Honestly, most people still think of Erika Linder as "that girl who looks like a young Leonardo DiCaprio." You've seen the 2011 photos. The slicked-back hair. The brooding stare. It was a massive moment for fashion, basically breaking the internet before that was even a common phrase. But if you look at the actual trajectory of Erika Linder movies and tv shows, you realize she’s been trying to outrun that viral ghost for over a decade.
She didn't just wake up and decide to be an actress. It was more of a collision.
The "Below Her Mouth" Explosion
If you’re searching for her work, this is the big one. Below Her Mouth (2016) is usually the first thing that pops up. It’s an erotic drama, and yeah, it’s intense. Like, "don't watch this with your parents" intense. Linder plays Dallas, a roofer in Toronto who starts a whirlwind affair with an engaged fashion editor named Jasmine.
What’s wild is that Erika had zero acting experience before this. None.
Director April Mullen actually told her not to take acting classes. She wanted that raw, unpolished energy Erika carried from the modeling world. The film was shot with an all-female crew, which Erika has said made the incredibly graphic scenes feel safe. It wasn't about the male gaze; it was about something way more visceral.
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The movie basically became a cult classic in the LGBTQ+ community. It’s sweaty, it’s impulsive, and it’s unapologetically queer. But for Erika, it was a double-edged sword. She was suddenly the face of "lesbian cinema," a label that’s hard to shake in Hollywood.
More Than Just One Movie
After the 2016 breakout, things got a bit more experimental. People often overlook her European projects because they aren't on every US streaming platform.
Take Lisboa Azul (2019). It’s a Portuguese TV series. It’s moody and stylistic, fitting right into that "European arthouse" vibe she gravitates toward. She also appeared in the music video for "Empire" by Of Monsters and Men, which, if you haven't seen it, feels more like a short film than a promo. It leans heavily into her ability to project a sort of "stillness" that most trained actors struggle to find.
The Projects You Might Have Missed:
- Virginia Woolf's Night and Day: An unromantic comedy (sounds like a contradiction, right?) where she plays a role that leans into that turn-of-the-century aesthetic.
- Cover (2025): This is one of her more recent forays, directed by Kerstin Hauke. It’s a project that explores the fashion world—something Erika knows a little too well—but from a much darker, more psychological perspective.
- Music Videos: Everyone remembers her in Katy Perry’s "Unconditionally," but she’s used these short-form projects to bridge the gap between "subject" and "actor."
Why She’s So Picky
Erika is notoriously choosy. In interviews, she’s been pretty vocal about the scripts she gets. Usually, they want her to play the "tough androgynous girl" or the "mysterious stranger."
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She’s told stories about reading scripts where a female character is supposedly a "genius doctor," but by page three, the description focuses entirely on her lack of underwear. It’s frustrating. She’s looking for nuance. She’s even joked about wanting to play the "smart grandma" because those are the only roles with actual depth.
That’s why her filmography isn’t 50 titles long. She’d rather move back to Sweden and live a "normal" life for six months than take a paycheck for a role that feels like a caricature.
The Transition from Runway to Lens
It’s weird to think that she only started modeling at 21 because she wanted to travel. Most models are "retired" by the time she even started. But that maturity gave her a different edge when she pivoted to Erika Linder movies and tv shows. She wasn't a teenager being molded by a studio; she was a woman who already knew her own face.
The "gender-fluid" label is something she’s navigated since the beginning. In the fashion world, she was one of the first women to be signed to both the men’s and women’s boards at an agency. In film, that translates to a screen presence that is hard to categorize. She isn't trying to be a "male" actor or a "female" actor. She’s just... Erika.
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What’s Next for Erika Linder?
If you're looking for her latest work in 2026, you'll find she’s leaning more into collaborative, independent projects. There’s been a lot of talk about her working with photographer Amanda Demme on a film project that’s been in the works for a while.
She’s also been hinted at for more television work that explores identity without the "erotic" label that followed her after Below Her Mouth. Honestly, her career is a lesson in patience. She isn't chasing the Marvel machine. She’s chasing roles that make her feel as "naked" fully clothed as she did in her first film.
Actionable Ways to Track Her Career
- Check European Streaming Services: Use a VPN to look at platforms like MUBI or local Swedish/Portuguese broadcasters for her smaller indie roles.
- Follow DP and Director Circles: Erika often works with the same creative circles (like April Mullen or specific fashion photographers turned directors). Following them often yields news faster than major trade magazines.
- Watch the Music Videos: If you want to see her range without committing to a feature film, her work in music videos for bands like Of Monsters and Men shows her most "cinematic" side.
- Wait for the Festival Circuit: She’s a darling of TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival). If she has a new project, it almost always debuts there first.
For fans of Erika Linder, the best strategy is to look beyond the mainstream. Her filmography is a slow burn, but each choice she makes is deliberate and usually breaks a few rules along the way.