Chris Joy Hoadley (1:36)

To you, Brian.

Brian Green (1:37)

Best to 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. Malin Auan is here joining us today, a very famous actress indeed.

Chris Joy Hoadley (1:49)

Oh, my gosh.

Brian Green (1:50)

Have we upped our game?

Malin Ackerman (1:51)

We have.

Chris Joy Hoadley (1:52)

She's been in so many things.

Brian Green (1:54)

Have we upped our game? That's all I got to say.

Chris Joy Hoadley (1:56)

Yes, we upped our game.

Brian Green (1:57)

I like it. Malin has been in more things than I. Then 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 most noted for a couple of things. I will say Watchmen.

Chris Joy Hoadley (2:11)

Watchmen.

Brian Green (2:12)

I will say the Comeback.

Chris Joy Hoadley (2:14)

Yeah.

Brian Green (2:14)

I will say billions.

Chris Joy Hoadley (2:16)

Yeah.

Brian Green (2:16)

Yes. Couples retreat.

Chris Joy Hoadley (2:18)

Couples retreat.

Brian Green (2:19)

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 dates, 27 dresses. Yep, 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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (2:41)

Started off as a model. Yeah.

Brian Green (2:42)

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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (2:54)

The Hunting Wives.

Brian Green (2:55)

The Hunting Wives. How very exciting for her and very excited.

Chris Joy Hoadley (2:58)

I watched the trailer. It looks really good.

Brian Green (3:02)

Yeah, I did not watch the trailer, but I trust you. Set in Texas.

Chris Joy Hoadley (3:05)

Oh, drama in Texas.

Brian Green (3:08)

I heard it's new girl moves into town.

Chris Joy Hoadley (3:10)

Yeah. A new girl moves into town and.

Brian Green (3:12)

Marlon takes her under the wing, huh?

Malin Ackerman (3:14)

Yeah. She's the head.

Brian Green (3:15)

Lies and videotape follow.

Chris Joy Hoadley (3:17)

Yeah, it's like Yellowstone. Pretty lies and another one. But it's. It looks interesting and bingeable.

Brian Green (3:25)

It's a strama. It's a streaming drama. It's a strawman. You must watch it. Those things do very well on that Netflix. Yeah. And I imagine that Malin 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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (3:58)

The graphic novel.

Brian Green (3:59)

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 bolt, you know, the. The bleed, the bullet.

Chris Joy Hoadley (4:11)

Oh, that's right.

Brian Green (4:12)

Yeah. Remember, everyone was wearing those. I was victim to that too. I think I wore a button around for a while. But just such a beautiful young lady and such a great part in the Watchmen is so 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. Do you know, have you ever watched Children's Hospital?

Chris Joy Hoadley (4:39)

I didn't watch it, but I saw that that was on Adult Swim.

Brian Green (4:42)

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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (4:54)

I think so.

Brian Green (4:54)

I think I might be right about that. Okay, Malin Aerman, we're going to put a link to our brand new Netflix. 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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (5:18)

And then they're cracking down on that.

Brian Green (5:20)

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. And 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. It'd be like, who? What the fuck is going. 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 has done the same thing. Yeah, it's all Hulu. Yeah, the game's over now, kids. We all got to pay 19.95amonth, but in this case, maybe worth it. As the hunting wise, the new strama from Netflix, we're all going to watch it. Okay, let's do this. Let's take a break and when we get back through the magic of telepodcasting, wherever in the world she happens to be, we'll find out and we'll talk to her right here on the screen. What do you think, Chrissy?

Chris Joy Hoadley (6:18)

I think we should do it.

Brian Green (6:19)

Okay, we'll do it after this break.

Rachel (6:25)

Why don't you text us and we can text back and then you can text us and reply, then so on. It's a fun little game I've been playing and I think you'll be great at it. 212-4333. TCB. 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@YouTube.com thecommercialbreak Now I'm gonna go back to that texting game you wanna play. Come on.

Malin Ackerman (7:10)

Bye.

Brian Green (7:15)

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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (7:21)

Welcome.

Malin Ackerman (7:22)

Thank you.

Brian Green (7:23)

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?

Malin Ackerman (7:46)

If you go to a Comic Con, then yes, absolutely.

Brian Green (7:49)

Yes. That's the kind of people I'm talking about. Molly.

Malin Ackerman (7:53)

Yeah, yeah. The cool one. My people. Yeah, that's a big one. But, you know, if you talk to the ladies, it's usually 27 dresses.

