Helena Mattsson Explained

Helena Mattsson
Birth Name:Helena Mattsson
Birth Date:30 March 1984[1]
Birth Place:Stockholm, Sweden
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:2001–present
Relatives:Sofia Mattsson (sister)

Helena Mattsson (born March 30, 1984) is a Swedish-American actress. She began her career appearing in Swedish stage productions before moving to United States. She starred in the 2007 science fiction action thriller film Species – The Awakening and later appeared in films You and I (2008), Surrogates (2009), and Guns, Girls and Gambling (2012).

Early life

Mattsson was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden.[2] Her younger sister, Sofia, is also an actress.[2] [3] She began acting at a young age, performing in plays, musicals and concerts. She studied acting at the Södra Latin upper secondary school in Södermalm, which she credits with giving her the confidence to pursue her chosen career.[2] Mattsson had early roles in Wild Side Story[4] and other cabarets in Stockholm. She moved to London, England, as a teenager to attend theatre school.[5] [6]

Career

At age 19, Mattsson moved to Hollywood to audition for a TV series.[2] [7] Her planned short visit became permanent after she won a role the unsold 2004 TV series pilot Sweden, Ohio.[2] [8] Mattsson's accent initially held her back: "When I started working, my thick Swedish accent lost me a lot of roles. A defining point in my career definitely came when I started to lose it. I was able to play more American roles at that point, and my career took a turn for the better."[2] At the same time, Mattsson made her screen debut appearing in the Swedish slasher film, Drowning Ghost, and later guest-starred on American television shows , and Cold Case. Mattsson also appeared in the music video of Primal Scream's "Country Girl" in 2006.[9]

In 2007, Mattsson starred in the science fiction action thriller film, Species: The Awakening,[10] portraying Miranda, an alien/human hybrid. The following year she starred opposite Mischa Barton in the drama film You and I about Russian pop-band t.A.T.u.. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2008 and was released in the United States on 31 January 2012.[11] In 2009 she co-starred in the science fiction action film, Surrogates.[12] On television, Mattsson made guest appearances on Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, Legend of the Seeker, and The Mentalist. In 2010 she appeared in a minor role in the superhero film Iron Man 2 and had a recurring role in the ABC series Desperate Housewives as Irina Kosokov.[13] [14] She later had three episode-arc in the CW action series, Nikita as Cassandra Ovechkin.

In 2012, Mattsson starred alongside Gary Oldman and Christian Slater in the action film, Guns, Girls and Gambling.[15] Later that year, she had a series regular role in the ABC supernatural horror series, 666 Park Avenue.[16] The series was canceled after single season in 2013. She later had a recurring roles in the ABC series Betrayal in 2013, and Mistresses in 2014.[17] Also in 2014, Mattsson appeared in two episodes of FX crime series, Fargo, and in 2015 played the female lead in the Hallmark Channel romantic comedy film, Win, Lose or Love.[18] From 2015 to 2016 she had a recurring role in the FX horror series, .[19] She appeared in a beaver costume in a Nespresso television commercial titled "Training Day" that also featured Danny DeVito and George Clooney in 2016.[20]

In 2016, Mattsson starred alongside Reza Sixo Safai in the action crime film, The Loner, the film received positive reviews from critics.[21] She later appeared in a number of direct-to-video releases, such as Code of Honor (2016) and Smartass (2017). In 2018, Mattsson played Swedish actress and model Britt Ekland in the HBO biographical drama film My Dinner with Hervé about Hervé Villechaize.[22] Also that year, Mattsson starred alongside her younger sister Sofia in the Lifetime television thriller film My Husband's Secret Wife.[23] She later appeared in several other Lifetime movies: The Perfect One (2018), Neighborhood Watch (2018), Her Deadly Reflections (2019), Swipe Right, Run Left (2019), and Murder in the Vineyard (2020). From 2021 to 2022, Mattsson had a recurring role in the ABC police drama series, The Rookie. In early 2022, she temporarily replaced her sister Sofia Mattsson in the role of Sasha Gilmore on the ABC daytime soap opera, General Hospital.[24] [25]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004Drowning GhostHelena
2006Primal Scream: Country GirlGirlVideo short
2007Americanizing ShelleyActress #2
2007Species: The AwakeningMiranda HollanderVideo
2007Mrs. Right?BethVideo short
2008Short TrackLexi
2009SurrogatesJJ
2009NobodyLelle
2010Iron Man 2Rebecca
2010Moomins and the Comet ChaseSnork Maiden (voice)English version
2011You and IKira
2012Melvin SmartySylvia
2012Tanya
2012Guns, Girls and GamblingThe Blonde / Annabelle
2012Seven PsychopathsBlonde Lady
2014AudreyTess
2016Oksana
2016Code of HonorKeri Green
2017SmartassHenna
2020Iceland Is BestCarla
2021Something About HerJackie
2023Dark AssetJane
2024Fight PrideAnna
TBADiscussion MaterialsElizabeth Chandler
TBALittle AngelsCharli

