Written By: Michael D. McClellan |
Borta bra men hemma bäst.
Sofia Mattsson is the living embodiment of this uniquely Swedish proverb, the Stockholm-born, Los Angeles-based actor thriving in a year of chaos and confusion, amping up the buzz on her Ava Carrington line of high quality handbags at a time when her soap, General Hospital, found itself shuttered due to the coronavirus pandemic. That Mattsson didn’t miss a beat is hardly surprising to those who know her best; equal parts fearless and optimistic, the talented Swede has no regrets making the jump to Hollywood, but not a day goes by that she doesn’t think about her homeland, from the eclectic Stockholm Fashion District in Nacka strand, to the old film projectors and vintage clothing in Hornstull Marknad, to the cozy vibe of the family’s country home. Mattsson especially cherishes the memories made on those long summer vacations.
Photo Courtesy ABC
“I miss those days the most,” Mattsson says. “We always have so much fun just being together as a family. Our country home is the perfect place to tune everything else out and reconnect with those who mean the most.”
Yes, away is good. But home is best.
Today, Mattson is back to work. She plays Sasha Gilmore on the highly-rated ABC soap, which resumed filming in August following a four-month shutdown. General Hospital has adapted to the new normal, going so far as to hire a COVID-19 director who patrols the set to ensure that proper protocols are followed.
“Everyone wants to work, but doing the right thing and staying safe is the top priority,” she says. “It’s definitely a balancing act.”
While Sasha has been spiraling downwards since her fake affair with Detective Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard) and subsequent breakup with Michael Corinthos (Chad Duell), Mattsson’s world has been far less dramatic. Yes, 2020 has been a year unlike any other, with political tensions in the US at a boiling point and a global pandemic that has recalibrated, well, everything. And yes, there’s a good chance that COVID-19 will continue to dominate the headlines well into 2021. Mattson, for her part, has kept her foot on the gas. In October, 2019, the model-turned-actor launched Ava Carrington with her sister, actress Helena Mattson.
“So much hard work has gone into this venture,” Mattson says. “It has been a dream of ours for a long time. Our goal is to design high-quality handbags that are also animal-friendly and eco-conscious. We’re very proud of our first collection of vegan bags, and I couldn’t imagine doing this with anyone other than Helena. It has been a blast!”
The closeness between the Mattsson sisters has been a constant from the jump. Born nearly seven years apart, Helena studied acting at the highly selective Södra Latin upper secondary school in Södermalm. Sofia grew up watching everything her sister performed in, becoming her biggest fan long before Helena splashed down in Hollywood, where she has appeared in everything from Desperate Housewives to American Horror Story to Iron Man 2. Sibling rivalry? Professional jealousy? Think again.
“We are each other’s most vocal advocate. There’s no jealousy, only support. I’m lucky to have a sister like that.”
Sofia’s decision to act – and ultimately carve out her own identity in Hollywood – may have been inspired by Helena’s trailblazing ways, but having a sister in the biz didn’t guarantee success. Sure, it helped to have someone based in LA with established connections. Doors open and meetings happen when you know someone, but that’s true in every profession. It also didn’t hurt that Mattson is stunning to look at, her inner-beauty radiating outward, her hotness in balance with her overall vibe – unpretentious rather than overt, sophisticated yet down-to-earth, all of it coming at you like a breath of fresh Scandinavian air. But there’s more to Sofia Mattsson than family connections and sex appeal. She’s a grinder, a perfectionist, and a workhorse all rolled into one insanely intelligent package. That she makes it look so easy is part of the charm.
“I enjoy working, learning, growing,” Mattsson says. “I don’t think actors are ever finished products.”
Still, Mattsson has come a long way. She arrived in the US hellbent on acting, but the Swedish accent stuck with her from home, limiting her to niche roles in the early going – Russians, Germans, Eastern Europeans mostly. Today, the accent is undetectable. Mattsson is fully Americanized, shucking off the layers of her homeland the way you might step in from the cold and remove a jacket, scarf, and gloves. She might as well be a transplant from Des Moines or Fort Wayne. Except Sweden is what made Sofia Mattsson the person she is today.
“I miss my home country every day, and for so many reasons – family and friends, obviously. I also had a lot of things going on in Sweden, but I was like, ‘No, I need to pursue acting!’ And I’m so happy I did.”
