Amanda Seyfried is opening up about what happens when Hollywood stardom collides with motherhood.
Had her daughter rolled her eyes? Not quite. But Nina, now nine, delivered an assessment only an eight-year-old could give when she sat down to watch the 2004 teen comedy Mean Girls for the first time last year. She did not find the film particularly funny. Yet she fell completely in love with her mother's performance as the delightfully oblivious Karen Smith.
The 40-year-old actor shares Nina and six-year-old son Thomas Jr. with husband Thomas Sadoski. For years, her children primarily knew her voice through animated features. Stepping into the live-action cultural juggernauts that defined Seyfried's early career marked an entirely new chapter.
They've seen the few animated movies I've done. They love it. It's normal for them.
Long before Mean Girls entered the picture, Nina found her introduction to Seyfried's catalogue through music. Nina watched the 2008 musical Mamma Mia! alongside her grandmother, quickly developing a deep fondness for the film, its 2018 sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, and the sweeping ABBA soundtrack anchoring both releases.
Soon, the playground took notice. Nina's school classmates began recognizing Seyfried not as an ordinary school-run parent, but as Sophie, the sun-drenched lead dancing across Greek islands.
"I'm learning more every day," Seyfried said of navigating her children's evolving awareness. "I think as they get older, they're like, 'Huh, what a very unique place to get to be.' I'm like, 'Yeah, it is unique!'"
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Girls | 2004 | Karen Smith (Breakout teen comedy) | Nina watched at age 8; praised her mother | ||||
| Mamma Mia! | 2008 | Sophie Sheridan (ABBA musical) | Nina watched with grandmother; became fan | ||||
| Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again | 2018 |
Seyfried is now directing her household's screen time toward her upcoming animated project, Steps, scheduled to premiere globally on Netflix on November 20, 2026.
Pitched as an inventive reimagining of the classic Cinderella fairy tale, the animated feature pairs Ali Wong and Stephanie Hsu as misunderstood stepsisters. The duo bands together on an unexpected quest to rescue their kingdom from a childhood bully, voiced by comedian Nikki Glaser.
Seyfried praised the production for centering female solidarity, communication, and emotional honesty rather than tired tropes.
It's beautiful. It's the kind of film I want my children to watch.
Families eager to catch Seyfried's latest family-focused chapter can circle November 20, 2026, on their calendars when Steps debuts worldwide on Netflix.
| Sophie Sheridan (Musical sequel) |
| Nina embraced soundtrack and characters |
| Steps | November 20, 2026 | Animated Cinderella reimagining (Netflix) | Features Ali Wong, Stephanie Hsu, Nikki Glaser |