Amanda Seyfried admitted that she knew little about Ann Lee, the 18th-century founder of the Shaker movement, before portraying her in “The Testament of Ann Lee,” a film opening Christmas Day.
Speaking to Reuters, she said, “I was surprised that I didn’t learn about her in my own American history classes,” Seyfried – who starred in “Mamma Mia!” “This woman is the leader of the Shaker movement.”.
The Shakers were a Christian movement also known for their celibacy and ecstatic worship to shake off evil.
Directed by Mona Fastvold, the film follows Ann Lee aiming to establish a utopian society where the Shakers worship through song and dance, based on real American history.
Along with Seyfried, the film stars Lewis Pullman as William Lee, Ann’s brother; Christopher Abbott as Abraham Standerin, Ann’s husband, and Thomasin McKenzie as follower and friend of Ann, Mary Partington.
The film’s musical elements were a key part of the movement’s story, as the Shakers used song and dance to worship God and advocate for equity.
It was revolutionary for Seyfried when she realized that for the role of Ann, her singing went beyond giving a good performance.
“I’m singing to be alive. I’m not singing to sound, to perform. It’s like oxygen. It definitely shifted my perspective on what it means,” the “Dear John” actor said.
“It’s a musical but not the way we know musicals,” she added.