En skamfull hund blir sällan fet.
Growing up in Stockholm, Sofia Mattsson was hardly a wallflower. She started out in dance, transitioned into modeling and singing as she got a little older, and later joined a band, playing in some local pubs around town. Whether recording an album or traveling to Poland to record a music video, Mattson’s willingness to take chances afforded her even more opportunities in the spotlight.
Sofia Mattson, it turns out, has rarely turned down an opportunity to feed her creative side.
Bashful dogs rarely get fat.
“Growing up, I was constantly pushing myself, and still do,” she says. “When I got into modeling, I traveled to Germany by myself at a young age. When I moved to the US, I got a manager and an agent and jumped into acting with both feet. When the opportunity to launch Ava Carrington presented itself, I couldn’t wait to get started. There’s no substitute for doing.”
Photo Courtesy Ava Carrington
The fearlessness that Mattsson brings to the table has served her well in the States. She worked steadily as a model for brands like Benefit, Mary Kay, Target, Ed Hardy, and Volkswagen, while building out her acting resumé with roles in independent and TV films such as Becoming Bond and My Husband’s Secret Wife. Then, in 2018, she landed the role of Sasha Gilmore on General Hospital.
“I had auditioned for General Hospital once before, but I didn’t make it past that point. Looking back now, I realize that I wasn’t ready. But when I auditioned for the role of Sasha, I knew that I could handle the part. I was confident, and I felt like I could convince them that I was the right person for the role. Still, it was a very nerve-wracking process!”
Sasha Gilmore is, in many ways, a flawed and riveting character. Addicted to drugs and her life spiraling out of control, Gilmore’s ultimate fate on GH is the subject of rampant speculation. While Mattsson can’t reveal anything about Sasha’s long-term status on the soap, it’s clear that she has her own future carefully mapped out.
“I got to act with my sister in My Husband’s Secret Wife,” she says, “and that was such a great experience. Hollywood is slowly coming back to life, which means more auditions and more opportunities to act. And Ava Carrington is keeping me very busy. It’s a challenging time because of the pandemic, but it’s also an exciting time in many ways as well.”
Gud ger varje fågel en mask, men han kastar den inte i boet.
It’s only fitting that the Stockholm Collection is the first in Ava Carrington’s line of high-quality vegan handbags. Designed with confident, fashion forward women on-the-go in mind, the Stockholm Collection honors the rich fashion heritage of Mattson’s hometown. Getting this venture off the ground was a Herculean task, with Sofia and Helena putting in long hours on top of their already busy acting schedules. Neither of them complained. Ava Carrington had long been their dream. Once the opportunity presented itself, they knew that they had to work for it.
“We understood that there was a market for luxury handbags made using ethical practices. Starting a company from the ground up was challenging in so many ways, but the result has been extremely rewarding. We felt the time was right. It hasn’t been easy, but nothing worth it ever is.”
Photo Courtesy Ava Carrington
Indeed.
God gives every bird a worm, but he does not throw it into the nest.
Sofia Mattsson’s acting career, like Ava Carrington, is on a upward trajectory, the future bright and filled with promise. Eventually, the pandemic will run its course and the world will fully reopen for business, Hollywood included. Mattson will be ready. She’s too damned talented, too damned smart, too damned fearless to let COVID-19 dictate the terms of what comes next.
The future belongs to Sofia Mattsson.
That’s a good thing for the rest of us.
You’re from Stockholm, Sweden. What was your childhood like?
Stockholm is an amazing city. I grew up with two parents and two older sisters, and it was a really lovely time in my life. Everything in Stockholm is close, so you’re in proximity of everything you want to do. You can walk or bike everywhere. For me, I could walk to school, to my friend’s house, to dance practice, and to my grandmother’s house just down the street. Living in Los Angeles is very different, because you can hardly walk at all when you want to go somewhere.
What do you miss the most?
I really miss the seasons, especially those amazing summers when we would go to our summer house on the lake and the days seemed to last forever. Those were great times, because the whole family would gather there for weeks straight. There was nowhere else to go once we got there, so we would swim, play games, and just hang out. When you live in a city, it’s very hard to keep the family gathered together, because there are so many other things to do and it’s so easy to go out. So, whenever we could be at the summer house, that was always a chance for us to come together and reconnect as a family. I have all of these great memories of our vacations there, and also great memories of our home in Stockholm. It’s a really beautiful, amazing city.
