Washington DC [US], February 20 : Actor Amanda Seyfried expressed pride in headlining two distinct films, 'The Housemaid' and 'The Testament of Ann Lee', both centred on strong female characters, noting that women are increasingly supporting stories made for them, according to Variety.
Seyfried reflected on her choices during a press conference at the Berlin International Film Festival ahead of the Special Gala screening of The Testament of Ann Lee, which released theatrically in the US on December 25 and in the UK on February 20.
"I think about, what's worth leaving my kids for? And what's going to give me the opportunity as an artist to flex myself and to learn something about myself?" Seyfried said, adding, "I mean, this particular project ['Ann Lee'] had quality all over it, and what I define as quality is a clear vision, and not necessarily a message but an exploration of someone's life through storytelling in a cinematic atmosphere with a real edge," according to Variety.
While describing Paul Feig's 'The Housemaid', which co-stars Sydney Sweeney as "vastly different," Seyfried said it was equally fulfilling.
"Not in the same way necessarily, but it was very fruitful for me personally," she said. "And at the end of the day, I think both I'm gonna say this I love the fact that they're both about strength of character, women with needs and who are activated by those needs and by the need for equality and safety in the world."
Seyfried added that she is "100% behind both movies" and thrilled they were released around the same time.
"Not just because they were so dynamic for me as an actor but because they do say something," she said. "It's just a different kind of genre with a different kind of appeal to different kinds of people. But women are showing up at the theatre because we're making movies for women," according to Variety.
"The Testament of Ann Lee" team, including Seyfried, director and writer Mona Fastvold, composer Daniel Blumberg and producer Andrew Morrison, were on hand at the Berlin press conference. The movie first premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival in September and was released theatrically in the U.S. on December 25 and in the U.K. on February 20, according to Variety.
Directed and written by Mona Fastvold, The Testament of Ann Lee stars Seyfried as Ann Lee, the founder of the Shaker religious community known for preaching gender equality and social justice. The film also features Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Stacy Martin, Tim Blake Nelson and Christopher Abbott, according to Variety.
The historical drama premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival in September before releasing theatrically in the United States on December 25 and in the United Kingdom on February 20," according to Variety.
The historical drama stars Seyfried as Ann Lee, the "founder of the Shaker religious community who preached gender equality and social justice and was revered by her followers," according to its official synopsis. "The film captures the ecstasy and anguish of her quest for utopia and presents more than a dozen historic Shaker hymns, reinterpreted and choreographed with impressive intensity."
Alongside Seyfried, "The Testament of Ann Lee" stars Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Stacy Martin, Tim Blake Nelson and Christopher Abbott, according to Variety.
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