Amanda Seyfried Drums Up Oscar Buzz and a Cult Following in New ‘The Testament of Ann Lee’ Image [Exclusive]

The countdown to Christmas is well and truly on. In just over a month, millions of us will be indulging in some good food and sharing time with our family and friends. However, perhaps the smartest among us will be down at our local theater, checking out an exciting new box office arrival that debuts on December 25. The Testament of Ann Lee, the latest film from director Mona Fastvold, who co-writes with The Brutalist‘s Brady Corbet, is already generating some Oscars buzz since its debut at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, with many citing Amanda Seyfried‘s central performance as one to watch. Ahead of the movie’s Christmas release, as part of Collider’s Exclusive Preview event, we are thrilled to exclusively debut a brand-new image from the film, showcasing Seyfried’s titular Ann Lee, arms spread as the leader of the religious sect known as the Shakers.

Seyfried is one of several eye-catching names starring in The Testament of Ann Lee, with the ensemble also including the likes of Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Christopher Abbott, Stacy Martin, and more. A historical musical drama, the movie feels perfect for an actress like Seyfried, who thrives with challenging dramatic scripts and vocally demanding musical numbers. “Amanda Seyfried stuns in a role she was born to play,” wrote Jeff Ewing in his review for Collider. The synopsis for the movie reads:

“From award-winning writer-director Mona Fastvold (The World to Come, The Brutalist) comes the extraordinary true legend of Ann Lee, founder of the religious sect known as the Shakers. Academy Award nominee Amanda Seyfried stars as the Shaker’s irrepressible leader, who preached gender and social equality and was revered by her followers as the female incarnation of Christ. The Testament of Ann Lee captures the ecstasy and torment of her quest to build a utopia, featuring more than a dozen original Shaker humans reimagined as rapturous movements with choreography by Celia Rowlson-Hall (Vox Lux) and original songs & score by Academy Award winner Daniel Blumberg (The Brutalist).”

Could Seyfried Win Best Actress At the Academy Awards?

There is no doubt that this performance by Seyfried in The Testament of Ann Lee is generating plenty of buzz. With an almost unanimous agreement among critics that Seyfried is the movie’s shining light, some have even gone as far as to suggest she is worthy of an Academy Award nomination. But Seyfried is sure to face some tough competition, with Sydney Sweeney looking likely to take a nomination for her lead role in the David Michôd-helmed and co-penned sports biopic, Christy; Cynthia Erivo searching for Oscars Gold after missing out at last year’s ceremony; and Jessie Buckley currently looking the most likely to take home the Best Actress prize for her lead role in Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet.

The Testament of Ann Lee debuts in theaters on December 25. Check out our exclusive image above and watch the trailer below. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider’s Exclusive Winter Preview Event for more.

Release Date

September 1, 2025

Runtime

130 minutes

Director

Mona Fastvold

Writers

Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold

Producers

Viktória Petrányi, Lillian LaSalle, Klaudia Śmieja-Rostworowska, Joshua Horsfield, Andrew Morrison, Mark Lampert