantes who don't have superpowers.

But I guess it was a huge undertaking because it was nine months of my life. It was three months of training. As you recognized, you were in the movie theater for a double-length feature. Right, right. But so that took six months to shoot. And for the first three months before shooting, I was training with a former Navy SEAL, and I thought I was gonna die.

Wow, oh yeah, but that was tough. And then learned some, oh man, and then learned some really great fight moves and fight choreography and it was really amazing and so incredibly challenging and fun. And also that was the first sort of film where I felt really green and out of my depths. I'd been doing comedy up until then.

And then I was thrown in with all of these, for me, these incredible actors who, you know, theater trained, well versed in this, in drama, and I just felt like a fish out of water. So I, it was not only my imposter syndrome that I had to fight, but it was also just a learning curve, you know, and a beautiful one. And I felt so lucky to be there. So there was a lot going on. And then just the challenges of shooting, you know, it was winter in British Columbia. And let me tell you, a latex suit out in the cold is, you're better off naked.

Because that outfit, the latex, like, it takes on the cold and it just kind of stays on you. Oh my god. Yeah. So yeah, there are a on you. Oh my God. Amazing. So yeah, there are a few little like bits and pieces. Yeah, I think this is the first movie where I, maybe not the first, probably the first movie because I don't read many books. Let's be honest about it. I listen to a lot of them, but I don't read them.

You read Ram Dass. Yes, I read Ram Dass. This is the first movie where I watched the movie knowing nothing about it and ran out and grabbed the graphic novel because it was so fascinating to me because it was, there was so much, there's so much to it. There's so many layers and depths to the movie

and to convey that all even in a short period of time was really difficult. I think you did a wonderful job. Still one of my favorite, I mean, of those type of movies. It's one of my favorite, certainly. You've been doing this, you've been in the entertainment business for a long time. I read that at 16 years old you were cast to the Ford Modeling Agency and then a couple years later you started taking on small roles. Am I right?

Is Google right about that? Yeah, we don't know about Google. Google is right. Google got it right this time. Yeah. It started small and really wasn't... I was out of the house at 16 and went to Toronto. We were living in a small town outside Toronto, Niagara Lake, and went to Toronto and decided to do modeling as a side hustle and spend my summers traveling the world and doing that since that was a possibility and an option. Of course. So that was a great way to see bits and pieces of the world.

And then never thought that this would be the course of my life. I thought I went to university. I only completed one year of psychology. I thought I was going to become a child psychologist. So this was like, yeah, quite a sort of go to the left instead of the right. You took a left at Albuquerque, yeah. Yeah, totally. But you know, it's one of those things as well.

You hear like, all right, well, ride the wave. I was young, I was early 20s, and I was like, well, opportunities are presenting themselves. Let me see what could happen. And by the way, it wasn't that easy. It took years before things really started to happen. Of course. And by the way, it wasn't that easy. It took years before things really started to happen. But decided to kind of go, yeah, let's, I was a bit burnt down on school and working and going to school at the same time.

And I just thought, let's just do one thing for a year and see what happens. So I've never gone back to university since. Yeah, well, keep that in your back pocket, Mollyn. Maybe someday you'll need to go back to university. Get yourself an education. Maybe I will. Yeah, I think things turned out.

Who in their right mind lets you out of the house at 16 years old? Like, I mean, by the way, I was also out of the house at 16 years old. So I know that- So there you go, so. Yes, I know. Yeah.

But- Different times. My dad was glad to let me, I mean, my dad was happy to let me go. He didn't want me to take the furniture. He asked me to bring back the furniture. That's young to be out of the house. You said Toronto at the time?

In Toronto, I was pretty responsible. I say that. I was grown up enough to live on my own and take that step. I had roommates who were much older. Some of them were actually makeup artists in the business. And so it was, I had great mentors all the time as I was out in the world. But yeah, I think that, and when I say responsible,

I still was doing all this stupid stuff. Of course. You know, do. Of course. But to a certain degree, because I only had a certain amount of money to spend and a certain amount of, you know, I had to get up in the morning, go to work or whatever it was.

So I guess I learned at an early age just a bit of responsibility and I liked it. So I didn't take advantage of it. That is where our stories veer, Malin. You were somewhat responsible. I was absolutely irresponsible. Yeah, I moved in with two dancers, ladies of the night if you will. My dad loved it. This is about the dancers.

