Amanda Seyfried has had a busy end to 2025, with the musical drama The Last Testament and the erotic thriller The Housemaid released within days of each other. Starr is proud that while the two films are “very different,” they have one thing in common: they both feature strong female protagonists.
At a Berlin Film Festival press conference ahead of a special gala screening of The Last Testament on Thursday, Seyfried was asked about the appeal of the project and the experience of starring in both films at the same time. Seyfried wasn’t asked a straight question about politics, as many stars have been at this Berlinale, but the reporter ended the question by asking Seyfried about the importance of quality in “this time when fascism is rising everywhere.”
“I think, what’s worth leaving my kids for? And what gives me the opportunity to flex myself as an artist and learn something about myself?” Seyfried said. “So this particular project (‘Ang Lee’) had a quality all over it. And what I define as quality is a clear vision, not necessarily a message, but an exploration of someone’s life through storytelling in a cinematic atmosphere with an authentic edge.”
Seyfried went on to say that Paul Feig’s “The Housemaid,” which co-starred Sidney Sweeney and was a huge box office hit, was “incredibly fun” and allowed me to be flexible with myself and my artistic needs, although it was a “very different” story and experience.
“It’s not necessarily the same thing, but it was very beneficial for me personally,” she said. “At the end of the day, I think they’re both. Let me just say this: I love the fact that they’re both about strength of character, about women with needs, and women who are activated by those needs and the need for equality and safety in the world.”
Seyfried concluded that she was “100% behind both films” and was “thrilled that both films came out around the same time.”
“Not just because they were so dynamic as actors, but because they had something to say,” she said. “It’s just a different kind of genre that has a different kind of appeal to different kinds of people. But women go to theaters because we’re making movies for women.”
The Ang Lee team, including Seyfried, director and screenwriter Mona Fastvold, composer Daniel Blumberg and producer Andrew Morrison, attended a press conference in Berlin. The film was first screened in competition at the Venice Film Festival in September, and was released theatrically in the United States on December 25th and in the United Kingdom on February 20th.
According to the official synopsis, the historical drama stars Seyfried as Ang Lee, “a founder of the Shaker community who preached gender equality and social justice and was respected by his followers.” “The film captures the ecstasy and agony of her quest for utopia, with more than a dozen historic Shaker hymns reinterpreted and choreographed with impressive intensity.” In addition to Seyfried, The Last Testament also stars Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Stacey Martin, Tim Blake Nelson, and Christopher Abbott.
Although “Ang Lee” did not receive an Oscar nomination, Seyfried was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a Critics Choice Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy. The film received generally positive reviews, with Guy Lodge of Variety writing: “Amanda Seyfried’s formidable dedication and nervous emotional performance make it a serious and heartfelt production, a far cry from the musical territory of Mamma Mia!” or Les Misérables, which perfectly utilizes her talents. ”