Brian Green (8:02)

That is a good movie also.

Chris Joy Hoadley (8:03)

Or couples retreat.

Malin Ackerman (8:05)

Or couples retreat. I love that. I know that. So there's a few of those. Like, it's a. It's. It's a real mixed bag, to be honest with you. But Watchmen was the biggest undertaking for sure for me in my career, and really just a. An incredible once in a lifetime kind of thing.

Brian Green (8:21)

I am not one of those people. Now, God bless our Comic Con fans. And we have. I'm sure we have a lot of them that listen to the show, but that's. 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?

Malin Ackerman (8:45)

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 double length feature. But so that took six months to shoot. And, you know, for the first three months before shooting, I was training with a former Navy seal. And I thought I was gonna.

Brian Green (9:30)

Wow.

Malin Ackerman (9:31)

And then learn some. Oh, man. And then learn some really great fight moves and, you know, 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.

Brian Green (10:09)

Yeah, wow.

Malin Ackerman (10:10)

Just a learning curve, you know, and a beautiful one. And I felt so lucky to be there. And so there was a lot going on and then just the challenges of shooting. You know, it was winter and 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.

Brian Green (10:33)

Oh, my God.

Malin Ackerman (10:34)

So, yeah, there are a few little, like, bits and pieces.

Brian Green (10:37)

Yeah. I think this is the first movie where I. Maybe not the. 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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (10:45)

You read Ram Dass?

Brian Green (10:46)

Yes, I read Ram Dass. This is the first movie where I. 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. 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 of years later, you started taking on small roles. Am I right? Is Google right about that?

Chris Joy Hoadley (11:28)

Yeah, we don't know about.

Malin Ackerman (11:29)

Google is right. Google got it right this time. Yeah, yeah. It started. It started small and really wasn't. I was. I was out of the house at 16 and went to Toronto. We were living in a small town outside Toronto, Negron Lake, and went to Toronto and. And sort of decided to do. Model 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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (12:03)

I thought.

Malin Ackerman (12:04)

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. Like, sort of. Yeah, go to the left instead of the right.

Brian Green (12:14)

You took a left at Albuquerque. Yeah, totally.

Malin Ackerman (12:18)

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 just see what could happen. And by the way, it wasn't that easy. It took years before things really started to happen, of course, but decided to kind of go, yeah, 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.

Brian Green (12:46)

Yeah, well, keep that in your back pocket, Malin. Maybe someday you'll need to go back to university yourself.

Malin Ackerman (12:52)

Maybe I will.

Brian Green (12:53)

Yeah. I think. I think things turned out well. 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.

Malin Ackerman (13:03)

There you go.

Brian Green (13:03)

So I know.

Malin Ackerman (13:04)

Yeah, but different times.

Brian Green (13:07)

My. 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. That's young to be out of the house or you're in. You said Toronto at the time, in Toronto.

Malin Ackerman (13:21)

I was pretty responsible at that. I mean, I say that like I was grown up enough to live on my own and take that step.

Brian Green (13:29)

Sure.

Malin Ackerman (13:29)

And I had roommates who were much older. Some of them were actually makeup artists in the business. And, you know, so it was. I had great mentors all the time as I was out in the world. But, yeah, I think that. And I. When I say responsible, I still was doing all this stupid stuff, of course.

Chris Joy Hoadley (13:48)

Of course.

Malin Ackerman (13:49)

But to a certain degree, because I only had a certain amount of money to spend and a certain amount of, you know, had to get up in the morning, go to work or whatever it was. So. 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.

Brian Green (14:03)

That is where our stories veer. Ma Lin, you were somewhat responsible. I was absolutely irresponsible. Yeah. I moved in with two dancers. Ladies of the night, if you will. I moved. My dad loved it. Those kinds of dancers. But this isn't. This isn't about me. This is about you.

Malin Ackerman (14:23)

I would like to hear that story one day.

Brian Green (14:24)

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? 16, 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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (14:43)

Right. Go figure it out.

Malin Ackerman (14:44)

Oh, my God.

Brian Green (14:46)

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?

Malin Ackerman (15:02)

Not. Not for a long time. Yeah, it still was. I was still going to school up until I was 20 years old.

Brian Green (15:08)

Okay.

Malin Ackerman (15:09)

And. And then I was. And then I. That's when I kind of. Things started to pick up, and I was doing some really bad roles on bad Canadian television shows. Not.

