Helena Mattsson (born March 30, 1984) is a Swedish actress. She began her career modeling and appearing in Swedish stage productions before moving to the 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). She went on to star in multiple television productions.
Early life Mattsson was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden. Her younger sister, Sofia, is also an actress. She began acting and modeling 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. Mattsson had early roles in Wild Side Story and other cabarets in Stockholm. She moved to London, England, as a teenager to attend theatre school."Helena Mattsson: Biography", TVGuide, accessed 14 October 2017
Career At age 19, Mattsson moved to Hollywood to audition for a TV series. Her planned short visit became permanent after she won a role for the unsold 2004 TV series pilot Sweden, Ohio. 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." 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.
In 2007, Mattsson starred in the science fiction action thriller film, Species: The Awakening, 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. In 2009 she co-starred in the science fiction action film, Surrogates. 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. 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. Later that year, she had a series regular role in the ABC supernatural horror series, 666 Park Avenue. The series was canceled after a single season in 2013. She later had a recurring roles in the ABC series Betrayal in 2013, and Mistresses in 2014. 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. From 2015 to 2016 she had a recurring role in the FX horror series, American Horror Story: Hotel. She appeared in a beaver costume in a Nespresso television commercial titled "Training Day" that also featured Danny DeVito and George Clooney in 2016.Nespresso TV Commercial, "Training Day" Featuring George Clooney, Danny DeVito – iSpot.tv. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
In 2016, Mattsson starred alongside Reza Sixo Safai in the action crime film, The Loner, the film received positive reviews from critics. 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. Also that year, Mattsson starred alongside her younger sister Sofia in the Lifetime television thriller film My Husband's Secret Wife. 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. Personal life Mattsson lives in Calabasas, California, is married and has two children who were 4 and 1 years old in January 2019.Article in Allas 2019-01-30
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes2004Drowning GhostHelena2006Primal Scream: Country GirlGirlVideo short2007Americanizing ShelleyActress #22007Species: The AwakeningMiranda HollanderVideo2007Mrs. Right?BethVideo short2008Short TrackLexi2009SurrogatesJJ2009NobodyLelle2010Iron Man 2Rebecca2010Moomins and the Comet ChaseSnork Maiden (voice)English version2011You and IKira2012Melvin SmartySylvia2012Tanya2012Guns, Girls and GamblingThe Blonde / Annabelle2012Seven PsychopathsBlonde Lady2014AudreyTess2016Oksana2016Code of HonorKeri Green2017SmartassHenna2020Iceland Is Best Carla2021Something About HerJackie2023Dark AssetJane2024Fight Pride AnnaTBADiscussion Materials Elizabeth ChandlerTBALittle Angels Charli
Television Year Title Role Notes2004Sweden, OhioLenaTV pilot2005Sex, Love & SecretsAlexis"Danger"2005CSI: NYLauren Redgrave"City of the Dolls"2006Kitchen ConfidentialBeautiful Blonde"An Affair to Remember"2006American MenAnyaTV film2007CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationRebecca 'Becca' Mayford"Empty Eyes"2007Cold CaseKateryna Yechenko"Cargo"2007RxJenniferTV film2007CSI: MiamiJuliana 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 pilot2010NCIS: Los AngelesJohanna"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 role2013BetrayalBrandy KorskayaRecurring role2014FargoJemma Stalone"The Heap", "A Fox, a Rabbit, and a Cabbage"2014MistressesGreta JagerGuest role (4 episodes)2015Win, Lose or LoveClara GoodwinTV film2015Paradise PicturesIsabelle YatesTV film2015–16American Horror Story: HotelAgnethaRecurring role (4 episodes)2017Jeff & Some AliensInga (voice)Main role2017Adventure 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 film2020Shattered MemoriesKelley MooreTV film (Lifetime)2021Tacoma FDUlsa"Eddie's Exes" 2022General HospitalSasha GilmoreGuest role (2 episodes); pinch-hit for Sofia Mattsson2021-22The RookieAshley McGradyRecurring role (5 episodes)2024Twilight of the GodsAngrboda (voice)Episode: "The Scapegoat God"
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