Photo Courtesy Sofia Mattsson
Stockholm gets a bad rap for its winter months. How much of that is true?
Even the winters in Stockholm are beautiful. There are a lot of cozy, candlelit coffee shops that spring up, so it can be a winter wonderland. There’s a lot of snow during the wintertime, but the city doesn’t shut down. Outsiders might think that you’re going to be buried in snow up to your neck, and the city’s attractions close up during the winter months, but that’s not true. There are quaint pubs and cafes, and lots of shopping. It really is the best of both worlds.
Was dance your first form of artistic expression?
Yes. I did a lot of dancing as a child. I was at dance practice almost every night, and we had really fun shows at the end of each season. I really looked forward to those shows because I love to perform. I also started signing around this same time, and as I got a little older I was part of a band. That was a really cool experience for me because we played at some of the local bars around the city. We actually recorded a music video at one point, and that was something I enjoyed, probably because it was an opportunity to step in front of a camera! I later got into acting while I was still living in Sweden, but early on it was mostly dancing and singing.
Photo Courtesy Sofia Mattsson
Your sister, Helena, is also an actor. What was the dynamic between the two of you growing up?
Helena has always been an inspiration to me, both as a person and as an actor. One of the things that I really admire about her is that she has always been very caring and kind. She always puts family first. When we were growing up in Sweden, just getting to watch her perform in plays was one of my favorite things. And since Helena went to a theater school, she was in plays all of the time. I used to go watch them all, every performance, night by night, and she always stood out. She was really such a star. She’s always amazed me with her talent. She could play such a wide range of roles, even at a young age, and she was able to stand out playing so many different characters. She just always crushed it.
Did Helena play a part in your decision to act?
She made it look like such a challenge, which made it seem very appealing. It became something that I wanted to do as well. So yeah, she definitely played a role in me deciding to act. She was easily my biggest inspiration for it. My desire to act became greater after she moved to Los Angeles, because I was able to join her on location for filming here. I especially remember visiting when she was filming Desperate Housewives. I thought it was cool to come to the set and walk around, and get the full behind-the-scenes experience. Seeing it up close sealed the deal. In that moment, I couldn’t think of a more fun job. I still can’t.
Helena studied acting at Södra Latin in Södermalm. How did you land in Hollywood?
I went to a normal school in Sweden, one that was not focused on theater, but I took a lot of theater classes at night. I did plays and smaller roles, and I did as much acting as possible. As for my journey from Sweden to the United States, it obviously started by visiting Helena here in Los Angeles. I immediately fell in love with the city, the people, and the acting scene. And after getting some work in Sweden, I was fortunate enough to actually move here and pursue acting as a career.
I had studied hard and immersed myself in acting classes in Sweden, which was something that I continued to do after moving to L.A. I also worked very hard on my accent, which is really important for getting roles. If you can’t speak like an American it really limits your auditions and means fewer opportunities. From there I was lucky enough to find a manager, and then I found an agent to represent me. I started off in a lot of commercials, worked my way up to bigger roles in films and pilots, and then eventually landed my role on General Hospital.
Speaking of General Hospital, what’s it like living in the fictional town of Port Charles?
I love it. I really, really, really love it. There’s nothing that I don’t enjoy about playing Sasha Gilmore. Everyone in the cast is so humble and so incredibly talented. Until I actually got there, I never truly understood how hard it was to be on a soap. You have so much material that you have to do in such a short amount of time, and it’s usually done in one take, so it can be extremely challenging. Somehow everybody pulls it off, and there aren’t any egos to worry about. Even the people who have been on the show for 20+ years are very down to earth. The other thing that struck me right away is that everyone is so helpful. Everyone wants everyone else to do well.
ABC’s General Hospital
How do you learn your lines in such a short amount of time?
