Sometimes you’ve got to make changes to take a big step forward, even when that change means leaving a hit TV show. HBO’sBig Lovewas a huge get for rising starAmanda Seyfriedback in 2006. She had already doneMean Girlsand worked onVeronica Mars, but being part of the stellar ensemble of an award-winning HBO show gave her the notoriety to make some major moves and that’s exactly what she chose to do after the show’s fourth season.
In late 2009, it was announced that Seyfried would be leavingBig Loveafter Season 4 to focus on her film career. While leaving an acclaimed series must have been mighty scary, it did make sense for Seyfried who had just co-led the fifth highest-grossing film of 2008 alongsideMeryl Streep,Mamma Mia!. While on Collider Connected in anticipation of her upcoming release,Mank, Seyfried spoke about her decision to leaveBig Loveto focus on film:
“I had gottenMamma Mia!and I had shotMamma Mia!with the same people that producedBig Love, Playtone. There was just not enough work to make it make sense. The story wasn’t about me, and that’s fine. It was always an ensemble and mostly surrounded the wives. Those are the meaty parts. Not to say that I didn’t have some fantastic writing and some fantastic scenes and storylines.Big Loveis really important to me and important for my career. But by the end, it was just like, ‘I can’t hold babies anymore. I have to capitalize on this moment!’”
Seyfried also took a moment to stroll down memory lane to share an especially sweet memory with the lateBill Paxtonabout his response to her bookingMamma Mia!:
“I remember when I gotMamma Mia!, when I found out I had gotten it, I was back on set - this was before we shot it, of course - and Bill Paxton comes around the corner in the production office and puts his arms out and he’s like, ‘You did it!’ And I ran into his arms and he picked me up and spun me around. He was very much like a father to me. And it was so wonderful because I had all the support of them, too. So much support from myBig Lovefamily. Those run deep, those ties run really deep. So that was definitely, it was time to go.”
If you’d like to hear more from Seyfried on her journey toMank, including her experience working onMean Girls, what makesJulianne Moorea standout collaborator and how she responded toDavid Fincher’s preference of doing many, many takes, keep an eye out for her full Collider Connected conversation dropping later this week!
