Mamma Mia! arrived in 2008 with the sort of cast that would be impressive even without the ABBA songs. Meryl Streep led the movie alongside Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Christine Baranski, and Julie Walters, with each performer having a very different path to the fictional Greek island.
Some barely needed convincing. Others had to sing on a piano, perform a song for the casting team, or prove themselves over the phone. The result was an ensemble assembled through a surprisingly loose mixture of exhaustive auditions, personal enthusiasm, and a few wonderfully unconventional tests.
1. Meryl Streep had been on their minds for years
Meryl Streep’s connection to Mamma Mia! started long before the movie. After seeing the Broadway musical with her daughter, she sent the company a letter praising the show, and the creative team remembered it years later when Donna was being cast. Producer Judy Craymer said Streep was one of the first people they wanted, while Benny Andersson later worked through the songs with her at a piano before filming.
2. Amanda Seyfried emerged from a huge search for Sophie
The filmmakers auditioned hundreds of young actresses for Sophie, with names including Carey Mulligan and Rachel McAdams entering the conversation. Seyfried came in with a guitar and performed “I Have a Dream,” and director Phyllida Lloyd was struck by both her voice and the natural quality she brought to the role. Seyfried was only 21 when she landed the part.
3. One song helped settle Christine Baranski’s casting
Christine Baranski was already high on the wish list for Tanya, but the studio still wanted the filmmakers to consider other possibilities. Then Baranski auditioned with “Does Your Mother Know.” Music director Martin Lowe recalled exchanging a look with Lloyd during the performance and realizing they had found the right person for the role.
4. Julie Walters asked to audition after getting the offer
Julie Walters had already been offered Rosie without an audition, but she still wanted the music team to hear her sing before she accepted. She came in the next morning and worked through the harmony for “Dancing Queen” with Lowe, who said it took only a few minutes to realize she could handle the musical side of the role.
5. Pierce Brosnan accepted before knowing which father he was
Pierce Brosnan was sold quickly on the combination of ABBA, Meryl Streep, and filming in Greece. He later admitted that he agreed to join before even knowing which of Sophie’s three possible fathers he would play. After taking his daughter to see the stage show, he realized he had never asked and had to watch Sam, Bill, and Harry appear while wondering which one was his.
6. Colin Firth checked his voice at the piano
The filmmakers already liked Colin Firth for Harry, but Firth himself was unsure about taking on a musical. During a meeting with the team, he mentioned that he had sung in a punk band when he was younger, so Lowe brought him to a piano and had him try “Our Last Summer.” The informal test was enough to show that he could carry the material.
7. Benny Andersson tested Stellan Skarsgård over the phone
Stellan Skarsgård’s singing check was even less formal. Lloyd wanted him for Bill but was unsure about his voice, so ABBA’s Benny Andersson simply called him and had him sing part of “Take a Chance on Me” over the phone. Lloyd remembered sitting beside Andersson during the call, and the quick test was apparently enough to settle the casting.
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