Amanda Seyfried talks about her new role in "Long Bright River"
Oscar nominee Amanda Seyfried on trading Hollywood for horses, dealing with on-screen addiction, and why low expectations might be the secret to success
Text by SARAH CRISTOBAL
Photography CAMERON McCOOL
Styling ELIZABETH STEWART
“We probably shouldn’t be hugging,” is the first thing Amanda Seyfried says when we meet at an Upper West Side diner in late December. “My son threw up on me.” The incident happened a few days earlier, and Amanda Seyfried, in full mom mode, is worried about spreading germs. She’s had no appetite lately, but she decides to order a giant bowl of chicken noodle soup. Two waiters buzz around us like hummingbirds, and I can’t tell if they’ve recognized the 39 -year-old Oscar -nominated actress or if they’re just hypervigilant. Luckily, the soup works its magic. “I can’t believe I ate this like a normal person,” Seyfried says. Despite starting her career at 15 and quickly becoming a household name, Seyfried hasn’t been hardened by the world of entertainment. She can sing (as demonstrated in “Mamma Mia!” and “Les Misérables” ) and act. She was nominated for an Oscar (for “Mank” ) and won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in “The Dropout.” Her most recent project is a television series for Peacock, an adaptation of Liz Moore’s best-selling novel “Long Bright River.” Seyfried plays a cop (Mickey Fitzpatrick) whose sister is gripped by addiction.
L'OFFICIEL: Your latest project is “Long Bright River”.
AMANDA SEYFRIED: I think Liz Moore’s intention is to introduce us to the people of Kensington [a neighborhood in Philadelphia, where the book is set]. It’s not just a TV thriller; it’s about what happens to sex workers and drug addicts. It’s about humanity and empathy. There ’s also police corruption and then, of course, there ’s a connection to a police officer who loses her sister, who is a serious drug addict. When you go to Kensington, you see a place where people are struggling. Sitting in the back seat of a car going through it was an eye-opener for me. It was a hard world to immerse yourself in. I’m really glad I learned more about it. I didn’t know about harm reduction programs. There are so many blind spots in my life as a 39-year-old. That’s why I love acting: I can grow through the work that I do.
LO: You played a policewoman, which was new for you.
AS: It was my dream to play a cop because my best friend, Jennifer Carpenter, always plays a cop.
LO: You have a farm in the countryside upstate New York. Being in nature is healing.
AS: This city is amazing, but I don’t want to live here full time. I want to survive mentally and emotionally. We have six horses, 20 chickens, goats and a donkey. Goats are the best. I also have a lizard. She had an x-ray today because we were like, “She hasn’t pooped in two months,” but she was hibernating. My dog, Finn, is 15 years old. I wake up every morning wondering if he’s still alive. He doesn’t come to work with me anymore. I’m currently filming “The Housemaid” with Sydney Sweeney and I asked her, “Do you have a dog to bring to set?” Thank God she does .
LO: Are you happy to work with (director) Paul Feig on “The Housemaid”?
AS: Yes, I’ve wanted to work with him for years. “Bridesmaids” is in my top 10 favourite movies of all time.
LO: Who else would you like to work with?
AS: I am obsessed with Ruben Östlund. I loved “The Square ” and “Force Majeure ” . I really wanted to be in his new film “The Entertainment System is Down”, with Kirsten Dunst and Daniel Brühl. It looks like it will be the funniest film ever.
LO: You were so young when you started in this industry. How did you stay on track?
AS: I never became super famous. There was no social media when I was little. I started an Instagram account when I was 25. Also, I’ve always had the same friends. I’ve never taken myself too seriously. Taking yourself too seriously, for me, means having expectations. And very early in life I found out that having expectations leads to disappointment. I’ve been acting since I was 15. When I didn’t get a job, I was devastated. I never believed I would get the job, I just hoped I would. And when I did get it , it was great! “Mamma Mia!” was a huge success for me. When I auditioned for “Mean Girls,” I didn’t know what it was about. I was 17 and I was just happy to have an acting role. Having low expectations is not the healthiest way to live in the world, but it helped me. Also, my parents have always been very supportive of me and my sister. And that’s very important. And then, of course, having a house in the countryside.
LO: Is this the place where you go to relax?
AS: It's a small stone house with a lot of dirt. I built my dream kitchen there. It took a year, but it's finally finished. You have to dive in (to renovate the house), otherwise it'll never be done. There's no better time than the present because next week you could be dead.
"I had an education in life and also an education in love" Amanda Seyfried
LO: Do you want to build a small shelter?
AS: Like Amish barns. I bought one for goats. It’s so beautiful. It insulates and you can have windows wherever you want.
LO: You recently launched “Make It Cute”, a company that creates sustainable playhouses for children: how is that going?
AS: If you open the back window, you can put half of your body in there and it becomes your little house! It’s a small company that’s finally taking off. We’ve been to various events and met other creators, all women. They’re very inspiring rooms, and they should be inspiring, but sometimes they frustrate me. Is it all about knowledge? Is it all about how much money and capital you have initially? I didn’t go to school for this. I didn’t go to school for anything.
LO: You worked, and that in itself is an education.
AS: That’s true. I couldn’t attend my first class (at Fordham University) because I was working (on “Mean Girls”). I definitely had an education in life. And an education in love .
LO: As someone focused on sustainability, what is your approach to fashion?
AS: I love sweaters. I love The Elder Statesman and The Row. I think they’re awesome. I don’t buy them because I can’t.
LO: There are always sample sales!
AS: But then I have to go somewhere! You know, another thing I love is old jeans. You can’t buy new ones anymore because they’re bad for the environment . When I buy jeans, I buy them from Reformation and send them back if they don’t fit. I just moved everything out (from her house in Los Angeles, which she calls “a giant warehouse”). I love Givenchy blazers. I have a Stella McCartney dress that I bought when I was 21.
LO: Your career is intertwined with fashion. How was it working as an ambassador for Givenchy?
AS: I love Riccardo Tisci and Clare Waight Keller. I wore Riccardo a lot. Then I did four years of perfumes, which was difficult. I didn't really like perfumes at the time. And I don't want to be inauthentic .
HAIR: Renato Campora @ KALPANA
MAKE UP: Genevieve Herr @ SALLY HARLOR
NAILS: Jolene Brodeur @ THE WALL GROUP
CREATIVE CONSULTANT: Mariana Suplicy
PHOTO ASSISTANT: Coop Alexander
