Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Entertainment, Netflix, TV
Ilana Frost
Margo Banks in The Hunting Wives is definitely one of the most unhinged (and undeniably captivating) characters Netflix has introduced this year. Portrayed by Malin Akerman, Margo is a deeply chaotic Texas socialite with a dark past, and she’s married to a dickhead bazillionaire, Jed Banks, who has political aspirations. She spends her days shopping for guns, shooting at targets, cheating on her husband with various women from her inner circle, and also an underage boy, and, well… committing murder.
As completely ~out there~ as The Hunting Wives may seem, Malin recently revealed that she drew inspiration for Margo from a real-life figure — someone who’s also incredibly wealthy and married to a certain powerful political figure we all know and have strong opinions about. Yup, I’m referring to Donald Trump’s wife, Melania Trump. So, how exactly was Margo Banks inspired by Melania Trump? Here’s what Malin Akerman had to say about the unexpected connection between her character and the First Lady.
During a recent interview with Vulture, Malin revealed that the Hunting Wives creative team referenced Melania to her while explaining the character. According to the actress, they said that the wife of President Trump is similar to Margo in the sense that she “came into a marriage to this rich man as one woman” and had to navigate new expectations placed on her when her husband decided to run for office. (In the show, Margo’s very concerned about her secrets coming out after Jed announces he’s running for governor of Texas.)
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That being said, Margo wasn’t based on Melania, the First Lady was just one source of inspiration for the character. (As far as I know, Melania’s never shot anyone or had an affair with an underage boy!) “That was the only reference, really,” Malin clarified to the outlet. “Other than that, it’s just high society. I’ve mingled with aristocrats and high-society people and seen the games that go into it. For lack of a better word, I wouldn’t say ‘authenticity’ is how those people lead.”
Whether it was intentional or not, there are some undeniable hair and glam similarities between Margo and Melania. The dirty blonde waves, the sharp eyeliner and dark eyeshadow, the bronzer… I see what the hair and makeup folks did there. Melania hasn’t commented on the matter, of course, but I wonder if she’s watched the show… Would love to hear her review.
Ultimately, Malin thinks of her character as a “master manipulator” and a “sexually free woman.” She told Variety, “That is who she really is at the core. She uses her sexuality as her power.” Despite some of the character’s deeply problematic choices, she’s apparently serving as a sexual awakening for lots of curious women all over America these days.