In the beginning it was really tough. I was like, “How in the world am I going to do this?” But you learn. You just have to read it until you know it. Sometimes it takes hours. You just have to stay up until you memorize your lines. There are tricks that can help you. I’ve actually recorded my lines on my smartphone, and also recorded the other person’s lines, so that I could listen to them over and over. Whatever technique you choose, you can’t get away from the fact that there is a lot of studying involved. You’re working a lot on your own before you actually get to the set. And like I said, in the beginning it was hard work and I really struggled to get through it, but since then it has gotten easier and easier. I think it’s like a brain muscle or something that you are working out. Nowadays, I can look at it at the script and it clicks almost immediately. I think it helps that I’m playing the same character.
You’ve also done films. Please compare the pace.
With a movie, you get the script sometimes two, three, or four weeks ahead of filming, if not longer, so you have a lot of time to prep. You can work on your role, and really dig in deep. And then, when you are actually filming it, you have time to prepare before each scene. You also have the opportunity to do several takes of the scene, so you can relax a little bit more. Depending on the schedule, you can maybe play around more and test a few different things with the director and see what works.
On General Hospital the prep time is a lot shorter. You get one take, maybe two if someone really messes up. The ball just keeps rolling on a soap. You don’t have that time to ease into anything, so it can be intimidating. On the other hand, you play the same character for so long that you almost become the character, so the prep time isn’t as necessary as it is for a movie, where you are approaching a brand-new role, and where you have to get to know the character and build it up.
You acted with your sister in the 2018 Lifetime film My Husband’s Secret Wife. What did you enjoy most about this project, and did you ever think that you’d share the screen with her?
I hadn’t given serious thought to what it might be like to act opposite Helena, partly because I’d been so focused on auditioning for my own roles and trying to find work as an actor. It just so happened that the right opportunity came along at the right time. That’s when I actually allowed myself to think it might be possible. And then it finally happened; I was cast as Avery’s sister, Cat, at which point I allowed myself to get really excited about being onset with my sister. I was like, “Wow! We’re going to be in the film together – of course we should act together!” [Laughs.] It was such an amazing experience, and I loved filming that movie for so many reasons. Obviously, I got to act with Helena, which was our first time on-screen together. It just felt very natural, as you might expect, because our characters were sisters. It wasn’t too far of a stretch from real life. It probably would’ve felt a little more weird if we were complete strangers, or worse, enemies, but that wasn’t the case.
So yes, I loved everything about that experience. Helena and I got to stay in this super-cute house in Kentucky, where we were filming. Our parents were actually visiting us in Los Angeles at the time. Instead of canceling their trip when they found out that we had booked this movie, they came to Kentucky and stayed with us. It felt like old times in a way, almost like we were at our summer house back in Sweden. It was great having the family together and enjoying each other’s company. It was a memorable experience.
How did you become a model?
I happened organically. My sisters were modeling, so I got a glimpse into that world through them. I was 16 when I started modeling. I started out modeling in Sweden, but I traveled to Germany by myself at one point. I had to navigate the city using maps, and I had to make sure that I was on time for my appointments and modeling jobs. It was such a great learning experience to do that by myself at such a young age. It made me very independent very quickly. I’m not modeling a lot now, because I’m pretty tied to General Hospital, scheduling-wise. I do miss it.
Photo Courtesy Sofia Mattsson
Speaking of fashion, the people of Sweden have a reputation for having a classic sense of style.
I think you are absolutely correct. Stockholm is very well-known for having very stylish people. I don’t exactly know why or where it comes from, but the people who live there definitely have great taste when it comes to fashion. In fact, I think that Swedes in general have an inherent sense of style. Having grown up there, I think it’s undeniable. There’s a history of quality and clean design, and an eye for vintage clothing that is both versatile and timeless. It must be in our DNA [laughs].
You and Helena started Ava Carrington, which is focused on luxury vegan fashion. I’ve read that the inspiration behind the name came from your grandmother.
My grandmother has been such a huge part of my life. Growing up, she was almost like a second mom, because she lived just down the street and she was over at our place all of the time. She has always been super-sophisticated and into fashion. She loves America, and she traveled here a lot when she was younger. She used to always tell us stories about her time in the States, and to us it seemed like this magical, faraway land. This was before any of us had been over here, of course, and years before we knew that we were going to move to Los Angeles. My grandmother also used to tells us stories about all of these interesting people that she’d meet on her travels, and she often mentioned one woman in particular – a sophisticated, classy, fashion-forward woman named Ava Carrington. So when it came time to pick a name for our business, Helena and I were in complete agreement. We wanted to name it after this woman whose fashion sense had made such an impression on our grandmother.
