Amanda Seyfried has spoken candidly about why she turned down the part of Gamora in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy – a decision that kept her out of one of the MCU’s biggest franchises.
Appearing on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, Seyfried explained that while she seriously considered taking the role, she couldn’t shake her hesitation as the reality of the commitment set in. “I was really scared of the idea of being stuck and painted a different colour because of the amount of time.”
Seyfried referenced the X-Men franchise, which had a number of its stars undergoing notoriously lengthy makeup processes—such as Jennifer Lawrence in her role as Mystique. “I didn’t want to suffer for the work,” she said. “Sitting there for four and a half hours every morning and every night just seemed like it wasn’t going to be fun.”
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She recalled meeting Guardians director James Gunn in person and described the experience as “wonderful”. However, she mentioned there was some confusion later about whether the offer had actually happened. “Apparently someone said that he didn’t remember it or it wasn’t true,” she said, “and I was like, wait a second—it’s definitely true. I definitely got the offer for it and I definitely milled over it for like a couple days.”
Location was another issue. Seyfried wasn’t eager to relocate for an extended period, explaining, “I didn’t want to live in London for six months out of the year.” Around the same time, she was offered a role in Seth MacFarlane’s comedy-western A Million Ways to Die in the West, which ultimately won out. “It felt like a really good opportunity,” she said.
Perhaps the biggest factor was uncertainty over whether Guardians of the Galaxy would actually work. “Let’s also remember, being a part of a Marvel movie—the first Marvel movie that bombs—ain’t good for your career,” Seyfried said. “I thought that, because this was about a talking tree and a talking raccoon, that it was going to be Marvel’s first bomb and that Chris Pratt and I would never work again. I was wrong.”
Reflecting on that mindset, she added, “I was just being smart—not brave,” making it clear she was at a pivotal point in her career and didn’t feel comfortable taking the risk.
As for regrets? Seyfried has none. “I don’t regret any decision that I made,” she said. “I made it for myself in the moment that I made it. It was good for me then, and it’s good for me now.” She went on to say she’s happy for those who did join the franchise, adding, “Zoe and Chris and everybody who’s part of that movie are having the best time, and it worked for them. And I love that. And I love that I was able to, you know, stay with my gut.”
Zoe Saldaña ultimately took on the role of Gamora, becoming a core part of multiple Guardians and Avengers films in Marvel’s billion-dollar franchise.
Seyfried can currently be seen starring in the crime-drama series Long Bright River, based on the best-selling novel by Liz Moore.
