Amanda Seyfried passed on a Marvel role that became a multibillion-dollar franchise, but she still stands by her decision. The actress believed Guardians of the Galaxy would flop in 2014 and feared the unusual space adventure could derail her career.
Seyfried, 40, recently revisited the decision during a Q&A session. Although Zoe Saldaña ultimately played Gamora, Seyfried explained that the film’s bizarre premise and demanding production never appealed to her.
Why the actress rejected Gamora before Marvel’s unlikely hit
Speaking during the discussion with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Seyfried admitted she had little faith in the project’s potential. “I think turning down ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ was just so obvious to me at the time,” she said. “I’m like, ‘This is not going to be a hit.’” The Mamma Mia! star particularly struggled to imagine audiences embracing a talking tree and a wisecracking raccoon. Vin Diesel voiced Groot, while Bradley Cooper brought Rocket to life.
“And also they’re all in space,” Seyfried explained. “This will ruin my career if this is bad. And there’s a high chance that this could be bad.” Of course, the film became a major hit, earning more than $700 million worldwide. Its success launched a trilogy, with the 2017 sequel collecting over $863 million and 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 earning more than $845 million.
The franchise’s reach extended into the Avengers movies, too. Infinity War earned approximately $2 billion globally, while Endgame brought in around $2.7 billion. The Guardians also appeared in Thor: Love and Thunder, which grossed about $760 million.
Despite missing out on the lucrative Marvel universe, Seyfried insisted she had no regrets. “I made it for myself. I made it for my family that I knew I wanted to have,” she said. She also wanted to avoid spending hours in makeup. “I just can’t sit still anyway,” she continued. “I really don’t like stunts, and I don’t like heights, and I don’t like pretending the entire world. I need something to hold on to.”
Seyfried turned down Gamora before meeting her now-estranged husband, Thomas Sadoski. They recently split after nine years of marriage and share two children, Nina, nine, and Thomas Jr., six.
