Mamma Mia! has some of movie musical’s most iconic songs, but audiences have wondered if they were really sung by the stars, including Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried. Mamma Mia!‘s heartwarming story has been entertaining audiences for almost 20 years since its theatrical debut in 2008, partly due to Streep’s status as an entertainment triple threat. Seyfried’s charming performance adds to the film’s appeal, carrying both the story and the music throughout the years.
Mamma Mia!’s music, written by Swedish pop group ABBA, gave it a unique musical tone that carried over from its original Broadway show. Though Mamma Mia! 3 updates are few and far between, that tone has stood the test of time, keeping the films in the public consciousness. One reason it has been able to is that the entire cast of the film was so game to do the movie, including Streep and Seyfried, enhancing every performance as the story was carried to the silver screen.
The Entire Mamma Mia Cast Sings In The Movie (Including Amanda Seyfried & Meryl Streep)
Mamma Mia’s Movie Soundtrack Was Also Released In 2008
Mamma Mia!‘s songs were all sung by the film’s cast, who both prerecorded and sang live during filming. According to the film’s DVD special features, Benny Andersson, one of the film’s composers and a member of ABBA, worked with Streep to get the proper keys of her song prior to filming. Martin Lowe, the music director, then worked with the rest of the cast to prerecord the songs, making sure each actor was comfortable with the range. Once filming commenced, the cast sang live while the prerecorded track played, ensuring they stayed consistent as each song was filmed.
What Amanda Seyfried & Meryl Streep Have Said About Singing In Mamma Mia
Both Streep And Seyfried Largely Enjoyed Filming Mamma Mia
Streep and Seyfried shared their positive feelings on the process of singing for Mamma Mia! during the film’s press tour and beyond, discussing how their musical journey enriched their experience with Vogue in 2023. Streep discussed how, after seeing the musical and listening to the songs, she jumped at the chance to be a part of the film. The veteran actress’s operatic training and musical experience in other films ᴀssisted her in immersing herself in the musical’s world. Streep specifically cited her pride about “The Winner Takes It All”, stating how she felt transported by the moment, truly embodying her character.
Despite this, Seyfried concluded that she loved working on both the music and the narrative of Mamma Mia due to the cast and crew’s support.
Seyfried mentioned in that same interview how she was nervous at first due to her lack of singing practice at the time. However, during Mamma Mia!‘s filming, her excitement about tackling the music and the forgiving nature of the notes made the process smoother than anticipated. Seyfried mentioned how some sequences were difficult due to her limited dancing and singing ability, such as “Lay All Your Love” and “Voulez-Vous”. Despite this, Seyfried concluded that she loved working on both the music and the narrative of Mamma Mia! due to the cast and crew’s support.
Why Meryl Streep & Amanda Seyfried Singing Was So Important
It Was Crucial In Capturing Their Characters
Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried were note-perfect casting as the spunky Donna and the sweet Sophie, and this was never more evident than in their musical numbers. While some musicals and music biopics have other singers sing the songs, like with Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody, it would have lost something if Streep, Seyfried, and the Mamma Mia! cast didn’t provide their own vocals. After all, biopics are based on real people, so it would be jarring if the actor’s voice didn’t sound like the figure they were portraying.
But Mamma Mia! is entirely a work of fiction, so it’s important for the actors to express their characters’ emotions through song, even if not everyone in the cast is a perfect singer. Pierce Brosnan was famously one of the weaker singers in Mamma Mia!, but him giving his songs his all adds to his character’s charm.
Plus, while Seyfried may have been nervous to sing in the movie musical at first, it clearly gave her the courage to continue acting and singing in the genre. She is note-perfect — in every sense of the word — as Cosette in 2012’s Les Misérables, a role she may never have taken on had it not been for Mamma Mia!
