Sequels are challenging when there are changes in the original cast, but what Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again accomplishes is something indescribable. It's not only an excellent sequel, but depending on which lens viewers watch from, it could even be deemed better than the original. Still, in a different turn of events, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again dives into the past, bringing to our screens other actors to reprise the roles of characters we already love and adore. It's also a tough pill to swallow that the vivacious, brilliantly memorable spirit that is Donna Sheridan has now canonically passed away. While the film never addresses how, leaving it up to the imagination, it beautifully honors her legacy through an arc that makes plenty of sense.

Meryl Streep's shoes are tremendous to fill — to deem her anything less than an icon would be a crime, and ultimately, casting directors needed to find someone who'd perfectly complement the actor's heart, resilience, and everything she brought to our screens in the original film. And Lily James is one of the most competent actresses of our time, showcasing time and again that her means of studying mannerisms is a gift that keeps on giving. While Hulu's Pam & Tommy wasn't a great show for a myriad of reasons, James' performances throughout were uncannily incredible. The narrative in Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again is engaging, yes, but in more ways than one, James' performances make Donna Sheridan an even better, stronger character, showcasing that the casting decision was an excellent accomplishment.

She Brings Layers and Growth

Still of Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again
Universal Pictures

In the original film, much of what we know about Donna's past is understandably through her daughter Sophie (played by Amanda Seyfried) and ABBA's music. And while she tells the audience various parts of the story through conversations with the Dynamos (Christine Baranski's Tanya Chesham-Leigh and Julie Walters' Rosie Mulligan), the sequel shows us all the missing pieces through James' performances. From her first performance in "When I Kissed the Teacher" to her last in the group number with "Super Trouper," James exhibits considerable growth. Through each musical number, we understand more of Donna's heart and why she makes the decisions she does before Sophie is born.

There is a fire and warmth in James' performances throughout the arc that allows viewers to understand that Donna's ambitions come from her desire to help others. In her means of taking care of a horse at an abandoned house in the middle of a storm, Donna shows her heart as clear as day, while James simultaneously shows us a bit of fear coupled with resilience. Donna Sheridan is open and determined, but deep down, she's human, and James delivers to us the underlying concerns that she still acts upon. We merely need to look at performances like "Andante, Andante," "The Name of the Game," and "My Love, My Life" to see the vast array of emotions consistently brewing inside of her.

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The Range in Her Singing Voice

Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again!
Universal Pictures

James is a powerhouse of a performer throughout the film largely because of the range in her voice, which allows her to evoke every single emotion without restraint. The youthful edges in James' voice and the character's drive make each number a worthwhile performance. But the difference in her tenor and the emotions interwoven into the performances between "Andante, Andante" and "Mamma Mia" are what make her stand out perhaps even more than Streep in this regard.

There's heart in each of her performances, yes, but the actress' ability to weave something youthful and full of frustration throughout the film is no small feat. Additionally, as the music continues to play a role in adding depth to the story, the songs featured in the sequel, as opposed to the original, do more to showcase character development in a subtly overt fashion.

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Her Embodiment Grounds the Story

Lily James as Donna Sheridan
Universal Pictures

Mamma Mia is the kind of story that sounds great on paper, but something about it in the first film feels too fabricated. And while there's absolutely nothing wrong with that fact because it's what got many of us campaigning for a sequel in the first place, James' embodiment of Donna Sheridan makes the character feel more grounded. When she first tells her friends about why she wants to move to this tiny island in Greece, it's easy to not only feel her longing but to understand the crusade to cater to this specific desire. It's more than an escape for her; it's a means to find herself in the only way she knows how. There's a reason she feels she has to do this, and James thoroughly shows us that it's something that matters significantly because she does it despite the uncertainties that consistently arise.

Further, while having trysts with three men isn't farcical, understanding why she's unsure who Sophie's birth father is makes far more sense when we see her connections with Sam, Bill, and Harry. We can also understand why each man is not only willing to be a father figure to Sophie but how they connect to each other because of the impact Donna leaves on them.

If James didn't understand Donna's character as well as Streep did, the narrative wouldn't be as powerful. The juxtapositions of past and present wouldn't intermingle as powerfully as an ABBA tune does, nor would they make the character's loss feel as colossal. While the sequel shows us much of Donna's steps in chronological order, it relies heavily on James to exhibit how she grows into the woman we know and love, grounding her heart in the clouds while making her arc far more relatable to anyone who's ever felt afraid, determined, heartbroken, or thoroughly happy. Further, seeing a younger version of Donna and having her arc mirror Sophie's as closely also allows us to connect with every character more closely, making each of their adoration and steadfast loyalty to her feel profoundly heartwarming.