The professional life of an actor doesn’t have the same kind of consistency as most jobs – and I’m not just referring to the short-term nature of most gigs. While it’s true that some performers get pigeonholed regularly playing the same kinds of parts, there are those who can find themselves in the old west one month and floating in outer space the next. If you need an example, the throttling nature of the work is actually on full display in theaters this month, as Amanda Seyfried can be seen starring in both The Testament Of Ann Lee and The Housemaid, which are two movies that truly couldn’t be more different.
CinemaBlend’s Jeff McCobb spoke with the actress last week during the virtual press day for the former title, and it was at the very end of their conversation that she talked about the matching release windows for two clashing projects. Commenting on her current big screen ubiquity, Seyfried said,
It's coincidental, the movies. People are like, 'I'm seeing you everywhere.' And I'm like, 'But I'm not everywhere!' I haven't been home, which is good; I feel lucky about it, but it is... I do feel, and when you say that, I'm like, 'Yeah, thank you.'
In director Mona Fastvold’s The Testament Of Ann Lee, Amanda Seyfried plays the titular historical religious figure, who is credited with the creation of the Christian sect known as the Shakers. The film traces the story of her and her followers from the foundation of the practice to their move to America in the hopes of growing their collective. It’s a role that the actress actually pitched other names for when it was offered to her, as she didn’t comprehend the vision when she first read the script, but she is now earning some of the best reviews of her career for her passion-filled performance.
As for The Housemaid, it would be a challenge to draw any direct links between the two movies if it weren’t for the common presence of Amanda Seyfried. In the Paul Feig-directed feature (based on the novel of the same name by author Freida McFadden), Seyfried plays a rather manic wealthy woman named Nina Winchester who hires a desperate ex-con (Sydney Sweeney) to work in her home. There are times when she is lovely and sweet, but there are others when she is vicious and raging, and it sees the film’s eponymous protagonist embroiled in a chaotic circumstance that’s hiding a dark mystery.
The two movies definitely showcase Amanda Seyfried’s range as a performer, and while she is very happy with how both turned out, she also admits that the process making them has left her a touch exhausted. She added,
I have two movies with two different, completely different, characters and I'm incredibly proud of both of them. But the fact that it got made and the fact that we're still talking about it, and the fact that it was done so beautifully, and I got to be a part of it, is like, I know how lucky I am, but I'm also a little tired. (laughs)
The Housemaid is playing in theaters now, landing in third place during its opening weekend at the box office, and The Testament Of Ann Lee will be getting a limited release starting tomorrow, December 25, before expanding next month.
