Amanda Seyfried presents ‘The Housemaid’ and ‘The Testimony of Ann Lee’, reflecting on the rise of female-led storytelling.
The end of 2025 marked a defining moment in Amanda Seyfried’s career. Within days, she premiered two vastly different projects: the erotic thriller ‘The Housemaid’ and the historical musical drama ‘The Testimony of Ann Lee’. Opposing genres, yet united by a shared premise — complex women at the centre of the narrative.
While presenting ‘The Testimony of Ann Lee’ at the Berlin Film Festival, the actress explained how she chooses her roles. “I think about what’s worth leaving my children for and what opportunity it will give me to learn something about myself as an artist,” she said.
For Seyfried, quality is not defined by overt messaging but by perspective: “What I define as quality is a clear vision — not necessarily a message, but the exploration of someone’s life within a cinematic atmosphere that has character.”
In the film directed by Mona Fastvold, she portrays the founder of the Shaker religious community, an 18th-century spiritual leader who championed gender equality and social justice. The project blends historic choral music with contemporary staging, distancing her from the mainstream musical territory audiences often associate with her image.
By contrast, ‘The Housemaid’, directed by Paul Feig and co-starring Sydney Sweeney, became a box office success. Yet Seyfried views both films as complementary: “Not in the same way, but it was incredibly fruitful for me personally and allowed me to explore different artistic needs.”
The thematic link, she notes, lies in character strength: “I love that both speak about resilience — about women with needs who act to secure equality and safety in the world.”
Her conclusion doubles as commentary on the industry: “Women are going to the cinema because we’re making films for women.”
For years, Hollywood assumed female-led stories were commercially limited. Recent variety — from thrillers to historical dramas — suggests otherwise. Audiences were not rejecting these narratives; they simply were not offered them often enough.
‘The Testimony of Ann Lee’, previously screened in Venice, earned her nominations at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards. Critics praised the intensity of her performance, far removed from her better-known musicals such as ‘Mamma Mia!’ and ‘Les Misérables’.
Rather than a reinvention, her current phase feels like a natural evolution. Amanda Seyfried balances commercial and independent cinema, shaping a more personal filmography without stepping away from mainstream audiences.
Her closing reflection extends beyond her own trajectory: when stories reflect diverse, authentic experiences, audiences return. And today, the industry is beginning to recognise that women are not a niche market, but central to contemporary cinema.
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