Malin Akerman Feels Pressure Playing Blondie
Fresh off of her musical role in Rock of Ages, Malin Akerman returns to back to the music scene in the upcoming film CBGB. However, this film is based on a true story, and she will play the role of punk rock pioneer Blondie, which pressures her to execute an accurate portrayal.
"There is so much pressure to do it right," Akerman said. "I've been watching copious amounts of YouTube videos, interviews, and stage performances...There's such a huge...population in the world who know who she is and who watched her, so you want to get it as right as possible. There is, obviously, pressure. You want to do her justice, so hopefully she'll be happy."
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The film's title mirrors that of New York club CBGB, which became the epicenter for a profusion of American punk rock bands, including the Ramones and the Talking Heads, in addition to Blondie. While Akerman never attended the club before it closed in 2006, she revealed an intimate experience with a rock band as a teenager that may have helped her with her role.
"I was groupie for a year and followed a band. I dated the drummer of the band," the Swedish-Canadian actress revealed. "They were quite big...I can't tell [you] who it is, but...the experience of being on a tour bus and being backstage and watching [the show] from backstage...that was my favorite rock 'n' roll moment."
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Akerman's love of rock and Blondie fueled her to politely deny a different role in the film that she was initially offered and suggest herself to play the iconic '70s punk rock vocalist, making the pitch that Blondie is one of her idols.
Although Akerman is pressured to properly portray a living legend, Twilight's Ashley Greene has potentially much more pressure riding on her shoulders, as the woman that she plays is not only still living, but is also on the set of the film as a co-producer.
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"It's a lot of pressure, but [she's] definitely a positive source to have on set," said Greene, who plays Lisa Kristal, the daughter of CBGB's late owner Hilly Kristal. "You definitely want to do someone justice and you definitely want to portray them correctly, but also be able to have a little artistic freedom.
Watch the full video above for more from the cast of CBGB, which is scheduled for release in 2013.