Photo Courtesy Ava Carrington
What was the inspiration behind getting in the fashion business?
Both my sister and I have always had entrepreneurial spirits – moving so far away from home to pursue acting is obviously an entrepreneurial endeavor – so I think we were destined to get into something like this at some point. Our close relationship, the trust we have in each other, and the shared vision that we have also took away a lot of the fear and uncertainty.
The inspiration to do vegan handbags just came from a feeling that there is a big gap between well-designed, high quality products and ethical practices. Most luxury handbags are made with leather, which is not ethical to me, because of the animal suffering. Meanwhile, many vegan options currently on the market are either low-quality or not unique and well-crafted designs. We wanted to create a handbag that not only incorporated both beautiful designs and high quality materials, but that were also ethically made and required no animal sacrifice. That’s the philosophy behind Ava Carrington.
The Stockholm Collection is beautiful. How did you find such quality materials?
It involved a lot of hard work. There is so much bad stuff out there, so you have to kind of dig your way through everything. The research was painstaking. Basically, we sourced all over the world to get samples from as many different places as possible. We literally tested hundreds of fabrics before we found the one we feature in the Stockholm Collection. It very much has the same structure as leather, and it looks and feels the same…but it’s also environmentally friendly, is super durable, and is also more water and scratch resistant than leather. So it has all of these amazing qualities that leather doesn’t, and we are just super excited to have found it.
What was it like getting Ava Carrington off the ground?
As I had mentioned, Helena and I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. We’d talked about starting a business like this many times in the past, so I think it’s in our blood. We picked fashion because we have that drive to create. We also knew that pursuing our dream wouldn’t be easy, and that starting a company is a very big deal. It requires a lot of work, and you have to wait until you get the right idea. We had been spitballing ideas for years before we found something that we felt was so needed, which was vegan fashion. It presented us with a mission that we were very excited to go on, and that’s when we really buckled down and decided to do all of the work.
And I assume it’s a lot of hard work.
It feels like we’ve been through a self-paced business school experience, because we’ve had to learn so much from scratch. We had to brainstorm the idea, finalize the sketches for our first collection, and seek out all of the materials used in the manufacturing. We also had to incorporate a company, pull together all of the documents that we needed, file for patents, create a website, launch a marketing campaign, and do all of the advertisements. There is so much that goes into it, and since we’re doing this for the first time there has been a steep learning curve. But, I’m so grateful for the experience. I’ve learned so much, and I’m loving everything about it. It has been a really fun challenge.
Photo Courtesy Ava Carrington
Who are some of your favorite fashion designers?
I love Stella McCartney. I think it’s always amazing when a brand also has a mission that’s considerate to either the environment, animals, or both. Stella McCartney is a brand that does those things. I also love the clothing brand Reformation. It’s based in Los Angeles, and they do a lot of very environmentally friendly clothing. So yeah, I think those would be my top two right now.
Let’s talk wellness. What does your diet and exercise regimen look like?
Well, things obviously look very different now than what it did a few months ago. Before COVID, there were so many more workout options to choose between. I’m a social person so I like group workouts, so, pre-COVID, Orangetheory was my go-to workout destination. I loved it because you basically rotate between treadmills, rowers, and the floor, where you do weight exercises. And I love the comradery and team spirit that you have in that kind of environment. When you have a group around you, and you’re doing it together, then you can pump each other up. I also used to do dance classes, because I love those, too, but now that things have changed I’ve had to adjust my workout routine.
Photo Courtesy Sofia Mattsson
How so?
I just got a Peloton bike for my home, which has been extremely helpful. I was little worried at first that I wouldn’t be able to motivate myself, especially with not having that team spirit and other people around, but so far it’s been really fun. It’s a great workout, and it kicks my butt.
Living in Southern California means plenty of outdoor exercise options. Do you play tennis?
I used to. I did a pilot a few years ago, where I play a Russian tennis player who is ranked No. 3 in the world. In preparation for that role I had to play a lot of tennis, so I took some lessons from professional tennis players. We shot the pilot, which was for ABC Family, but it didn’t get picked up. I actually never saw the episode, but the experience was absolutely amazing. So yeah, I love tennis. It’s such a great sport.
