I’ve got very high hopes forAmanda Seyfriedthis awards season. Not only is she phenomenal inDavid Fincher’sMank, but it’s also been the ultimate treat following her growing filmography since her feature debut in 2004’sMean Girls, a resume that’s now absolutely packed with variety and stellar performances. It was only a matter of time before she was in contention for an Oscar nomination.
Another reason why I’m rooting for big things for Seyfried this season is because nominations afford someone added clout and I like seeing that kind of notoriety go to individuals who have a positive influence on the industry and the creators they work with. Based on our Collider Connected conversation, I’m convinced that Seyfried fits that descriptor. While weaving our way through her career leading up toMank, Seyfried spoke mighty highly of herBig Loveco-stars who were nothing but supportive when she bookedMamma Mia!. While Seyfried did highlight many standout collaborators during our extended interview, she did admit that that warmth wasn’t universal.
“There are certain older actors that are just not cool with younger actors stepping [in]. From my perspective, I think it’s fear of them stepping into their shoes and taking the spotlight away, or whatever that is. But there were a few people when I was younger, I don’t know what it was, but they were just not supportive of me and they did not guide me, they were not warm. [It’s] so backwards because I see younger actors and all I wanna do is invite them in. If they want advice, fantastic! I also love giving advice, so I love when people ask me for advice.”
Based on that approach, it seems like any newcomer would be especially lucky to work opposite Seyfried on a project. But, it also doesn’t matter how much experience one amasses; good advice can always come in handy. Here’s what Seyfried said when asked if she sought out any advice for working with Fincher before jumping intoMank:
“A friend of mine is friends with his friend, another wonderful filmmaker, and from what she said about what he said about Fincher - sorry, a lot of people - is that he really just loves the work and he’s really kind and respectful. The only things I’d ever heard about Fincher were that he does a lot of takes.”
So now thatMankis complete and available to stream on Netflix, how would Seyfried assess that many, many takes approach? Here’s what she said:
“I respect his process so much because he doesn’t waste anybody’s time. Everybody who’s in his movies ends up being wonderful in the finished project. And do you know why? Because they were given every single opportunity to find the moment that he wanted to find and the moments that he wants to find are really beautiful moments.”
If you’d like to hear more from Seyfried about her experience working onMank, how she goes about memorizing her lines, what she learned about setting the tone on set while makingMean Girlsand so much more, check out our full Collider Connected conversation at the top of this article!
