‘Jennifer’s Body’ Taught Amanda Seyfried What She Doesn’t Like to Do as an Actor
Amanda Seyfried has a long-running career that spans decades. The star got into acting at 15 years old and has managed to hold onto the spotlight since then. Although Seyfried has appeared in several productions, she is better known for her roles in Mean Girls, Jennifer’s Body, and The Dropout.
The actor recently said Jennifer’s Body taught her what she doesn’t like to do as an actor.
A quick overview of ‘Jennifer’s Body’
Jennifer’s Body follows a high school cheerleader, Jennifer Check, who becomes possessed after a boy band tries sacrificing her to Satan for fame and success. Jennifer then becomes a human-eating succubus with a taste for guys. Jennifer’s best friend, Needy, senses something’s wrong with her friend and confronts her.
Jennifer confesses and tells Needy what happened, but Needy attempts to stop her friend from committing more murders. After Jennifer kills Needy’s boyfriend, they fight, and Needy eventually wins after stabbing Jennifer in the heart. Jennifer’s mother finds Needy standing over her daughter’s body and has her thrown in an asylum.
She is later shown to have acquired some of Jennifer’s superpowers after a bite from their fight. Needy escapes the asylum and hitchhikes a ride, telling the driver she is looking for the band that destroyed her friend. In a credits scene, crime scene photos show that Needy murdered the band members in their hotel.
Jennifer’s Body premiered in September 2009 to critical and commercial failure. The film earned $31.6 million at the box office against a $16 million budget. Critics panned the movie for its uneven tone and narrative but praised its dialogue and performances. Jennifer’s Body currently holds a 46% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
‘Jennifer’s Body’ taught Amanda Seyfried what she disliked about acting
Seyfried played Megan Fox’s character’s best friend, Needy, landing the role months after Fox. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Seyfried warned actors not to “ever shoot in water.” Discussing the scene with Fox’s Jennifer and Johnny Simmons’ Chip in a swimming pool, the 37-year-old actor said they were freezing despite the pool being warm.
“I just remember being cold a lot during this movie because we were shooting it at night because it’s a thriller. A lot of thrillers are shot at night.”
Seyfried explained that a lot goes into shooting scenes like that. “Every time you see somebody wet in a movie, they’re not just wet for a minute or two. They’re wet for like two days straight,” she explained.
The star revealed they were provided warm facilities like warming tents and hot water bottles but had to power through the cold. Seyfried called the movie “an acting exercise like no other,” recalling the grueling shoot. “I don’t think I’ve ever done a scene like this in my life,” she stated.
The Mamma Mia! actor said that Jennifer’s Body was also the first time she ever did action sequences. Recalling the levitating scene in the movie, where she had to use harnesses, Seyfried said, “I remember realizing that it wasn’t for me. I didn’t want to be in pain in that way.”
The star said that although they had stunt coordinators for the action scenes, it taught her that action wasn’t where her skills lay.
‘Jennifer’s Body’ has garnered a cult following a decade after its release
In the wake of the #MeToo Movement, Jennifer’s Body began receiving new critical consensus, with publications like Vox calling it a “forgotten feminist classic.” The movie is often cited as an example of how women’s stories and experiences are often misrepresented and overlooked in media.
It explored themes of female friendship, sexuality, and power, highlighting how young women are objectified and victimized in popular culture. Jennifer’s Body has also been credited with helping to pave the way for greater LGBTQ representation in media.
