Malin Akerman Compared Her ‘Watchmen’ Costume to ‘a Human Condom’
Malin Akerman is a Swedish-born actor and model who rose to fame in the early 2000s. Known for her striking looks and affable onscreen demeanor, Akerman has acted in a wide variety of films, from The Proposal and Couples Retreat to Rock of Ages.
Akerman is probably best known for her work in the 2009 movie Watchmen, a film based on the acclaimed graphic novel written by Alan Moore. While Akerman was widely praised for her acting in the dark superhero film, she has been open in the years since about her problems with the film – including her concerns about the costume she had to wear.
Malin Akerman played Silk Spectre II in ‘Watchmen’
Akerman was already an established performer in Hollywood when she was cast in Watchmen. As Silk Spectre II/Laurie Jupiter, Akerman portrayed a woman with exceptional crimefighting abilities.
As a member of the elite superhero group Watchmen, Laurie was very much a woman in charge of her own destiny – although revelations about her parentage disarm her in the film’s final act.
The character of Laurie in the Watchmen graphic novel was as strong and capable as the men she fought with – and Akerman was required to get in fighting shape for the role. She also had to suit up in her own unique costume, one that Akerman admitted to not being very comfortable with.
What did Malin Akerman say about her costume for ‘Watchmen’?
In a 2017 BUILD interview, Akerman opened up about her role in Watchmen, revealing that she wasn’t a fan of the costume that her character had to wear. Akerman admitted that the latex bodysuit was “so uncomfortable,” noting that the suit was cinched in with a corset.
“They wanted to cinch my waist in three inches smaller than what it actually is every day so that my shoulders looked broader,” Akerman said, according to BuzzFeed. Akerman compared the suit to a “human condom,” noting,
“It takes on whatever temperature it is and then magnifies it. So if we were shooting outside and it was freezing, it made me extra cold, and if it was indoors and hot, it made it extra hot.”
Intense training was required, not just so that Akerman could accurately pull off the fighting scenes, but because the suit showed all of her “contours.”
Malin Akerman said that she would only reprise her role if she could get a different costume
While Akerman enjoyed playing the role of Laurie, she told BUILD that she would only play the character onscreen again if she got to rock a different costume. “It didn’t feel as powerful,” Akerman noted.
“I think that the cool thing for me playing Silk Spectre was her being this powerful vigilante woman, aside from the costume. I actually think the costume kind of took away a little bit from it. I wanted to have combat boots and get rough and tumble.”
Even if the actor had some issues with the way her character was portrayed, critics loved her take on Silk Spectre II. According to IMDb, Akerman received a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress due to her work in the movie.
To date, there has been no news regarding a Watchmen sequel – although HBO did a new take on the story in a miniseries that received universal acclaim. Notably, the character of Laurie/Silk Spectre II was portrayed as a jaded older woman in the HBO series, with Jean Smart tackling the role and wearing professional business suits and blazers rather than latex and corsets.
