'The Testament of Ann Lee' Interview: Amanda Seyfried

Moviefone speaks with Amanda Seyfried about 'The Testament of Ann Lee'. "It was a lot of live singing, but when you're on set, things could really evolve."

Amanda Seyfried stars in 'The Testament of Ann Lee'.

Opening in theaters in limited release on December 25th is the new historical musical ‘The Testament of Ann Lee’, which was directed by Mona Fastvold (‘The World to Come’), based on a script she co-wrote with Brady Corbet (‘The Brutalist’).

The film stars Amanda Seyfried (‘Mamma Mia!’) in the title role, along with Lewis Pullman (‘Thunderbolts*'), Thomasin McKenzie (‘Last Night in Soho’), Christopher Abbott (‘Kraven the Hunter’), and Tim Blake Nelson (‘Captain America: Brave New World’).

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Amanda Seyfried about her work on 'The Testament of Ann Lee', her first reaction to the screenplay, why she wanted to take on the role, and how she prepared for the musical sequences.

Related Article: Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried Starring in Novel Adaptation ‘The Housemaid’

Amanda Seyfried in 'The Testament of Ann Lee'. Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to reading the screenplay and why you wanted to take on this role?

Amanda Seyfried: I was very confused by the script because a lot of the hymns were just written out as bookmark. Because we weren't sure which of the hymns we were going to use. There was a lot of moments of movement and worship that I couldn't envision. So, I was very confused, and I told her. I was very honest about it, but I was also so curious because I couldn't envision it, and I knew Mona could. I was like, I need to know what this is. I think I took on the role because I needed a challenge. I found it very hard to envision myself as this prominent feminist leader in the 18th century. I really admire Mona's clarity as a director, and I just had to trust that she knew what she was doing when she cast me.

MF: Finally, can you talk about preparing for the musical sequences? Did you have rehearsal time and were you singing live on set?

AS: It was a lot of live singing, for sure. A lot of the movie is just me in that moment, which is very effective, especially when you're singing softly or you're in grief and you can you make certain noises on set that you might not make in the studio. We pre-recorded all the songs, many times in different ways. But then when you're on set, things could really shift and evolve into something a little different and a little bit truer. So, that was a wonderful luxury, but also, I was a part of this for a year prior, so I dove in immediately with Daniel Blumberg, the composer. He was taking all these Shaker hymns and turning them on their heads and creating this incredible composition of minor chords and different rhythms. Things that I've never experienced before, he's a magician and working with Celia Rowlson-Hall, who's the choreographer, I worked with her for months and months, like hours and hours at the studio. Between jobs, we would do workshops with William Rexer, the DP, and Sam Ellison, our camera operator back in January of 2024. Just practicing and working with all these dancers and trying different ways of shooting and different lighting techniques and it was so much pre-production, constantly coming back together, even when we were working. I mean, Sam Ellison, the camera operator and I had shot with Will Rexer an entire television show last year. We were constantly coming back with Mona, and Mona directed one of the episodes. So, we were all together on another show being able to discuss things. On the weekends, we would get together and they would keep writing. It was just so much space and time and energy and passion underneath it all. So, by the time we got to Budapest, we were ready because we didn't have that much time or money.

'The Testament of Ann Lee' opens in theaters on December 25th.

What is the plot of 'The Testament of Ann Lee'?

Spanning 18th-century England and America, visionary spiritual leader Ann Lee (Amanda Seyfried) rises from obscurity to forge the radical religious movement that will become the Shakers. Haunted by personal tragedy yet driven by an unshakable belief in gender equality, communal living and ecstatic devotion, she gathers devoted followers who come to see her as the female embodiment of Christ. As persecution intensifies, Ann fights to protect both her followers and the incipient utopia they have begun to create.