Helena Mattsson

Helena Mattsson
Mattsson in 2015
Born
Helena Mattsson

(1984-03-30) March 30, 1984 (age 40)[1]
Stockholm, Sweden
OccupationActress
Years active2001–present
RelativesSofia Mattsson (sister)
Mattsson (left) as "Betty-Sue" in Wild Side Story in Stockholm in 2002

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

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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

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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 CSI: NY, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 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, NCIS: Los Angeles 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, American Horror Story: Hotel.[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 pinch-hit for Sofia in the role of Sasha Gilmore on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital.[24][25]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 Drowning Ghost Helena
2006 Primal Scream: Country Girl Girl Video short
2007 Americanizing Shelley Actress #2
2007 Species: The Awakening Miranda Hollander Video
2007 Mrs. Right? Beth Video short
2008 Short Track Lexi
2009 Surrogates JJ
2009 Nobody Lelle
2010 Iron Man 2 Rebecca
2010 Moomins and the Comet Chase Snork Maiden (voice) English version
2011 You and I Kira
2012 Melvin Smarty Sylvia
2012 The Babymakers Tanya
2012 Guns, Girls and Gambling The Blonde / Annabelle
2012 Seven Psychopaths Blonde Lady
2014 Audrey Tess
2016 The Persian Connection Oksana
2016 Code of Honor Keri Green
2017 Smartass Henna
2020 Iceland Is Best Carla
2021 Something About Her Jackie
2023 Dark Asset Jane
2024 Fight Pride Anna
TBA Discussion Materials Elizabeth Chandler
TBA Little Angels Charli

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 Sweden, Ohio Lena TV pilot
2005 Sex, Love & Secrets Alexis "Danger"
2005 CSI: NY Lauren Redgrave "City of the Dolls"
2006 Kitchen Confidential Beautiful Blonde "An Affair to Remember"
2006 American Men Anya TV film
2007 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Rebecca 'Becca' Mayford "Empty Eyes"
2007 Cold Case Kateryna Yechenko "Cargo"
2007 Rx Jennifer TV film
2007 CSI: Miami Juliana Ravez "Chain Reaction"
2008 Two and a Half Men Ingrid "Damn You, Eggs Benedict"
2009 Rules of Engagement Martina "Lyin' King"
2009 Legend of the Seeker Salindra "Wizard"
2010 Untitled Burr and Hart Project Madigan Unsold TV pilot
2010 NCIS: Los Angeles Johanna "Full Throttle"
2010 Desperate Housewives Irina Kosokov "Chromolume No. 7", "My Two Young Men", "We All Deserve to Die"
2010 The Defenders Tawney "Pilot"
2010 The Mentalist Elsa Struven "Red Hot"
2011 Detroit 1-8-7 Anna Gabov "Key to the City"
2011 Breakout Kings Heather Storrow "One for the Money"
2011–12 Nikita Cassandra Ovechkin "Looking Glass", "London Calling", "Arising"
2012 Workaholics Eve "Good Mourning"
2012–13 666 Park Avenue Alexis Blume Main role
2013 Betrayal Brandy Korskaya Recurring role
2014 Fargo Jemma Stalone "The Heap", "A Fox, a Rabbit, and a Cabbage"
2014 Mistresses Greta Jager Guest role (4 episodes)
2015 Win, Lose or Love Clara Goodwin TV film
2015 Paradise Pictures Isabelle Yates TV film
2015–16 American Horror Story: Hotel Agnetha Recurring role (4 episodes)
2017 Jeff & Some Aliens Inga (voice) Main role
2017 Adventure Time Alva (voice) "Islands Part 3: Mysterious Island"
2018 My Dinner with Hervé Britt Ekland TV film (HBO)
2018 My Husband's Secret Wife Avery TV film (Lifetime)
2019 Mommy Group Murder Grace TV film (Lifetime)
2019 His Deadly Affair Danielle TV film
2020 Shattered Memories Kelley Moore TV film (Lifetime)
2021 Tacoma FD Ulsa "Eddie's Exes"
2022 General Hospital Sasha Gilmore guest role
2022 The Rookie Ashley McGrady
2024 Twilight of the Gods Angrboda (voice) Episode: "The Scapegoat God"

References

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  1. ^ "Helena Mattsson | TV, Documentary and Other Appearances". AllMovie.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Helen Cullen (2 March 2015). "Helena Mattson – from Stockholm streets to Hollywood Hills". Scan Magazine. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Meet the Mattssons". Umgås Magazine. 8 September 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com.
  5. ^ "Helena Mattsson: Biography", TVGuide, accessed 14 October 2017
  6. ^ Michael J. Lee (5 May 2010). "IRON MAN, HOLLYWOOD ASPIRATIONS, AND GOOEY BROWNIES: AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH HELENA MATTSSON". Radio Free. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  7. ^ Niklasson, Ylva (2007-06-21). "Män hotade med pistoler" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. Archived from the original on 2007-06-23. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
  8. ^ Robert Borjesson (30 September 2012). "Helena Mattsson" (in Swedish). Cafe. Archived from the original on 22 October 2010. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  9. ^ Hammarlund, Pontus (2006-07-10). "Svenska Helena röjer i Primal Scream-video" (in Swedish). Metro. Archived from the original on 2008-09-27. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
  10. ^ Sundholm, Magnus (2006-09-25). "Får huvudroll i Hollywoodfilm" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. Archived from the original on 2007-01-22. Retrieved 2006-09-25.
  11. ^ "You and I - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. January 3, 2012.
  12. ^ Dawtrey, Adam (2007-06-06). "Mischa Barton to star in Joffe's 't.A.T.u.'". Variety. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  13. ^ "Helena Mattsson". TVGuide.com.
  14. ^ "'Housewives' character responds to death". Digital Spy. April 21, 2010.
  15. ^ "Guns, Girls and Gambling - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. May 23, 2016.
  16. ^ Asylum, Horror (March 22, 2012). "Super Sexy Swede Helena Mattsson Joins ABC's '666 Park Avenue' Pilot".
  17. ^ Slezak, Michael (April 24, 2014). "Mistresses Exclusive: 666 Park Ave Actress Lands Recurring Season 2 Gig".
  18. ^ "Watch Win, Lose or Love | Prime Video". www.amazon.com.
  19. ^ Barton, Steve (July 21, 2015). "Helena Mattsson Checks into American Horror Story: Hotel". Dread Central.
  20. ^ Nespresso TV Commercial, "Training Day" Featuring George Clooney, Danny DeVito – iSpot.tv. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  21. ^ "The Loner - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. July 25, 2017.
  22. ^ Petski, Denise (July 28, 2017). "'My Dinner With Hervé': Mark Povinelli & Helena Mattsson Join Cast Of HBO Movie".
  23. ^ "Watch My Husband's Secret Wife". Lifetime.
  24. ^ "Exclusive: Helena Mattsson Subs For Sister As GH's Sasha". February 16, 2022.
  25. ^ Lewis, Errol (February 17, 2022). "Helena Mattsson to Temporarily Portray Sasha Gilmore on 'General Hospital', Filling in for Real-Life Sister". Soap Opera Network.
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