Brian Green (15:22)

What do you mean?

Malin Ackerman (15:22)

Not that all Canadian television shows aren't great. There are some really good ones, but I got the bad ones. And then 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 the lead actor, which happened to be Rob Schneider at that point. It was for a movie called the hot chick Rachel McAdams ultimately got. 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 who called my agent in Canada, 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, going to school and working, and said, you know what? There's nothing holding us back. Let's just go. Give it.

Chris Joy Hoadley (16:27)

Go. Try it.

Malin Ackerman (16:30)

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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (16:37)

I read that.

Malin Ackerman (16:38)

Yeah.

Brian Green (16:39)

Married the drummer. I love it.

Chris Joy Hoadley (16:42)

I like the drummer song.

Malin Ackerman (16:43)

I probably shouldn't marry the drummer.

Brian Green (16:46)

No. Have you ever seen Spinal Tap? No. You stay away from the drummers. Yeah. You marry the bassist. The bassist is always the stable one in the group.

Malin Ackerman (16:55)

I don't know if you marry any musician.

Brian Green (16:57)

Well, fair enough.

Malin Ackerman (16:58)

Musicians are stable, per se. No, we had a blast. We had a blast. And then. And then after, you know, a year and a half, I just thought, what am I doing? Like, I'm just wasting time here. I can't. I'm not the singer. I'm not gonna be in a band for my whole life. So I gave my manager a 3 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.

Brian Green (17:24)

That's right. Oh, I love that show, which was a great show.

Malin Ackerman (17:27)

That was. That was my little big break.

Brian Green (17:30)

That was your little big break on hbo?

Malin Ackerman (17:33)

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

Brian Green (17:35)

That is.

Malin Ackerman (17:35)

Exactly.

Brian Green (17:36)

That is an amazing story. You get flown in. You're relatively unknown, certainly to the United States, to the US Market. You're doing Canada show, Canadian shows. What? These are comedy shows, like sitcoms that you're just.

Malin Ackerman (17:49)

No. Oh, no. Funnily enough, in Canada, it was like, little. Like, drama. Like little. Again, soap operas. Small parts.

Brian Green (17:57)

Yeah.

Malin Ackerman (17:58)

Not even soap operas. Just, like, dramas, like TV drama.

Chris Joy Hoadley (18:02)

Okay.

Malin Ackerman (18:04)

And it was more serious roles, but. 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. You kind of get pigeonholed into when you've broken into it, and people like, oh, that person. For comedy only. So that's why Watchmen was such a big step, a big jump to be seen for that.

Brian Green (18:25)

That was going to be. My next question is that I think you have this run of comedic roles, and then the Watchmen comes along, and that's obviously a less comedic role. It's very serious role, and the movie can be dark in places. And so did you have any comedic training? Did you go to, like, 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. There's. You have great roles in some great comedy movies and television shows.

Malin Ackerman (18:55)

I honestly don't. It wasn't. No, I did not do any of that stuff. I had an acting coach here and there to help out with some auditions. I tried a Meisner technique class for a couple weeks, which is interesting, but I don't know. I do not have training as an. As a comedic actor. I think growing up and my mother went through bouts of depression as I. When I was young. And so I think trying to get her to laugh and. And be silly and be a clown was sort of my role in the family.

Chris Joy Hoadley (19:31)

Same with us.

Malin Ackerman (19:32)

And having. Being the clowns of the family.

Brian Green (19:35)

Yeah.

Malin Ackerman (19:36)

And I just think that was like, I. 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, watching Lisa Kudrow, I'm friends, so that's not far from reality.

Brian Green (20:03)

Yeah.

Malin Ackerman (20:04)

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 Farrelly 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's not finished. It's not the writing. This isn't. These aren't gonna be the scenes. So let's just improv.

Brian Green (20:34)

No way.

Malin Ackerman (20:35)

So my heart went up in my throat, and I was like, oh, my God, I'm about to improv again. Still 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, like, falls into place and everything works, and then you have your off days where nothing is working.

Brian Green (20:55)

99% of these episodes.

Malin Ackerman (21:00)

Yeah.

Rachel (21:00)

So you.

Brian Green (21:00)

Can we relate? Yeah, we relate.