This isn't about me, this is about you. I would like to hear that story one day. Yeah, well I mean it's a pretty easy one. Guy works at gas station because you know, why not work at a gas station? Dancer walks in and Guy moves in with Dancer at 16 years old.

It was crazy. My dad was, I think he was happy to see me go if I'm being honest. He thought, get this trouble out of the house. Right, go figure. Oh my God. So move out at 16, then you turn 18. When do you start getting like substantial roles,

enough roles that you're supporting yourself? I mean, you're obviously supporting yourself. You're paying rent. You have roommates. But when does it start to click that maybe this is something I can do? Not for a long time. I was still going to school up until I was 20 years old. And then that's when things started to pick up and I was doing some really bad roles on bad Canadian television shows.

Not, not that all Canadian television shows aren't great. There are some really good ones, but I got the bad ones. And then, you know, I guess it was somewhere around when I was 21 that I got an audition that I got a call back and they flew me out for a screen test, which is when you go in and you kind of do a chemistry read with someone with the lead actor, which happened to be Rob Schneider at that point. It was for a movie called The Hot Chick. Oh my God.

Yeah. Rachel McAdams ultimately got it, but it was a wild experience. Got flown out, got put up in a hotel, went to Disney Studios to do the audition. It was really surreal. Didn't get the role, which was fine. But I got a call from a manager and called my agent in Canada and said, you know, really like to represent her and I think she should come out for pilot season, give it a try. So I did.

I convinced my best friend, the one who lives here in Martha's Vineyard now, and she was also kind of doing the same thing I was doing when I was in school and working. And said, you know what? There's nothing holding us back. Let's just go give it a try. So we did. Got nothing, you guys, for a good year and a half. Started a band, did that whole thing, married the drummer.

Oh, that's right. I read that. Yeah, yeah. You married the drummer. Uh-huh. I love it. I like the drummers, too. Probably shouldn't marry the drummer, right? No.

No, have you ever seen Spinal Tap? It was a little fun with them. No, you stay away from the drummers. Yeah, you marry the bassist. The bassist is always the stable one in the group. I don't know if you marry any musician. Well, fair enough. I don't know if musicians are stable. No, we had a blast.

We had a blast. And then after a year and a half, I just thought, what am I doing? I'm just wasting time here. I'm not the singer. I'm not going to be in a band for my whole life. So I gave my manager a three-month rule and I said, I'm out in three months. If I don't get anything, it was another pilot season and he's like, all right, I'm gonna send you out.

And within three weeks of that pilot season, I got the comeback. That's right. I love that show. Which was a great show. That was my little big break. That was your little big break on HBO. The show only went for a season.

Yeah, exactly. That is an amazing story. That's where it started. You get flown in. You're relatively unknown, certainly to the United States, to the US market. You're doing Canadian shows. These are comedy shows, like sitcoms that you're just... No, funnily enough, in Canada, it was like little, like drama, like little, again, small, small parts.

Yeah. Not even soap operas, just like dramas, like TV drama. Okay. And it was more serious roles, but again, for like five minutes on screen. When I say serious roles, you know, but then once you break in somewhere, like in Hollywood, if you kind of get pigeonholed into one jump, once you've broken into it and people are like, oh, that person for comedy only.

So that's why Watchmen was such a big step, a big jump, to even be seen for that. That was gonna be my next question, is that you, I think you have this like run of comedic roles and then the Watchman comes along and that's obviously a less comedic role. It's a very serious role, and the movie can be dark in places.

And so, did you have any comedic training? Did you go to improv class? I mean, was there anything in your background that would have indicated you would have been a good comedic actress? Which you are. You have great roles in some great comedy movies and television shows.

I honestly don't. It wasn't. No, I did not do any of that stuff. I've had an acting coach here and there to help out with some auditions. I tried a Meisner technique class for a couple of weeks. It was interesting. Yeah. But I don't know.

I do not have training as a comedic actor. I think growing up and my mother went through bouts of depression when I was young and so I think trying to get her to laugh and be silly and be a clown was sort of my role in the family. Same with us. And being the clowns of the family. Yeah. Yeah.

