Amanda Seyfried is one of the definitive actors of the 2000s. The former teenage model and soap opera actor transitioned to film with Mean Girls in 2004. From there, she went on to appear in a strong run of movies and TV shows — including a hit musical.
Seyfried never made singing a huge part of her career. But she was dead set on getting a role in the latest film adaptation of Les Misérables. It was a process that took a lot more dedication than she ever expected.
Amanda Seyfried has years of experience in musicals
Seyfried knows that she isn’t the same kind of A-list superstar as some of her colleagues. Yes, she has anchored many films as the lead. She has a habit of being a scene-stealing supporting actor. But she didn’t build the kind of career that used her breakout performance in Mean Girls to instantly take on a slate of blockbuster film jobs.
Instead, she went with a blend of roles, according to IMDb. The now 37-year-old actor joined the cult-favorite CW mystery drama Veronica Mars. She starred in the horror film Jennifer’s Body. She leaped at the opportunity to work opposite the late, great Bill Paxton on the HBO drama Big Love.
She also went with a particularly difficult challenge: starring in a musical. She played Sophie Sheridan in the movie version of the beloved ABBA musical Mamma Mia!. That 2008 hit was followed up a decade later with Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
Seyfried auditioned repeatedly for a role in ‘Les Misérables’
Seyfried’s success with Mamma Mia! proved that she could hold her own in musicals. She didn’t make it a priority to pursue similar projects, though. She had an affinity for dramas and romantic comedies and pursued that path for several years. Then she heard about a new adaptation of Les Misérables slated for release in 2012.
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“I knew that I was taking a risk by doing it,” Seyfried told Vanity Fair on their YouTube channel. “After I got it, six auditions later, I knew I wasn’t where I wanted to be vocally.” The big difference between Les Misérables and Mamma Mia! was how the singing was presented.
Singing ABBA material in the studio and lip-syncing to it on camera was much easier than performing live. This Les Mis was doing something unique for film, going with live performances. On set, on camera, Seyfried and her costars had to belt out their songs live.
The Mean Girls star regrets her performance in the film. She didn’t receive too much criticism for it at the time. That mostly went to Russell Crowe’s infamous performance. But she says she wishes she could re-record her parts in the studio for a remaster of the film someday.
Seyfried is finally taking her musical performance skills to the stage
Seyfried’s performance in Les Mis wasn’t what she hoped for, but her natural talent for similar performances still shone through. She confirmed that by going back to her comfort zone: studio singing in the Mamma Mia! sequel. Since that 2018 film, she has spent time honing her craft.
These days, she’s confident enough in her skills as a singer to perform in front of live audiences. That’s even more demanding than the Les Mis set. Deadline reports that Seyfried is putting in a great performance in the off-Broadway musical Thelma and Louise.
The Big Love actor’s willingness to perform live points to more musicals in her future. At just 37, Seyfried has many more years ahead of her to put out her definitive musical performance on film.
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