What is your hydration go-to?
I honestly love ice cold water with lemon in it. Not necessarily because it’s healthier than other drinks, but I just because I love the taste. In general, I would always prefer to eat my calories rather than drinking them – I would much rather have a piece of chocolate cake and a Coke [laughs]. I do drink a lot of water. It’s so important to hydrate, and water is best thing for you in that regard. I also drink a green juice at least once a day, one that’s packed with spinach, celery, and all kinds of greens. The benefits that it has are amazing.
What does the Sofia Mattson diet look like?
I’m pretty basic. I don’t do anything special. Just a lot of whole grains, a lot of veggies, and a lot of fruits. I eat a lot of soups and salads. I try to get a lot of greens in there. I must admit I’m not a great cook yet, but there are so many great restaurants in Los Angeles that have both vegan and vegetarian options, so and I do eat out a lot.
Photo Courtesy Sofia Mattsson
Your TV and film credits include series such as Campus Security, NCIS, Jurassic City, and Becoming Bond. For the uninitiated, how competitive is Hollywood?
Oh, it’s definitely much more competitive than you can imagine. There are a lot of talented people coming here from all over, which makes it tough, but the digital world that we live in makes it even tougher. That’s because nowadays you can produce self-tapes so easily, and you don’t even have to be in Los Angeles to submit them. So instead of competing against actors who are physically in the L.A. area, you are competing against pretty much the whole world. Today, anyone from London or New York or anywhere can send in a self-tape.
You also need a thick skin, and you need to get used to hearing the word “no.” Trust me, before you land a job you’re going to get at least 100 rejections, usually more. It’s just part of the game. It’s very important not to get discouraged by it. That’s easier said than done, because it can be so frustrating at times. In other professions, if you do good work, then there’s a good chance you are going to move up the ladder, or you’re going to be rewarded somehow. When it comes to acting, you could be absolutely amazing in something that you do, and then you could end up not working for weeks or months at a time. But I’m an optimist. I do think that if you work really hard, eventually it will work out. It could just take longer for some than it does for others. You’ve gotta hang in there.
How does Sofia Mattsson handle rejection?
Rejection is always hard because you really have to prepare for a role. And if you go all-in and really do the work, there’s a good chance that you’re going to get emotionally attached. Sometimes you really fall in love with a certain role or a specific project, almost to the point where you can start imagining yourself in it – how amazing it would be to get to live that role, or how much fun it would be to do it – and then it could be over in one second. Maybe the audition doesn’t go well, or someone else shines brighter, or you’re just not what they’re looking for in that particular role. That moment when you realize you’re out of the running can be absolutely heartbreaking. It can really put you down. You definitely need to find a balance between your acting career and having a good life on the outside. That helps you keep things in perspective, so that acting doesn’t mean everything to you. And don’t’ get me wrong…to succeed, acting has to mean a lot to you…but it can’t be everything. You’ve got to have something else to go home and do when things don’t work out. Having a good group of friends around you also helps.
Photo Courtesy Sofia Mattsson
How did you land an agent?
I got lucky, because my sister’s manager wanted to represent me when we got here. We vibed from the moment we met. She was really excited about managing my career, and I felt a good level of trust with her. So yes, I got really lucky. Through her, I got set up with my agent. She set up all of these meetings with various agents, and I interviewed with them until I found one that we kind of vibed the best with. I get it. Sometimes it’s hard for actors to find good representation here. So, for other aspiring actors, I would just say that that there are a lot of agents in Los Angeles. Reach out to as many as possible, and pick one that you feel has your best interests at heart.
Did your Swedish accent limit you in any way?
I really had to work on my accent. I had to take classes. In the beginning, I had to play a lot of Swedish roles, or Russian roles, or German roles. If you’re European and you have an accent, then you kind of fall under an umbrella that encompasses any European country. I did a lot of that in the beginning. Then I worked a lot on my accent to be able to play Americans as well.
Photo Courtesy Sofia Mattsson
Final Question: If you had one piece of advice for other aspiring actors, what would that be?
To work really hard on your craft and make sure that you enjoy the process. Have fun while you’re living your dream!