And I just think that was like, I was happy to embarrass myself and had no reservations. And I think that just helped out with the comedy. But I'll tell you this much that when so the comeback is comedy, but it also was so true to life. Like it's like here play this character who adores this other character who they've been watching their whole lives. I'm like, well, it's true to life. I mean, I'm watching Lisa Kudrow on Friends.

So that's not far from reality. So that wasn't a huge undertaking. But then when I went in and did the next role that I got was the Heartbreak Kid with Ben Stiller. And that audition process was wild because then all of a sudden it was like, oh, you're in the comedy world. Like this is the Fairly brothers are watching you,

you're doing a chemistry read with Ben Stiller. This was like the second round I brought in with Ben Stiller and he throws the script away and says, we're not really, this isn't gonna be what it is. It's not finished, it's not the writing, these aren't gonna be the scene, so let's just improv. No way. So my heart went up in my throat and I was like, oh my God, I'm about to improv with Ben Stiller.

With Ben Stiller. I have no idea how to do improv. I have no idea what I was supposed to say, but it was almost like, I don't know if you ever have those days where you just feel like you're on and the focus and everything falls into place and everything works, and then you have your off days where nothing is working.

99% of these episodes. Yes. Yes. Yeah, so you can relate. We relate, yeah, we relate. But that was just one of those on days. And it worked out great. We just kind of flowed.

And I guess, again, it's that freedom of not really caring. You know, my physical comedy, I'm happy to give any of that and like anything to make people laugh. And so I think it's just a life skill maybe. Yeah, I think you have a natural, you have a sense of timing and a sense of humor, right? And I think that sense of timing is often

what comedy is all about. Not only is it the right thing to say, the right words are placed, but it's the emphasis and the timing. And you're very funny in some of these roles. And to know you have zero, like you didn't do any standup, you went to no improv classes,

you did Meisner, okay, you had a week of Meisner training, but then you get thrown in with Ben Stiller and you're doing improv all of a sudden. I can only imagine how terrifying that is. And that must have been just some kind of like universal magic moving through you in that moment because that's really good. You asked me to go into, my husband is, on the other hand, he's more of a writer now,

but he came up as an actor and he had his own improv group in England called Chuckledusters. Oh, wow. It's on YouTube. It's on YouTube and it's like great. It's like kind of like whose line is it anyway? Yeah. Kind of vibe.

It was great. And then he came over to America and he started writing and then he did the UCB courses, which is Upright Citizens for Great, which is all improv stuff. And man, I went to watch those shows and I just thought to myself, I could never do that. I'd be terrified to get on that stage and just hope that something comes to mind.

And then there are all these rules of like, yes, and is just the beginning, by the way. There are so many rules in how you, you know, make a scene work. So it really is a true talent. Stand-up comedy and improv and all that stuff is I really bow down to those actors. We have the utmost respect for stand-up comedians do something that I think is quite amazing. They capture your attention and they have a way to deliver a message. It's a Trojan horse. It's wrapped in a package and the good ones do it so brilliantly. And you're right

about improv. I had friends that worked at a place called Whole World Improv Theater, which is famous here in Atlanta. They did some work with Turner and stuff like that, but he was there for five, six years. And I always was a little jealous. I wanted to be a part of Whole World Theater, but I was never brave enough to take that step because it seems so scary and when you dig into it for being improv quote unquote, it's so structured. Like there's so much structure to improv that you need to learn.

I mean it becomes a muscle I imagine that you can work. But there is a very fine art to being a good improv comedian, especially the way that they do it on stage. Totally. You've worked with some of the best. I have to step back one second on the comeback. What is it like to walk on set? Did you audition for the comeback with Lisa?

Yeah. I can't remember if I had to do one or two sort of regular auditions, but um the the ultimate was a like a chemistry read with Lisa and it's called like a a test, a studio test, and so you go into the studio and it literally looks like a movie theater and you have the studio execs, that's crazy, I know, and Lisa Kudrow and Michael Patrick King. But before you step into that to do your like chemistry read, you have to sign your contract that may or may not happen for you. So you're looking at this contract going, oh my God, I might make money or I might not. And then you go in and you do the audition,

you chemistry read with Lisa. I mean, it was wild. My heart was pounding through my chest, but she was so lovely and so calming. And she's obviously been through a few of those herself. She's been exactly what we were all going through. Yeah, she's a pro. When you go into a- It was crazy.

