Malin Åkerman on American comedy-drama 'I’ll See You in My Dreams'

The Hollywood actress discusses her onscreen relationship with veteran performer Blythe Danner and her role in the Sundance hit I’ll See You in My Dreams.

“I loved that the leading role was a woman in her seventies; most characters that surround this topic are in their thirties or forties”, says Swedish-Canadian actress Malin Åkerman when discussing the lead character in her latest film, I’ll See You in My Dreams.

The lead character in question is Carol, played by Blythe Danner, a retired teacher and former songstress struggling to find the meaning of life following the death of her husband ten years prior. Åkerman co-stars as Katherine, Carol’s distant and independent daughter who’s unexpected visit suggests an unspoken wane in their relationship.

“They’ve had this very bumpy ride that felt very authentic and relatable – I’ve never read a script quite like it”, recalls Åkerman. The script – co-written by director Brett Haley and Marc Basch – contains many awkward silences and little eye contact that is often exaggerated or condensed in family dramas, a quality that resonated with Åkerman. “There is a parallel with my own life that is reminiscent of my younger years and the rollercoaster ride I had with my mother growing up where I certainly drew from past experience.” She adds, “Family is so complex and often accentuate the typical elephant in the room that no one is talking about – these characters love each other but do not have the best way of communicating.”

Danner has remained a celebrated and respected actor over her forty-year career having starred in films such as Mr. and Mrs. Bridge (1990), The Prince of Tides (1991) and Woody Allen’s Husbands and Wives (1992). Her latest role has gained the actress critical praise with many considering it as one of the highlights of her career. Åkerman considers her experience working with Danner one to be cherished as an actor. “Blythe is such a down-to-earth, lovely, respectable woman and is exactly how you want her to be”, she says. “She presents herself as an equal to everyone and was so easy to fall into a comfortable relationship with her.”

Danner leads a long line of veteran actors in I’ll See You in My Dreams which co-stars Rhea Perlman, Mary Kay Place and Oscar nominee June Squibb as Carol’s trio of loyal of friends - all of whom encourage Carol to get back in the dating game. She soon befriends young pool cleaner Lloyd (Martin Starr) and suave older Texan Bill (Elliott) all of whom offer a new lease of life for the jaded retiree. “These types of characters that you often see are never in their seventies but these are the ones who have had long, interesting lives. It makes you wonder why we don’t stop people on the street and ask them about their lives”, says Åkerman.

I’ll See You in My Dreams is directed by American filmmaker Brett Haley who marks his second feature following the 2010 comedy-drama The New Year. “He [Haley] is a young, new director that is so self-assure; he knows what he wants and not in a pompous way”, recalls Åkerman. Having co-written the script alongside short film scriptwriter Marc Basch, Haley explores the ongoing matters of aging in a contemporary and bracing format that subverts the established coming-of-age genre. “You really need a director who understands the tone of the film and right away and we all trusted him because is he very sure of what he wants and goes about it in a very smart way.”

I’ll See You in My Dreams premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival where it screened as part of the U.S. Drama competition with the full cast and crew in attendance. “It is wonderful when the energy is there and you feel it which is exactly what we got with this film”, says Åkerman. “This is where you get to see the results of what you’ve done: this is our theatre, make-or-break-it moment and the response was just what we had hoped for.”