Hollywood star Amanda Seyfried has made a candid and surprising revelation about a long-held career ambition she has decided to abandon forever. The actress, known for her roles in films like 'Mamma Mia!' and 'Les Misérables', has admitted that her dream of performing in a musical on Broadway has been crushed by intense stage fright.
The Broadway Dream That Wasn't Meant To Be
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Seyfried shared that she once actively planned to star in a Broadway production. However, the sheer anxiety of singing live in front of a theatre audience proved to be an insurmountable hurdle. The actress stated that her stage fright made her realize "life's too short" to put herself through that kind of ordeal.
She described the moment of clarity, which came while filming in Budapest for her new historical musical drama film, 'The Testament of Ann Lee'. Seyfried recalled having two consecutive nightmares about performing on Broadway. During a break on set, still in her corseted costume, she spoke to her agent and made the definitive decision. "I can't put myself through that," she realized.
Liberation in Self-Acceptance
Far from seeing this as a failure, Seyfried frames her decision as an act of profound self-knowledge and liberation. "It's a devastating thing to uncover about myself, but it doesn't mean I'm weak," she told the publication. She explained that understanding her own limits was empowering. "It just means that I know myself well enough to know that this will break me - and that was really liberating."
This acceptance led to a practical change: she stepped back from her voice lessons. Her voice coach even questioned her absence, to which Seyfried responded, "I'm okay now." The challenge of singing for 'The Testament of Ann Lee' helped her appreciate her current abilities rather than constantly striving for an unattainable goal.
From 'Mean Girls' to Lasting Fame
The conversation also turned to the project that launched her into the spotlight: the 2004 teen comedy classic 'Mean Girls'. Seyfried made her feature film debut in the movie, which starred Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, and Tina Fey, and became a massive cultural hit.
When asked if she re-watches the film, the actress simply said "no." However, she humorously noted that she doesn't need to, as it's "on often enough." She expressed love for seeing her face on fans' T-shirts, though she jokingly expressed resentment that Paramount still owes her money for the use of her likeness on merchandise sold in stores everywhere.
Her connection to the film remains strong in everyday life, with even Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents telling her it's their favourite movie. This enduring fame is a testament to the film's iconic status, nearly two decades after its release.