And then I called my friend and went out and drank margaritas right after. Good for you. Yeah, exactly. I was thinking about it and see what happens. When you go in and you're doing this studio test, like this chemistry test, do they do these on purpose just to torture people? I mean, why do they have to be in the room for the chemistry test?

Why do they have to be in the room? I don't know. It feels terrifying and terrible. I don't know why they do it. And there is, I think there's a lot of industry articles and stuff about the audition process, which is so different than actually being on a set and doing your job. The audition process is highly stressful and a completely different unique animal to what acting actually is. So I don't know why they do it. It's not a fun experience.

It seems unorthodox. And you can mess up so easily, but yeah. It seems so weird. But that's what it's done, guys. Well, listen, I would imagine that the studio muckety mucks, right, who sometimes are creative types and most of the time are not, they just wanna be in on the big decisions.

They wanna feel like they're doing something. When I would imagine at the end of the day, it really does have to do with the chemistry between the two who are playing those parts. Lisa would have some say and say, hey, listen, I like this person for this role because it feels right for me. But they got to earn those big paychecks they're making. And to sign a contract, sign a contract

before you even walk in the room is insane. Isn't that brutal? Yes. It's insane. And I literally was, I think I was living in a motel at that point and working under the table at some restaurant and making 20 bucks a day. So I mean, I was really like seeing those numbers on the page, which in hindsight weren't big numbers because I'm a newbie, you know, but for me it was huge.

Yeah. Of course. It was like a difference of, oh, maybe I can move into an apartment now versus living in a cheap shitty motel with that microwave, you know. So definitely was a great change. Mullins, like $300 an episode? What? What is going on?

But you got to sign before you even meet anybody. Yeah. And by the way, there's a 50% chance you're not going to get the part. So congratulations, you signed your life away. And by the way, you're going to sit in the room with the other girl who you're up against and you guys are just going to sit there and stare each other down until you go in. Yeah. God, nerve wracking.

Yeah. Well, you were in another one of my favorite shows, which is Billions. So talk a little bit about how you got that role. And I mean, did you get to work much with Paul Giamatti? He's just one of my favorites. Paul Giamatti and I actually worked together on Rock of Ages. Oh, that's right. We didn't have many scenes together, but we were living in the same hotel and we were kind of like roommate buddies across the halls. So we would go out for dinners and like, I love that man so much. Then when I got Billions, I obviously called him up right away and I was like, we're going to be in the same show together. It's cut to the fact that we're never in any

scene together. Well, right. Yes. But we got to see each other at the table reads and of course we hung out and all that, but I loved Paul, he's an incredible actor and just such a lovely person, such a brilliant mind. But that was really, I was chasing just a different kind of role and then this came about

and I really fought for it. Again, because even though Watchmen had happened, a lot of my stuff has been comedic, so did a lot of auditions for it. I flew out to New York to meet the show runners, the creators, to really sit down and try to convince them and have a chat. And I had just recently become a mom,

and I just thought, you know, I have this whole new well of emotions that I want to play with now that I never had before becoming a mom. Interesting. And this woman is, you know, a mama bear in the show, and really family strong, and not to be messed with. And I just thought, yeah, I think I can play that now.

I understand that now. Yeah, yeah. So it was really neat, and I felt really excited to land that role because it was something. And all I got for that was the pilot. So I didn't know what her trajectory was, like what the arc was where she was going, but I left her in the pilot.

She's just cutthroat. So that's why I flew to New York and had a chat with the show creators and was like, listen, you know, there's not much in the pilot, but where does this go and who is she? And tell me all about her because I love what she is in the pilot. And sure enough, they definitely told me a great story about where she was going, her character, and I loved it.

You did a fantastic job and just that whole team. Thank you. I just, we, my husband and I were just watched that every week up until the end. It is a great cast and a great story that's really pertinent to the times that, you know. Yeah. I mean, you know, it fluctuates up and down all the time.

It's always been there, but it's really funny too, because my, I always say my now husband, my husband. Yes. Not your drummer husband. Yeah, I always say my now husband, my husband. Yes, the second. Not your drummer husband. Yeah, your non-drummer husband. My non-drummer, bright little British husband. He and his dad were avid watchers of Zillions as well before we even met.

