Amanda Seyfried is again on the musical theater kick, and this time, she’s placing the Shake(r) in her dance routine for the massive display. The actress leads Mona Fastvold‘s musical biopic “The Testomony of Ann Lee,” portraying the titular spiritual chief who based the Shaker Motion within the late 1770s.
“The Testomony of Ann Lee” is co-written by Fastvold and her “The Brutalist” collaborator and real-life associate Brady Corbet. “Ann Lee” was introduced in December 2024. It’ll premiere on the 2025 Venice Movie Pageant, and later will display at TIFF 50.
Christopher Abbott, Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Tim Blake Nelson, Stacy Martin, Matthew Beard, Scott Useful, Viola Prettejohn, David Cale, and Jamie Bogyo co-star alongside Seyfried. Ann Lee’s followers deemed her the feminine Jesus Christ, and her worshippers prayed by way of track and dance, therefore the musical style for the historic characteristic. “The Testomony of Ann Lee” is shot in 70mm, as was “The Brutalist.”
The logline reads: “An epic fable about spiritual chief Ann Lee (Seyfried), who was proclaimed by her followers as the feminine Christ and went on to construct one of many largest utopian societies.”
“Ann Lee” options authentic songs by Oscar winner “The Brutalist” composer Daniel Blumberg. Choreography comes from Celia Rowlson Corridor, the dancer who performed the grownup Sophie in “Aftersun.”
“The Testomony of Ann Lee” is Seyfried’s first musical since 2018’s “Mamma Mia! Right here We Go Once more.” She additionally sang within the first “Mamma Mia!” movie in 2008 and “Les Miserables” in 2012. Seyfried has publicly lamented on lacking out on enjoying Glinda in Jon M. Chu’s “Depraved” earlier than Ariana Grande was forged.
Seyfried advised Self-importance Truthful that capturing Fastvold and Corbet’s secret indie movie after wrapping the upcoming Peacock restricted collection “Lengthy Vibrant River,” was powerful. “I went to hell and again,” Seyfried mentioned of the demanding back-to-back initiatives, with “The Testomony of Ann Lee” being shot on location in Budapest, Hungary.
“Ann Lee” helmer Fastvold beforehand directed 2021 interval queer romance “The World to Come,” starring Katherine Waterson and Vanessa Kirby. Fastvold and Corbet each produce “Ann Lee.”
“The Testomony of Ann Lee” is likely one of the many buzzy titles in competitors at Venice. “The Wizard of the Kremlin,” directed by Olivier Assayas, Noah Baumbach’s “Jay Kelly,” Kathryn Bigelow’s “A Home of Dynamite,” Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Bugonia,” Benny Safdie’s “The Smashing Machine,” Park Chan-wook’s “No Different Alternative,” and Jim Jarmusch’s “Father Mom Sister Brother” are additionally among the many options in competitors.