Malin Ackerman (21:02)

But that was just one of those. One of those on days, and it worked out great. We just kind of flowed. And, and I guess again, it's that freedom of not really caring. You know, my, my physical comedy, I'm happy to give any of that and like anything to make people laugh.

Chris Joy Hoadley (21:21)

And.

Malin Ackerman (21:22)

And so I think it's just a life skill maybe.

Brian Green (21:24)

Yeah, I think you have a natural. You have a sense of timing and a sense of humor. Right. And I think that that sense of timing is often what comedy is all about. Not only is it the right thing to say, the right word to place, 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 know, 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.

Malin Ackerman (22:03)

Yeah, that sure was.

Brian Green (22:04)

Yeah, that's really interesting.

Malin Ackerman (22:06)

You asked me to go and do. My husband is the. On the other hand, he's. He's more of a writer now, but he came up as an actor and he had his own improv group in England called Chuckle Dusters.

Chris Joy Hoadley (22:18)

Oh, wow.

Malin Ackerman (22:20)

It's on YouTube. It's on YouTube. And it's like, great. It's like kind of like, who 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, you know, Upright Citizens Brigade, 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, and improv and all that stuff is. I really bow down to those, those.

Brian Green (23:02)

Actors we have the utmost respect for. Standup comedians do something that I think is. 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. And 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, there are. It's so structured. Like, there's so much structure to improv that you. That you need to learn. I mean, it becomes a muscle. I imagine that you can work, but it is. There is a very. There's a very, like, fine art to being a good improv. Improv comedian, especially the way that they do it on stage and, you know.

Malin Ackerman (24:02)

Totally.

Brian Green (24:02)

You've worked with some of the best. I have to, like, step back one second. On the Comeback, what is it like to walk on set? Did you audition for the Comeback with Lisa?

Malin Ackerman (24:11)

Yeah. So it was. I can't remember if I had to do one or two sort of regular auditions, but the. The ultimate was a, like a chemistry read with Lisa. And it's called, like, 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.

Brian Green (24:32)

That's crazy.

Malin Ackerman (24:33)

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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (24:48)

Yeah.

Malin Ackerman (24:49)

And then you go in and you do the audition. You chemistry read with Lisa. I mean, it was wild. My. My heart was pounding through my chest, but she was so lovely and so calming and, you know, she's obviously been through a few of those herself.

Brian Green (25:02)

Yeah, she's a pro.

Malin Ackerman (25:03)

Exactly what we were all going through.

Brian Green (25:04)

Yeah.

Malin Ackerman (25:05)

Yeah, she's a pro.

Brian Green (25:07)

When you go into.

Malin Ackerman (25:08)

It was. It was crazy. And then I called my friend and went out and drank margaritas right now.

Brian Green (25:13)

Good for you.

Malin Ackerman (25:14)

Yeah, exactly.

Brian Green (25:16)

And see what happens when you go in and you're doing this studio test, like this chemistry test. What are these? Do these. 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 did they have to be in the room?

Malin Ackerman (25:29)

I don't know. It feels terrifying and terrible. I don't know why they do it. And. And there is. I think there's a lot of, like, industry articles and. And stuff about, you know, the audition process, which is so different than Actually being on a set and doing your job.

Brian Green (25:44)

Sure.

Malin Ackerman (25:44)

The audition process is like, is highly stressful and occasional, completely different, unique animal to what acting actually is. So I don't know why they do it. It was, it's, it's not a fun experience.

Brian Green (25:57)

It seems unorthodox so easily, but yeah.

Malin Ackerman (26:01)

It seems that's the way it's done, guys.

Brian Green (26:03)

Well, listen, I would imagine that the studio, muckety mucks, right. Who sometimes are creative types and most of the time are not, are they just want to be in on the big decisions. They want to 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 that Lisa would have some say and say, hey, listen, I like this person for this role because it feels right for me. But I, you know, they got to earn those big paychecks they're making. So. And to sign a contract, sign a contract before you even walk in the room is insane.

Malin Ackerman (26:38)

Isn't that brutal? Yes, 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, it was really like seeing those numbers on the page, which in hindsight weren't big numbers.

Brian Green (26:53)

Yeah.

Malin Ackerman (26:53)

Because I'm a newbie, you know. But for me, it was huge difference of, oh, maybe I can move into an apartment now versus living in a cheap, shitty motel with a microwave.

Brian Green (27:02)

Yes.

Malin Ackerman (27:03)

So definitely was a great Mullen's, like $300 an episode.

