Podcast Summary: The Run-Through with Vogue

Episode: Vogue Cover Star Amanda Seyfried on Becoming Ann Lee
Date: January 15, 2026
Hosts: Chloe Malle & Chloe Schama (Vogue U.S. & U.K.)
Guest: Amanda Seyfried

Episode Overview

The Vogue editors sit down with cover star Amanda Seyfried for a candid conversation fresh off her Golden Globes appearance. The episode dives into Seyfried’s busy awards season, personal style, experiences as a farm owner, the making of her latest film (Testament of Ann Lee), and the complexities of portraying historical figures. The discussion is warm, witty, and intimate, offering a behind-the-scenes look into Seyfried’s life, acting process, and philosophy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Post-Golden Globes Whirlwind & Fashion Choices

• Amanda recounts the fast pace of flying from LA to the Vogue office straight after the Globes and credits her team for keeping her looking fresh.
• Favorite Awards Look:
  • “This was a Bertinati dress that took 400 hours to make.” (Amanda, 03:20)
  • Deep admiration for the atelier’s work: “It was my favorite look… I have to give respect to the seamstress who folded all that silk. It looked like perfection.” (Amanda, 03:30)
• On Working with Stylist Elizabeth Stewart:
  • The process is driven initially by Stewart and the designers, then Amanda: “She’ll come to me with who’s interested… We’ve been wearing a lot of Prada, and we decided to wear Versace, which is always trusted and beautiful.” (Amanda, 04:06)
  • Fun with archival Tiffany jewelry at events—and the stress/security it involves.

2. Awards Season Anecdotes & The Reality of Red Carpet Jewelry

• Stories of logistical chaos with fine jewelry:
  • “My driver and the driver of the necklace who was coming to pick up… were trying to take off this archival piece, and they couldn’t get it.” (Amanda, 06:56)
  • Reflections on the anxiety of handling millions in jewelry and the lack of substitutes: “Why aren’t we wearing fake versions... for relief of stress?” (Amanda, 05:13)

3. Celebrity, Privacy, and Modern Fame

• The impact of pervasive digital surveillance:
  • “I do wonder what it was like back in the ‘90s and the early aughts when people didn’t have cell phones. I was having a conversation with somebody and it was on… Instagram. They're reading your lips. Is that ethical?” (Amanda, 08:04)
  • She acknowledges the tradeoff: “I respect that I gave it away. But there are still moments when I forget people are watching.” (Amanda, 08:38)
  • Favorite party moment: connecting with peers at the A24 Chateau party.

4. Farm Life & Mundane Glamour

• Details of Amanda’s daily 90-minute farm feed for her 52 animals (“the bunny doesn’t take up a lot of time, but it takes up a lot of space.” Amanda, 12:50).
• Emphasizes practical style at home:
  • “Usually if I’m feeding in the morning, the night before I’ll just put on thicker sweatpants to sleep in because I know I’m not going to want to change when I wake up.” (Amanda, 11:21)
  • Audiobooks power the feeding routine, with personal recommendations from recent listens.

5. Portraying Ann Lee: Transformation & Process

• On learning about the historical figure:
  • “It became clear that because there was a narrator and this was a testament of her life… I just had to believe [it] really happened. Because I have to fall in love with this person.” (Amanda, 14:34)
  • Challenges included nailing the accent, the “alien” movement and dancing, and singing from a grounded, ego-free place: “You can’t judge what you’re doing when you’re doing it. With singing, I’ve always been judging myself… Even in Les Mis, I wasn’t present the way I was [for Ann Lee].” (Amanda, 16:35–17:09)
  • The Shaker faith’s devotional song and dance deeply impacted her approach and the emotional tone of the film.

