Amanda Seyfried, best known for her sunny role in the ABBA-inspired “Mamma Mia” films, has undergone a dramatic transformation for her latest musical, “The Testament of Ann Lee,” which premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Monday. The film is a stark departure from her previous work, tracing the life of Ann Lee from her beginnings as a child labourer in 18th-century northern England to her rise as the celibate leader of the radical Christian sect known as the Shakers in America.
The film’s Norwegian director, Mona Fastvold, explained her decision to cast Seyfried in the demanding lead role, highlighting the actor’s unique ability to access both gentle and fierce qualities. “She is a little mad,” Fastvold told reporters, adding, “I knew that she could access those things – the kindness, the gentleness, the tenderness. And she could also access this power and this madness.” Fastvold also framed the project as a necessary counterpoint to the countless stories about male icons.
Seyfried described the experience as uniquely empowering, allowing her unprecedented artistic freedom to delve into her character’s trance-like states of devotion, which involved ecstatic, trembling acts that gave the Shakers their name. “I’ve never been let loose in this way,” she said, noting that the set encouraged her to make “the craziest sounds” and go as deep as possible into the role.
Despite her commitment, Seyfried admitted she initially tried to convince the director to cast a British actor, daunted by the challenge of mastering the English accent. “I saw the love that Mona had. This was her baby, and I didn’t want to F. it up,” she acknowledged. Her dedication ultimately paid off, resulting in a performance that showcases a radically different side of her talent.