Brian Green (27:13)

But you gotta 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 sign your life away.

Malin Ackerman (27:21)

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.

Brian Green (27:27)

Yeah.

Chris Joy Hoadley (27:28)

God, nerve wracking.

Malin Ackerman (27:30)

Yeah.

Chris Joy Hoadley (27:30)

Well, you were in another one of. 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.

Malin Ackerman (27:45)

Paul Giamatti and I actually worked together on Rock of Ages.

Chris Joy Hoadley (27:50)

Oh, that's right.

Malin Ackerman (27:51)

We didn't, 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 hall. So we would go out for dinners and like, I love that man so much. Then when we. When I got Billions, I obviously called him up right away, and I was like, we're gonna be in the same show together. Cut to the fact that we're never in any scene.

Chris Joy Hoadley (28:11)

Well, right. Yes.

Malin Ackerman (28:13)

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 happened has been comedic. So, you know, did a lot of auditions for it. I flew out to New York to meet the showrunners, 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.

Brian Green (29:01)

Interesting.

Malin Ackerman (29:02)

And this woman is, you know, a mom of her in the show and really family strong and. And not to be messed with. And I just thought, yeah, I think I can play that now. I understand that now.

Brian Green (29:13)

Yeah. Yeah.

Malin Ackerman (29:14)

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 love in the pilot, she's just, you know, cutthroat. So that's why I flew to New York and had a chat with the show creators and was like, listen. And there's not much in the pilot, but where does this go? And who is she? And tell me all about her. Cause 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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (29:48)

Ah, you did a fantastic job. And just that whole.

Brian Green (29:51)

Thank you.

Chris Joy Hoadley (29:51)

That whole team. I just. My husband and I were just watch 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.

Malin Ackerman (30:04)

I mean, you know.

Chris Joy Hoadley (30:06)

Yeah.

Malin Ackerman (30:07)

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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (30:14)

Yes.

Brian Green (30:15)

Not your drummer husband. Yeah, your non drummer husband.

Malin Ackerman (30:18)

Yeah, my non drummer little British husband. He and his dad were avid watchers of billions as well. Before we Even met. We met like, after I. After I'd done the second season. 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, was like, dad, I'm dating a woman out here in Hollywood. And his dad was like, oh, who is it? He goes, remember that girl? That woman from Billions?

Chris Joy Hoadley (30:46)

The wife? Yes.

Malin Ackerman (30:50)

Dad was like, oh, be careful with that one. Like, he's nothing like her character. Really funny. I loved it. So they were. They. They had like a father, son watch party whenever Billions came up.

Chris Joy Hoadley (31:03)

Oh, that's great.

Brian Green (31:03)

You married the fanboy. I. Yeah. I think that's really interesting that you find this, like. Like you say, a new well of emotions, a new. A new resource creatively. And you say, I. 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. 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 the father. I'm just the dude that gets up half the time. Right. So you really did. You really felt this urge to go, like, express this creatively.

Malin Ackerman (32:21)

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, I, like, the first time he cried, I went, oh, my God. What? Why did they give me a human?

Chris Joy Hoadley (32:35)

Yes.

Malin Ackerman (32:41)

You know, and then you figured out. But it's. 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 like. That was another thing, a layer on Top to contend with and like all of a sudden kind of becoming a single mom and like you, all the things you didn't think that you can't prepare for. And it just again, just. Just brought new levels to the person that I am, which could have been parenthood. And it can also just be growing up, you know, 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 Port Reagan, to work with the Coen brothers on it.

Brian Green (33:31)

Yeah.

Malin Ackerman (33:33)

So if they're listening right now.

Brian Green (33:35)

Yes, me too, Joel. Me too. I could play a podcaster. Yeah. I mean, that's like apex predator. Yeah, that's apex predator type stuff. The Coen brothers. There's. I've certainly brilliant. Some of my favorite films.

Malin Ackerman (33:55)

Dreams don't always come. I know you can chase things, but.

Chris Joy Hoadley (33:59)

Keep putting it out there.

Brian Green (34:00)

I think one of them. I think one of the brothers is coming out with a new movie, but they. That they did not do together, if I'm not mistaken. So tell us about your new television show that's coming out on Netflix. That it?

Chris Joy Hoadley (34:15)

We're very excited about the Hunter's Wife.

Malin Ackerman (34:16)

Oh, my God.

Brian Green (34:17)

Gosh.