Oh wow. I think we met like after I had done the second season. Wow. I had met my husband. So he was with me in New York while I was shooting the third season. But I remember he was telling the story how he called his dad. Finally, he was like, Dad, I'm dating a woman out here in Hollywood. And his dad was like, Oh, who is it? And he goes, remember that girl, that woman from Billions? The wife. Yes. The wife.

And his dad was like, Oh, be careful with that one. He's nothing like her character. That's really funny. So they had like a father son watch party whenever billions came up. Oh, that's great. You married the fan boy. I think that's really interesting that you find this, like you say, a new well of emotions, a new resource creatively, and you say, I'd like to find an outlet there

because I'm feeling things that I haven't before, and I think I can express those through my art, I just need to find the right vehicle to do so. That feels, that's a very interesting way that you just described that, and I like that. I like the thought that you would tune into something that was going on and say, I could put this to good use. I could find a way to express myself on celluloid

or wherever, if I could just find the right part that is different from what I've done before because I'm feeling things that I have never felt before. And as a parent myself, you certainly go through this huge range of emotions that first year or two that you have a child. It's crazy things you thought you would never feel, the depths of love and fear and anxiety and trepidation and stress. And you never knew that you could exist on so little sleep. And I'm not even a mother. I'm just a father.

I'm just the dude that gets up half the time, right? So you really felt this urge to go like express this creatively. I just felt like there was so much, and I love comedy and that's always my safe house, my safe place. But I also think, like you said, like, when I came home with my son, like the first time he cried, I went,

oh my God, why did they give me a human? Yes. I don't know what to do. I don't know what I'm doing. This is crazy. And then you figured out, but it's a shock, man. And there's a lot that goes into it. And unfortunately, my first husband and I,

we split up when he was only four months old. So that was another thing, a layer on top to contend with, and all of a sudden becoming a single mom and all the things you didn't think that you can't prepare for. And it just, again, just brought new levels to the person that I am, which could have been parenthood. And it can also just be growing up and moving through different scenarios. It doesn't necessarily, but for me, it was in the shape of parenthood. And so I was lucky enough that I got the role in Billions because that doesn't always happen. You can look and you can search and there's

always things that we want to be doing. Like I'm still wanting that day, my day in court where I get to work with the Coen brothers on a family. Yes. So if they're listening right now, hire me. Me too, Joel and Ethan. Me too. Yes. I can play a podcaster.

Anything. I mean, that's like Apex Predator. Yeah, that's Apex Predator type stuff. The Coen brothers are certainly Brilliant. some of my favorite films. Those dreams don't always come true. You can chase things that... Keep putting it out there.

I think one of the brothers is coming out with a new movie, but that they did not do together if I'm not mistaken. I think I did react. So tell us about your new television show that's coming out on Netflix. We watched the trailer. We're very excited about this. The Hunter's Wife. Oh my gosh. coming out on Netflix. We're so excited. We're very excited about this. The Hunter's Wife. Oh my gosh. The Hunting Wives.

The Hunting Wives. The Hunting Wives, yeah. And it is, oh my gosh, you guys, talk about billions and powerful women. I play, so just to set it up for you, it's in a small town in East Texas, deep Texas, and you've got this young woman played by Brittany Snow, named Sophie, who moves into town with her husband, and she gets introduced to Margot Banks, which is my character, who is the queen bee of not only the Hunting Wives group, this group of wives,

but also pretty much of the town, And is charming and seductive and dangerous. And Brittany gets wrapped up in, or Sophie gets wrapped up in Margo's world she invites her in. And it's very much like Big Little Lies meets Yellowstone meets Desperate Housewives. It is everything, a little bit of everything for everyone. It's one of those binge-worthy shows that I just, as I got the scripts on

this one, I got all eight episodes and I got to read it all and see the arcs and the twists and the turns and where it all goes. And it's nuts. And I love my character. She's also very strong, very interesting, very manipulative. I kind of liken her to a cult leader because they're always very tight. I mean, they make you drink the Kool-Aid. That's Margot Banks. She is a Kool-Aid pusher.

