Amanda Seyfried Credits Her ‘Mank’ Oscar Nomination for Landing Her Role in ‘The Dropout’
Amanda Seyfried is one of those actors who’s appeared in many successful projects all while avoiding the pitfalls of fame. The 36-year-old has acted in movies like Dear John, Mamma Mia!, Jennifer’s Body, and Letters to Juliet, establishing herself as a charming comedic actor.
In recent years, Seyfried has earned more acclaim for her dramatic roles. After high-profile roles in Mank and The Dropout, fans sing her praises. In a recent interview, Seyfried opened up about her role in Mank and how she believes this role influenced her opportunity in The Dropout.
Amanda Seyfried received critical acclaim for her work in ‘Mank’
The biopic Mank premiered in theaters in November 2020, with a Netflix release in December. Directed by David Fincher, the film tells the story of legendary Hollywood screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz and his coterie of friends, family, and business associates.
The film features a number of high-profile stars playing iconic actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood, including Tom Burke as Orson Welles, Craig Robert Young as Charlie Chaplin, and Amanda Seyfried as Marion Davies.
Seyfried received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Davies, earning the actor her first Academy Award nomination and Golden Globe Award nomination. For Seyfried, Mank marked a turning point in her career. It proved she not only had the ability to tackle real-life people but completely immerse herself in a role as well.
What did Amanda Seyfried say about landing her role in ‘The Dropout’?
In 2022, Seyfried once again made waves when she played Elizabeth Holmes, founder of the biotech company Theranos, in the limited series The Dropout. For Seyfried, the project was not a coincidence. As Seyfried told Marie Claire, “I got the call about The Dropout the day I got nominated [for Mank]. Not a coincidence. I knew where that was coming from and I was f***ing grateful.”
Seyfried admitted that, at first, she said no to the project, noting that she was fighting COVID-19 at the time and didn’t want to leave her children in order to go film in LA. She also knew that she wasn’t the first choice for the role of Elizabeth Holmes.
Saturday Night Live‘s Kate McKinnon originally received the offer to play Holmes. McKinnon dropped out of the project, leaving the role of Holmes vacant. Finally, Seyfried decided the opportunity was too good to pass up, and she accepted the role.
What did the creator of ‘The Dropout’ say about Seyfried’s casting?
As pop culture fans know, Seyfried received many praises for her work as Holmes and for the immersive way she transformed herself into the entrepreneur. Liz Meriwether, creator of The Dropout, told Marie Claire that Seyfried was instrumental in getting the show to work.
“Amanda’s casting saved the project in this amazing way,” Meriwether said. “She’s just one of those few actresses that I’ve always known could do comedy and drama. She’d done a ton of work before we even got to the first rehearsals. At the first rehearsal, she had that voice; she had those mannerisms.”
Seyfried admitted that while The Dropout was a lot of work, she’s open to shooting a second season. For now, there are no immediate plans for a second season. Regardless, Seyfried will have plenty of exciting opportunities to keep her busy.