Malin Ackerman (34:17)

The Hunting Wives.

Chris Joy Hoadley (34:18)

The Hunting Wives.

Malin Ackerman (34:20)

The Hunting Wives, yeah. And it is. Oh, my gosh, you guys talk about billions and. 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 Britney Snow named Sophie who moves into town with her husband. And she gets introduced to Margo 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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (34:53)

Yeah.

Malin Ackerman (34:55)

And is charming and seductive and dangerous. And Britney 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 charming. They make you drink the Kool Aid.

Chris Joy Hoadley (35:41)

Y.

Malin Ackerman (35:42)

That's Margo Banks. She is a Kool Aid pusher.

Chris Joy Hoadley (35:46)

I watched the trailer and it looks exactly like you said. All a mix of all of those different types of shows. I can't wait to.

Brian Green (35:53)

Yeah, these types of shows, these. Kind of. These mystery drama, new. 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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (36:12)

It looks like it. From the.

Malin Ackerman (36:14)

Give it my best. We'll see.

Brian Green (36:16)

Where did you film.

Malin Ackerman (36:16)

But it's very salacious and very crazy. So cover your eyes sometimes.

Brian Green (36:21)

But is there a lot of sex in this? Are we going? Is it a sexy show that we can watch as adults?

Malin Ackerman (36:28)

It's sexy. It's sexy.

Brian Green (36:29)

I love it.

Malin Ackerman (36:30)

There's a few episodes. Yeah. Don't let your kids watch. But yeah, definitely. You gotta have that fun part.

Chris Joy Hoadley (36:35)

Yeah, you have to.

Brian Green (36:36)

Where did you film?

Malin Ackerman (36:37)

And we were maybe gonna shoot in Austin, but then we ended up. I think Yellowstone took up all the crew over there.

Chris Joy Hoadley (36:43)

Oh, yeah.

Malin Ackerman (36:45)

In. Or Taylor Sheridan did. I think Yellowstone was in Montana.

Chris Joy Hoadley (36:49)

Well, he's only got like 10 shows. I mean, every time I see a new show, it's Taylor Sheridan.

Malin Ackerman (36:57)

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Brian Green (36:59)

Malin, when are you gonna get your own Taylor Sheridan show? Yeah, when are you gonna get your own Taylor Sheridan show?

Malin Ackerman (37:05)

Listen, I've auditioned for him a couple times. I'm still waiting for him to. Okay, all right, Spin off of the hanping one.

Chris Joy Hoadley (37:12)

There you go.

Malin Ackerman (37:12)

We ended up shooting in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Brian Green (37:15)

Oh, very interesting.

Chris Joy Hoadley (37:16)

Far from us.

Malin Ackerman (37:17)

Really great city.

Brian Green (37:18)

Yeah, Charlotte is beautiful. It is.

Chris Joy Hoadley (37:20)

It's.

Malin Ackerman (37:20)

It is a great city.

Brian Green (37:21)

It's a lovely, lovely city.

Malin Ackerman (37:25)

So the Netflix show, like the lake life out there?

Brian Green (37:28)

Oh, yeah.

Chris Joy Hoadley (37:29)

Oh, yeah.

Malin Ackerman (37:29)

Just in the summertime. Just, you know, we shot Margo Banks and her husband, played by Dermot Mulroney, our little heartthrob from My Best Friend's Wedding. He. We had our. Our character director's cabin was out on Lake Norman.

Chris Joy Hoadley (37:43)

Yeah, Lake Norman. Very familiar.

Malin Ackerman (37:45)

Just beautiful. So we would spend days there shooting and. And going out on boats and having a blast. It was really. I'm. I'm excited to hopefully go back for a season too.

Brian Green (37:55)

Yeah. Lake Norman up there is beautiful, and Atlanta is Lake Light There's a lot of lake life going on here too. Really. All throughout the like the Piedmont area, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia. We. It's a little bit too far to drive to the coast, so we stay with our lake. So we have lake. So we put huge boats on small lake and go and drive in circles. But the lakes are beautiful.

Malin Ackerman (38:16)

Sounds great.

Brian Green (38:17)

Yeah, the lakes are beautiful and largely man made. 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. And it's a gorgeous, it's a Georgia power lake. And so you can actually buy the land, you can lease the land and they have, 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.

Malin Ackerman (39:04)

Okay, I'm in.