I watched the trailer and it looks exactly like you said, a mix of all of those different types of shows. I can't wait to binge it. Yeah, these types of shows, these kind of these mystery, drama, new art, these type of shows are doing so well right now because it's really good peak television, right? And especially if you get something creatively

that's got a good script and it's got a good, and good performances, which I imagine you're giving in this television show. It looks like it from the trailer. I give it my best, we'll see. Where did you film the- But it's very salacious and very crazy, so cover your eyes sometimes, but yeah.

Is there a lot of sex in this? Are we going, is it a sexy show that we can watch as adults? It's sexy, it's sexy. I love it. There's a few episodes, yeah, don't let your kids watch, but yeah, definitely, you gotta have that fun part. Yeah, you have to. Of course. Where did you film?

We were maybe gonna shoot in Austin, but then we ended up, I think Yellowstone took up all the crew over there. Oh yeah. So we shot in, or Taylor Sheridan did, I think Yellowstone was in Montana. Well, he's only got like 10 shows. It was shot in, unbelievable. I mean, every time I see a new show,

it's Taylor Sheridan, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, Mollie, when are you gonna get your own Taylor Sheridan show? Yeah, when are you gonna get your own Taylor Sheridan show? Listen, I've auditioned for him a couple of times. I'm still waiting for him to, you know. Oh, okay, all right.

Make a spinoff off the hunting line. There you go. We ended up shooting in Charlotte, North Carolina. Oh, nice. Not too far from us. Really great city. Yeah, Charlotte is beautiful. It is, it is a great city.

It's a lovely, lovely city. So the Netflix show. And also like the lake life out there. Oh yeah. Oh yeah, just in the summertime, just, you know, we shot Margot Banks and her husband played by Dermot Mulrooney. Our little heartthrob from My Best Friend's Wedding,

we had our character's cabin was out on Lake Norman. Yeah, Lake Norman, very familiar. Just beautiful, so we would spend days there shooting and going out on boats and having a blast. It was really, I'm excited to hopefully go back for a season. Yeah, Lake Norman up there is beautiful and Atlanta is lake life. There's a lot of lake life going on here too. Really all throughout the Piedmont area, South Carolina, North Carolina,

Georgia. It's a little bit too far to drive to the coast, so we stay with our lakes. So we have lake life. So we put huge boats on small lakes and go and drive in circles. But the lakes are beautiful. Sounds great. Yeah. The lakes are beautiful and largely manmade. So I think even Lake Norman is like a Duke energy lake, which they then keep clean. And a lot of times there's a lake here called Lake Burton here in Georgia. Oh, it's gorgeous. It's a Georgia power lake. And so you can actually buy the land, you can lease the land

and they have, you know, houses that are 10, $15 million up there. They're amazing. It's a tiny little lake. The entire lake is stonewalled. It's a stonewalled lake and you can see the bottom of the of the lake as if you're in the Caribbean. It's amazing. Yeah. And so I'll have to get out there. Yes. You belong in Lake Burton. Tell your tell the Netflix folks to send you to Burton. Yes. No more Norman send you to Burton. Okay. I'm in. Malin Ackerman stars in The Hunting Wives. Available on Netflix. When is it coming out? I'm sorry, I don't know the date. July 21st. Oh, this will be out.

Yeah, this will be out when you're listening to this. Very soon, you guys. Oh, OK. So exciting. We are very excited to watch this. Malin, we can't thank you enough for being here today on the commercial break. You have been in some of my favorite movies, comedic and otherwise.

And here's to many more years of using that well of emotion to dazzle us on the screen. And Coen Brothers. Yes, that's up next. Three things. If you're tuning in, Coen Brothers. Three things, Coen. But first of all, Coen Brothers, get to it. Malin is ready to be in your next film.

Whenever that may be, whenever the two of you get back together to make a film. Number two, can we please get a Taylor Sheridan show for Malin? We understand Taylor, she's already in your video file. So get on that. And number three, let's move from Nate Lake Norman to Lake Burton.

Yep, those three things. I like this plan, guys. Yes. So that Malin can be on a Stonewall Lake. Malin Ackerman. I'm down for this. Malin Ackerman is on Netflix right now. Go check out The Hunting Wives.

Thank you, Malin. We appreciate it. Thank you so much for having me, guys. It's been a pleasure. Okay, you're probably wondering why I, Rachel, have taken over the voice duties at TCB. It's pretty simple. Astrid asked me to shut Brian up, even for a minute. Well, lovely Astrid, your wish is my command.

