Malin Ackerman and Michelle Monaghan Are Shattering The Heartbreak Kid

Meet the two beauties in Ben Stiller's life

The Farrelly Brothers have cast two up and coming beauties in their lastest comedy The Heartbreak Kid. They are Malin Ackerman, who plays Ben Stiller's sexy new wife. She is a woman harboring some deep, dark secrets that just might make her a less than the perfect spouse. And, on the other end of the spectrum, Michelle Monaghan, the cute "girl-next-door" type that Stiller falls in love with while he is on his honeymoon. The two woman came together this past weekend to discuss their roles in this outlandish laughfest.

Here is that conversation:

Malin, You are in a rock band, right?

Malin Ackerman: Yes, I am in a couple of rock bands. I can sing, but I can't do it a capella. I need a band to back me up. Absolutely.

Do you find yourself singing along to songs a lot?

Malin Ackerman: I think we all do, right? Everyone turns up the song in the car. You sing the song in the shower. Then, I can sing a cappella. If I'm singing the song in the car. How many times have you looked over at the car next to you, and seen someone rocking out? It always puts a smile on your face. I love it.

For how many hours did they have you locked in that car, singing?

Malin Ackerman: All day long. I actually feel more sorry for Ben and the Farrelly brothers who had to listen to me all day long. There was no music. I only had music in my ear. For them it was absolutely, completely like being in Hell. You should ask them how it felt.

Since you are in a band and your acting career is taking off, and you still model, are all of these things equal? Or is their one that you prefer over the rest?

Malin Ackerman: The music and the acting, either one. If one was to take off, I would totally follow it. They are both amazing. In so many different ways. You absolutely get to be creative with both. I could go either way.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be?

Malin Ackerman: When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut. And then I wanted to be a figure skater. Then I wanted to psychologist, and then an actress. So, it kind of went in that direction. It went in that sequence. Then music came along.

Do you stay in touch with anyone from your previous films?

Malin Ackerman: Absolutely, Michelle Monahan and I are really good friends. I've kept in touch with both Peter and Bobby Farrelly. We're very close. Even after all of the things they put me through. I asked to be put through those things.

You had to do a lot of gags, and wear a lot of adhesive make-up in this. What was your favorite bit? What was the most fun to do?

Malin Ackerman: Well, lets go through the stuff that was the least fun. I like to start with the bad stuff first. Definitely having the white cake frosting on my face, and having the silicon eyelids to keep my face in a daze. I couldn't see, and then the cake frosting would melt and go into my eyes. And my nose, and my mouth. That was really uncomfortable. The best part was the car scene where I got to sing all day. I loved that. There was the breakfast scene, which was awful. I had to eat all day long. Finally, they had to mix pineapple in with the eggs, because I'd been eating too many of them.

Were you disappointed that you didn't get to do all of the disgusting, dirty things that Malin got to do?

Michelle Monaghan: Well, actually, I initially auditioned for the role of Lila, and then at the end of the audition Ben asked me if I wanted to read for Miranda, too. We read some scenes, and we improved a little bit. It was after that, that we realized I was maybe a better fit for Miranda. And Malin was a good fit for Lila. But if they had of asked me to play Lila, I would have said, "Cock me!" In a way you could have never imagined!

What are some of the better lies that guys have gotten away with, with you?

Michelle Monaghan: Lies? Oh, I had one boyfriend that was a serial cheater. That was the thing. I caught him once, and I'm a big believer, and naively so, in forgiving someone for making a mistake. I told him that we could work on that. And I gave him another chance. That was it. He turned around and did it again. What was weird was, one of my friends knew, but didn't tell me. So, that was weird. I'm going all the way back to 1996 with that. But, yeah, that was it. Other than that, I haven't had too many guys lie to me.

If you knew a guy was doing this, what would be your instant Judgement of him?

Michelle Monaghan: It wouldn't be very good. Listen, he's married. Obviously, he really needs to go sit down and have a talk with this women.

How complicated is it to be funny when you are making a sex scene?

Malin Ackerman: Thanks to the writing and the directing, it's a funny scene. Its not so much a sex scene as it is a really funny scene that we happen to be having sex in. Of course it's awkward. It's not the most comfortable thing. It depends on the set, as well. The Farrelly Brothers and Ben made me feel very comfortable. That way, you are able to find the comedy.

The character of Martin, played by Danny McBride, is very overprotective of you. Did you ever have anyone like him in your life?

Michelle Monaghan: I would say my older brother. He was sort of overprotective, like Martin. Not as severe, I guess. He is my oldest brother, and I am the youngest. So he always looked out for me.

The Heartbreak Kid opens this Friday, October 5th, 2007.