Brian Green (39:05)

Malin Ackerman stars in the the Hunting Wise Hunting Wives. Available on on Netflix. When is it coming out? I'm sorry, I don't know the date.

Malin Ackerman (39:16)

July 21st.

Brian Green (39:17)

Oh, this will be out. Yeah, this will be out. When you listening to this?

Malin Ackerman (39:22)

Very soon, you guys.

Brian Green (39:23)

Oh, okay.

Chris Joy Hoadley (39:24)

So exciting.

Brian Green (39:25)

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 other otherwise. And here's to many more years of using that well of emotion to dazzle us on the screen. And Coen Brothers, if you're.

Chris Joy Hoadley (39:47)

Yes, that's up next.

Malin Ackerman (39:48)

Yes.

Brian Green (39:48)

Three things if you're tuning in Coen brothers, three things, Cohen. But first of all, Coen brothers, get to it. Malin is ready to be in what 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 Lake Norman to Lake Burton.

Chris Joy Hoadley (40:12)

Yep, those three things so that I.

Malin Ackerman (40:14)

Like this plan, guys.

Brian Green (40:15)

Yes. Can be on a stonewalled lake. Malin Ackerman. Ackerman is on Netflix right now. Go check out the Hunting Wives. Thank you. Malin. We appreciate it.

Malin Ackerman (40:27)

Thank you so much for having me, guys. A pleasure.

Rachel (40:32)

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 212-4333, TCB. 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 now 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@YouTube.com the commercial break. Best to you and Astrid, especially Astrid.

Brian Green (41:28)

Marlene Ackerman. Wow.

Chris Joy Hoadley (41:30)

Yes. What a sweetheart.

Brian Green (41:31)

She was very, very nice and.

Chris Joy Hoadley (41:34)

And beautiful.

Brian Green (41:38)

That goes without saying. If you've ever seen Model and Ackerman and you have, because she's been in so many things, there's something you've aged at all. No, not a bit.

Chris Joy Hoadley (41:47)

Like, not at all.

Brian Green (41:48)

I think she's like my age. Your age, 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. But, you know, it's all that. It's all that Swedish. She probably eats very healthy and, you know, doesn't go in the sun like I do. Like I purposefully. She probably doesn't do any of that stuff all that bad for you. She probably never smoked a cigarette in her life. You know, Marlon'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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (42:17)

But anyway, I'm excited for the show.

Brian Green (42:19)

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. Or astromedy, A drama. Come.

Chris Joy Hoadley (42:35)

I think a dramedy.

Brian Green (42:37)

Dramedy. Yes, a dramedy. But it's a Stradromedy. Stradromedy. She was good in couples retreat. Yeah.

Malin Ackerman (42:48)

Oh, yeah.

Brian Green (42:49)

I'm now remembering that role. She was good in that. And the Comeback, which I liked when.

Chris Joy Hoadley (42:52)

It was on I know. I can't believe it was only for one season.

Brian Green (42:56)

I thought it was for two. I did too, but it was only one. I. I don't. I thought it was for two, but I don't know. Maybe. I don't know. It was long ago. 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 as something I.

Chris Joy Hoadley (43:11)

Back to HBO Max, you know?

Brian Green (43:13)

Yes, I did see that. Unbelievable. It's like, update your app now to HBO Max. And I'm like, I had HBO Max. Why am I now? Yeah, now you told me to get back 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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (43:40)

And your favorite TLC.

Brian Green (43:42)

TLC's on HBO Max. So I do find myself popping on there. Virgins is the show I just finished watching and let me tell you, 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.

Chris Joy Hoadley (43:59)

I didn't see it.

Brian Green (44:00)

Yeah, I wish they had. I know 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. I think that deserved a season two anyway. Not that. Go watch the Hunting Wives link below in the show notes. Thanks, Momin, for coming in. We certainly appreciate it. Welcome back anytime. 212-4333 tcb212 4333822 questions, comments, concerns, contents, ideas? We take them all at the commercial break on Instagram tcvpodcast.com for the audio, the video and your free sticker and YouTube.com the commercial break for all the video video, including this interview out now. Okay, Chrissy, that's all I can do for today?

Chris Joy Hoadley (44:45)

I think so.

Brian Green (44:45)

I'll tell you that I love you.

Chris Joy Hoadley (44:46)

And I love you.

Brian Green (44:47)

Best you and best you in the podcast universe. Until next time, Chrissy and I will say, we do say and we must say goodbye, Sam.