6. Realism in Childbirth Scenes & Challenging Taboos

• The film’s realistic birth scenes polarized Venice festival audiences and led to walkouts:
  • “Mona [director] was like, well, if I’m making this, I’m gonna make it as realistic looking as possible.” (Amanda, 17:42)
  • Amanda’s personal story: “My delivery of my son was an actual nightmare… the needle punctured the spine.” (Amanda, 18:41–18:56)
  • On the importance of these portrayals: “If we’re gonna go there, we need to go there… honoring new women and men that lose their children during and shortly after childbirth, too.” (Amanda, 22:23)
  • The “expensive babies,” i.e., $10,000 lifelike prosthetics for authenticity: “We only had $10 million to make this epic tale… We just did what we could.” (Amanda, 20:40)

7. On-Set Atmosphere & Inclusivity

• Filming in Budapest felt like a supportive commune:
  • “The lack of hierarchy on that set was reflected not only in how Mona and I like to work… but also how Ann Lee designed the Shaker community. Equality for all. Everyone was paid minimum, and everybody was there because they believed in Mona’s story.” (Amanda, 26:22)
  • “The whole set felt like a family. A bunch of grownups and empaths kind of hanging out.” (Amanda, 27:19)

8. Traveling with Family—And Dog

• Heartfelt anecdotes about Amanda’s beloved dog, Finn:
  • “He is my 16 and a half year old dog... I couldn’t see myself being away for six weeks without him. So we had to hire—I had to pay for a private jet…” (Amanda, 27:45)
  • The dog’s needs even influenced logistical decisions: “We traveled him on a private jet with his 80 pounds of frozen dog food.” (Amanda, 28:07)

9. Introducing Iconic Roles to the Next Generation

• Amanda’s daughter and Mona’s daughter watched Mean Girls together for the first time:
  • “She said that she didn’t think it was that funny, but she really loved my role.” (Amanda, 29:56)
  • Mona’s daughter, Ada, has even seen Amanda’s recent film, The Housemaid—“she didn’t think the tooth part was as scary as it was for me.” (Amanda, 30:21)

10. Turning 40, Surprises, and Reflections

• Amanda shares about her 40th birthday party, surprises for her mom, and family dynamics, including humorous fainting incidents at surprise parties:
  • “My 40th was at a roller rink… I played a lot of Backstreet Boys and NSync, a lot of Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter as well, and Britney.” (Amanda, 34:04)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Fashion & Awards Season:
  “I have to give respect to the seamstress who folded all that silk… It was my favorite look.” — Amanda Seyfried (03:30)
• Vulnerability of Public Life:
  “I was having a conversation with somebody and it was on… Instagram. They’re reading your lips. Is that ethical?” — Amanda Seyfried (08:08)
• On Portraying Ann Lee:
  “I just had to believe really happened. Because I have to fall in love with this person.” — Amanda Seyfried (14:35) “You can’t judge what you’re doing when you’re doing it. Cause then you’re not present.” — Amanda Seyfried (16:43)
• On Filmmaking & Motherhood:
  “If we’re gonna go there, we need to go there… honoring new women and men that lose their children during and shortly after childbirth, too.” — Amanda Seyfried (22:23)
• On Set Atmosphere:
  “The lack of hierarchy on that set… mirrored how Ann Lee designed the Shaker community. Equality for all.” — Amanda Seyfried (26:22)
• About her Dog Finn:
  “He speaks for himself, he markets himself.” — Amanda Seyfried (27:45)
• Turning 40:
  “My 40th was at a roller rink. I played a lot of Backstreet Boys, NSync, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Britney.” — Amanda Seyfried (34:04)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:20 — Golden Globes dress; the art and labor of red carpet fashion
• 06:56 — Jewelry retrieval mishap after awards event
• 08:04 — Reflections on privacy and celebrity in the digital age
• 11:21 — Amanda’s daily farm routine and practical farm fashion
• 14:34 — How Amanda approached playing Ann Lee
• 17:42 — Realism in birth scenes; personal childbirth experiences
• 22:23 — The feminist heart and emotional impact behind Testament of Ann Lee
• 26:22 — Atmosphere on the Budapest set, inclusive spirit
• 27:45 — The lengths Amanda goes to for her dog Finn
• 29:56 — Amanda’s daughter watches Mean Girls for the first time
• 34:04 — Amanda’s 40th birthday roller rink party

Tone, Language, and Atmosphere

Amanda Seyfried combines casual humor and deep vulnerability as she discusses everything from high-fashion and Hollywood to motherhood and life on the farm. The conversation flows in a warm, collegial tone—reflective, honest, and often playful. The hosts are equally engaged, adding their own anecdotes and insights.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This episode offers both a glittering peek into awards season life and a grounded exploration of creative work, challenging topics, and personal rituals away from the spotlight. Seyfried’s frankness about privacy, the toll of fame, and the emotional weight of her latest role, as well as her softer, homey sides, shine throughout.

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