'Mama bear' Malin Akerman slams the paparazzi: 'I think it's kind of grotesque'

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Malin Akerman and King Digital Entertainment Set Guinness World Record
Malin Akerman and King Digital Entertainment Set Guinness World Record


By CHELSEA HUANG

Malin Akerman has the versatility, likeability and sultry-sweet voice that has propelled her to fame in the flirty rom-com space -- but make no mistake, the thriving actress and single mother is one "strong mama."

The new mom of 2-year-old Sebastian is at a crossroads in her life -- and she revealed having a kid has made her "a big mama bear," especially when people or paparazzi are following her around.

"We should be the ones who decide if we want to have their face be public or not, and they're too young to make that choice. I think it's kind of grotesque. It's not something that I appreciate at all," she said in an exclusive interview with AOL.

See photos of Malin through the years:



The 37-year-old actress, whose TV and film career spans nearly two decades, admits becoming a mother has made her more vulnerable.

"I definitely cry at the drop of a hat now," she said. "It's just one of those things where your vulnerability becomes very different and it comes to surface so I want to use it a little more."

Akerman is channeling her newfound vulnerability on upcoming Showtime drama "Billions." The shift to a hardcore drama from the comedy genre marks her big, intentional move into a "new chapter" of her life.

Did you know Malin has a killer voice? Watch her go-to karaoke routine:
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"I think your personal life reflects your business life and vice versa, and I think its all kind of interconnected," she said. "It's been a new chapter of my life being a mom, and I think that it's just nice to take something on that you can sink your teeth into. It's something that I've never done before."

Fans of the comedy veteran might be surprised by her upcoming role in the "House of Cards" meets "Wolf of Wall Street" series, which also stars heavyweights Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis -- but for her, it was a no-brainer.

"I just love that the female characters are really strong and that we are equals -- and that it's not 'behind every man is great woman,' it's here we are, standing side by side." she said about the show. "And it's great to be able to swear on television ... because we do in real life."

Malin is clearly a jack of all trades -- but her hidden talent will totally throw you for a loop:
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With a new show, involvement in microfinancing organizations and more, some might wonder how the mom handles it all, especially with a toddler in tow. But Akerman practices what she preaches.

"[Sebastian's] got a strong mama! He's going to know that women rule. The only thing that I can do for him is make him a curious person, and I think curiosity really just changes the world. I'm bringing him on all of my ventures so that he understands that we live a privileged life and again, that women are really the answer to a lot of things in this world. We can unlock them."

Of course, the Swedish-Canadian supermom is a proponent of just taking time for yourself.

"To create balance is really to just taking time for yourself. I think theres a lot of mother's guilt of not being with your child, but if you don't give yourself some time, then you're not going to be able to be present for your child. So it's quality time that has been something that I'm really working on achieving, instead of quantity."

We asked Malin to say something sexy in Swedish:
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Translation: "I want to eat a giant cinnamon roll."

The actress kicked back and relaxed in a big way on Wednesday when she teamed up with Candy Crush creator King Entertainment's newest mobile game, Paradise Bay, to attempt the World Record for the largest hammock -- ten times the size of a regular hammock.

"I'm a really busy person as far as work and being a mom goes, and when they told me about the game and what it entails about creating your own island and getting to escape a little bit, it sounded right up my alley. It's representative of one of the most relaxing things you can do, just lay in a hammock and this is the biggest one ever."


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