Toronto’s 2025 People of the Year: Malin Akerman, Canada Reviews

The actor | Malin Akerman

Malin Akerman staged a comeback by starring in one of the most addictive and hilarious shows of the year, The Hunting Wives

By May Cobb — author of The Hunting Wives

I remember meeting Malin for the very first time, on set to star as Margo Banks in the Netflix TV adaptation of my novel The Hunting Wives. I was in the hair and makeup trailer getting ready for my cameo. She came in and gave me the biggest hug and told me she’d been waiting for a juicy, complicated, complex role like Margo for a long time. She was so effusive and kind. I can’t imagine anyone else playing the edgy, messy, force of nature that is Margo other than her. She fully transforms into Margo: one minute, she’s pouring on the charm, and the next, that wicked, knowing smile comes out, and it’s just riveting to watch. So brilliant. I remember watching takes one day on set during pilot week — so very early on in filming — alongside our wonderful producer, Erwin Stoff, and Malin was in a scene with Dermot Mulroney, and I believe she was ad libbing a line and the two of them were just clicking so well. Erwin, grinning, takes his headset off and says, “This is terrific! This is working!” It was like watching a magic trick unfold. On top of being an incredible, phenomenally gifted actor, she’s also such a dedicated mom, and that’s very inspiring to witness.