Do you want to help Astrid too? You know you do. Leave a message for her, or me, or Chrissy, at 212-433-3TCB. That's 212-433-3822. You can be on the show too. Just call and say something, anything, or text us and we'll text you right back, promise. Then head over to tcbpodcast.com and get your free sticker.

It's your constitutional right to a sticker, and we must abide. You get the point. Follow us on Instagram at The Commercial Break and watch all the episodes on video at youtube.com slash The Commercial Break. Best to you and Astrid, especially Astrid. Ma-Lynn Ackerman. Wow. Yes. What a sweetheart. She was very, very nice. And- And beautiful.

Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. That goes without saying, if you've ever seen Malin Ackerman, and you have because she's been in so many things, there's something you want. Yeah, and she's like, she's aged at all. No, not a bit.

Not like, not at all. I think she's like my age, your age. Yeah. And I'm not looking that good. You might be, but I'm not, I'm not looking that good. Yeah, Malin, looking that good. You might be, but I'm not. I'm not looking that good. Yeah, Malin looking that good. But you know, it's all that Swedish, she probably eats very healthy

and doesn't go in the sun like I do, like I purposefully do. She probably doesn't do any of that stuff. All that bad shit for you. She probably never smoked a cigarette in her life. You know, Malin's probably on the good side of the tracks when it comes to health. And she was a model, let's remember that.

So, you know. But anyway. I'm excited for the show. I'm excited for the show. That's the most important thing. She gets to use all of that mom energy and put it toward good use on her brand new strama on Netflix.

I just made up a word now I'm gonna use it all the time. You did. Or a stromedy, a drama comedy. A stomedy? I think a dromedy. A dromedy, yes, a dromedy, a drama comedy. A stomedy? I think a dromedy. A dromedy, yes, a dromedy. But it's a stromedy. Sister girl.

Stromedy, yes. She was good in Couples Retreat. Oh yeah. I'm now remembering that role. She was good in that. And The Comeback, which I liked when it was on. I know, I can't believe it was only for one season. I thought it was for two seasons. I did too, roll. She was good in that. And the comeback, which I liked when it was on. I know. I can't believe it was only for one season. I thought it was for two seasons.

I did too, but didn't you say one? I thought it was for two. But I don't know. Maybe, I don't know. It was a great show. Yeah, it was a great show. On HBO, I think you can get it on Max still, because I think it popped up a couple months ago for me. They changed back to HBO Max, you know. Yes, I did see that, fuckers. Unbelievable.

It's like, update your app now to HBO Max. And I'm like, I had HBO Max. Why am I now? You told me to get Max. Yeah, now you told me to get Max. Now you're back to HBO Max. Makes no sense whatsoever. I don't know what's going on.

Who knows? Not, if it was up to me, I would do things differently, but it's not up to me. I just would have kept it HBO the entire time. Just HBO that you can also get Cinemax shows on and all of those other. And your favorite TLC. TLC is on HBO Max. So I do find myself popping on there.

Virgins is the show I just finished watching. Oh. And let me tell you something, that is a hot train wreck of a show and I loved it. But there were only six episodes and then I guess it didn't get great ratings because six episodes done. Yeah, I wish they had There was a lot of dates that they went on and stuff that they did that they kind of wrapped into the last five minutes Of the show so you could tell they had more content

They just wrapped it up early which sucked because I think that deserved a season two. Anyway, not that. Go watch the Hunting Wives. Link below in the show notes. Thanks, Mom Lynn, for coming in. We certainly appreciate it. Welcome back anytime. 212-433-3TCB, 212-433-3822. Questions, comments, concerns, content, ideas, we take them all at the commercial break on Instagram, tcbpodcast.com for the audio, the video, and your free sticker on YouTube.com slash the commercial break for all the video, including this interview out now. Okay, Chrissy, that's all I can do for today.

I think so. I'll tell you that I love you. And I love you. Best to you. Best to you. And best to you in the podcast universe. Until next time, Chrissy and I will say, we do say and we must say. Goodbye. Good-bye. Until next time, Chrissy and I will say, we do say, and we must say, goodbye! Yeah.