When a romantic comedy collided with the popular Swedish band, ABBA, an instant hit musical was born. Mamma Mia! contains an all-star ensemble cast, a unique twist to the rom-com genre, and a killer soundtrack that fans cannot stop singing. This movie focuses on women taking control of their own lives and building each other up rather than tearing one another down. The love shared between Sophie (played by Amanda Seyfried) and her mother (the incomparable Meryl Streep) is very intimate and relatable, and the silly and crazy antics between the pair's girlfriends will have anyone laughing until they cry.
Since the days on the beautiful Greek islands, the actors and actresses have found themselves in a variety of positions. Several Mamma Mia! cast members have landed themselves in a dozen or so leading roles in film and television. Almost all of them have continued their careers in the theater. Different charities and activist campaigns have thrived due to the help and support of a couple of the individuals. In 2018, just 10 years after the initial film was released, most of the original cast reconnected for the sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. While fans anxiously waiting for news of a third film, see where the main cast is today!
Amanda Seyfried
Since her days as the love-struck Sophie, Amanda Seyfried has become one the most famous women in the entertainment industry. She has starred in several films such as Letters to Juliet, Red Riding Hood, In Time, and Les Misérables. Seyfried has won numerous awards for her role in the miniseries, The Dropout, as well as her role in the biopic, Mank.
At the moment, Seyfried's latest work, The Crowded Room, has yet to set a release date. The series will shed light on individuals who have struggled with mental illness. Seyfried has publicly spoken about her own mental health, and given the dangers that anxiety and depression can have on someone constantly in the spotlight, there is no doubt she is helping her two children understand the benefits of taking care of their own mental health.
Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep was a household name long before her days in Mamma Mia! However, the film, along with a few others like The Devil Wears Prada, Little Women, and Into the Woods, brought a younger generation into her fandom. Like her role in Mamma Mia!, Streep is a proud activist for gender equality. Over the last 20 years, she has written letters to congress, she has spoken up during several interviews about how women deserve more for their work, and she funded a screenwriters' lab for women over the age of 40. As for Streep's latest projects, she was recently cast in Season 3 of Only Murders in the Building, so fans are excited to see what will come with her character.
Julie Walters
If every woman had a best friend like Julie Walters' character, Rosie, there would not be a dry eye in the house due to laughing so hard. After her time in Greece, Walters concluded the Harry Potter franchise as Molly Weasley in both parts of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. She appeared in over a dozen different films and series, such as Paddington, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, and Mary Poppins Returns. She has lent her voice to works such as Gnomeo and Juliet, Brave, and several documentary series.
In 2020, Walters announced her struggle with cancer, and she said she would respectfully step away from acting for some time. However, if rumors prove to be true about a third Mamma Mia!, Walters may decide to step back into the spotlight.
Christine Baranski
Christine Baranski's original role in the Mamma Mia! movies was that of the wild friend who knew how to get what she wanted. Since then, Baranski has continued that trait. She has appeared in over a dozen different television series, but many will recognize her as the pretentious Dr. Beverly Hofstadter, Leonard's mother, in the award-winning series The Big Bang Theory.
In 2017, Baranski played Mila Kunis' mother in A Bad Moms Christmas, and she stayed within the holiday spirit while she starred alongside Dolly Parton in Christmas on the Square. In an interview with CBS News, Baranski reflected on loving that she is still busy at the age of 70, and she hopes The Gilded Age is brought back for a third season.
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan is most recognized for his role as James Bond, but his striking good looks and charm make him a perfect candidate for Sophie's father. After Mamma Mia!, Brosnan appeared in nearly 30 different films, including Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightening Thief, The November Man, and the live action musical Cinderella.
As of right now, he is in the filming process of two movies: Fast Charlie and Four Letters of Love. If Brosnan does decide to give up acting, he can always fall back on his artistic abilities. In 2021, he launched his first NFT digital artwork collection, and according to an Instagram post, his first exhibition is set to happen in May 2023.
Colin Firth
Colin Firth is a decorated actor with just shy of a dozen of awards for his roles in film. Some of his well-known works include The King's Speech, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Mary Poppins Returns, and Supernova. He was nominated for two awards for his latest role in the HBO miniseries, The Staircase. Aside from his acting career, Firth has produced three movies (two of which were under his own production company, Raindog Films), he recorded an audiobook, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2011, and he has remained very much involved in politics. At this time, it seems like this charming Brit is not slowing down in any endeavors.
Stellan Skarsgård
Before becoming a potential father to Sophie in Mamma Mia!, Stellan Skarsgård had 35 years of acting experience under his belt. He is best known for his role as Erik Selvig in the Thor movies as well as The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. His latest film, Dune: Part Two, is set to release in November 2023. Skarsgård seems to do very well in the science fiction genre as he is currently playing a major role in Disney's television series Star Wars: Andor. Skarsgård's eight children have all joined the film industry to some degree, even his youngest who is only 13, so his retirement in the business does not seem to be soon.
Dominic Cooper
Dominic Cooper has risen in the entertainment industry since his grand marriage proposal in Mamma Mia! He is best known for his role as Jesse Custer in the television series Preacher. Sticking with films and series based on comics, Cooper also portrays Howard Stark in Captain America: The First Avenger, Agent Carter the movie as well as the series, and he voices Stark in the first episode of the Marvel series, What If...? As of right now, Cooper's latest work is a British miniseries, The Gold, and his love life with Gemma Chan seems to be on the rise as the pair was photographed while heading to Netflix's BAFTA Awards afterparty.
Rachel McDowall
Rachel McDowall got her first taste of acting on film as one of Sophie's best friends in Mamma Mia! After her time as the bubbly young woman, McDowall has played a few minor roles in films including Quantum of Solace, Street Dance 3D, The Stranger, and The Shuroo Process. Her last screen role was that of Carissa in a single episode of Zoe Ever After.
Though McDowall did not find her big break in the film industry, she did find love with a reality star from the seventh season of The Bachelorette. Constantine Tzortzis and McDowall welcomed their first child into the world in 2014, and motherhood seems to agree with McDowall.
Ashley Lilley
Like McDowall, Ashley Lilley made her film debut in Mamma Mia! She took on a couple small roles in television series such as M. I. High and Lip Service, and she appeared in a short film, Cat Eats Dog. Two years after playing Sophie's bridesmaid, Lilley rejoined Amanda Seyfried in the film Letters to Juliet. Instead of finding her hold in the film industry, Lilley starred in a new stage production of Nicked in 2011. Since her time on stage and in front of the camera, Lilley has taken some time away from the industry. She now teaches Drama at the American School of Doha.