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004Sweden, OhioLenaTV pilot
2005Sex, Love & SecretsAlexis"Danger"
2005Lauren Redgrave"City of the Dolls"
2006Kitchen ConfidentialBeautiful Blonde"An Affair to Remember"
2006American MenAnyaTV film
2007Rebecca 'Becca' Mayford"Empty Eyes"
2007Cold CaseKateryna Yechenko"Cargo"
2007RxJenniferTV film
2007Juliana Ravez"Chain Reaction"
2008Two and a Half MenIngrid"Damn You, Eggs Benedict"
2009Rules of EngagementMartina"Lyin' King"
2009Legend of the SeekerSalindra"Wizard"
2010Untitled Burr and Hart ProjectMadiganUnsold TV pilot
2010Johanna"Full Throttle"
2010Desperate HousewivesIrina Kosokov"Chromolume No. 7", "My Two Young Men", "We All Deserve to Die"
2010Tawney"Pilot"
2010Elsa Struven"Red Hot"
2011Detroit 1-8-7Anna Gabov"Key to the City"
2011Breakout KingsHeather Storrow"One for the Money"
2011–12NikitaCassandra Ovechkin"Looking Glass", "London Calling", "Arising"
2012WorkaholicsEve"Good Mourning"
2012–13666 Park AvenueAlexis BlumeMain role
2013BetrayalBrandy KorskayaRecurring role
2014FargoJemma Stalone"The Heap", "A Fox, a Rabbit, and a Cabbage"
2014MistressesGreta JagerGuest role (4 episodes)
2015Win, Lose or LoveClara GoodwinTV film
2015Paradise PicturesIsabelle YatesTV film
2015–16AgnethaRecurring role (4 episodes)
2017Jeff & Some AliensInga (voice)Main role
2017Adventure TimeAlva (voice)"Islands Part 3: Mysterious Island"
2018My Dinner with HervéBritt EklandTV film (HBO)
2018My Husband's Secret WifeAveryTV film (Lifetime)
2019Mommy Group MurderGraceTV film (Lifetime)
2019His Deadly AffairDanielleTV film
2020Shattered MemoriesKelley MooreTV film (Lifetime)
2021Tacoma FDUlsa"Eddie's Exes"
2022General HospitalSasha GilmoreTemporary replacement for Sofia Mattson (her sister)
2022The RookieAshley McGrady

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Helena Mattsson | TV, Documentary and Other Appearances. AllMovie.
  2. Web site: Helena Mattson – from Stockholm streets to Hollywood Hills. Scan Magazine. Helen Cullen. 2 March 2015. 1 October 2018.
  3. Web site: Meet the Mattssons. 8 September 2017 . Umgås Magazine. 1 October 2018.
  4. Web site: Facebook. www.facebook.com.
  5. https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/helena-mattsson/bio/303246 "Helena Mattsson: Biography"
  6. Web site: IRON MAN, HOLLYWOOD ASPIRATIONS, AND GOOEY BROWNIES: AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH HELENA MATTSSON. Radio Free. Michael J. Lee. 5 May 2010. 1 October 2018.
  7. News: Män hotade med pistoler . Niklasson . Ylva . . sv . 2007-06-21 . 2007-06-21 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070623032610/http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,1100872,00.html . 2007-06-23 .
  8. News: Helena Mattsson. Robert Borjesson. Cafe. sv. 30 September 2012. 15 December 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20101022134637/http://cafe.se/helena-mattsson-2/. 22 October 2010.
  9. News: Svenska Helena röjer i Primal Scream-video . Hammarlund . Pontus . . sv . 2006-07-10 . 2008-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080927231404/http://www.metro.se/se/article/2006/07/07/14/5722-23/index.xml . 2008-09-27 . dead .
  10. News: Får huvudroll i Hollywoodfilm . Sundholm . Magnus . . sv . 2006-09-25 . 2006-09-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070122133754/http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0%2C2789%2C892982%2C00.html . 2007-01-22 .
  11. Web site: You and I - Rotten Tomatoes. January 3, 2012. www.rottentomatoes.com.
  12. News: Mischa Barton to star in Joffe's 't.A.T.u.' . Variety . 2007-06-06 . 2007-06-06 . Dawtrey . Adam.
  13. Web site: Helena Mattsson. TVGuide.com.
  14. Web site: 'Housewives' character responds to death. April 21, 2010. Digital Spy.
  15. Web site: Guns, Girls and Gambling - Rotten Tomatoes. May 23, 2016. www.rottentomatoes.com.
  16. Web site: Super Sexy Swede Helena Mattsson Joins ABC's '666 Park Avenue' Pilot. Horror. Asylum. March 22, 2012.
  17. Web site: Mistresses Exclusive: 666 Park Ave Actress Lands Recurring Season 2 Gig. Michael. Slezak. April 24, 2014.
  18. Web site: Watch Win, Lose or Love | Prime Video. www.amazon.com.
  19. Web site: Helena Mattsson Checks into American Horror Story: Hotel. Steve. Barton. July 21, 2015. Dread Central.
  20. http://www.ispot.tv/ad/AwLH/nespresso-training-day-featuring-george-clooney-danny-devito Nespresso TV Commercial, "Training Day" Featuring George Clooney, Danny DeVito  - iSpot.tv.
  21. Web site: The Loner - Rotten Tomatoes. July 25, 2017. www.rottentomatoes.com.
  22. Web site: ‘My Dinner With Hervé’: Mark Povinelli & Helena Mattsson Join Cast Of HBO Movie. Denise. Petski. July 28, 2017.
  23. Web site: Watch My Husband's Secret Wife. Lifetime.
  24. Web site: Exclusive: Helena Mattsson Subs For Sister As GH’s Sasha. February 16, 2022.
  25. Web site: Helena Mattsson to Temporarily Portray Sasha Gilmore on ‘General Hospital’, Filling in for Real-Life Sister. Errol. Lewis. February 17, 2022. Soap Opera Network.