Amanda Seyfried, Shirley MacLaine Pivot Careers On ‘The Last Word’
Amanda Seyfried movies that have been “hits” include the comedy Ted 2 and A Million Ways To Die In The West, and she’s had the opportunity to work with some big names in those films.
The latest release in Amanda Seyfried’s series of movies is The Last Word, and it features another big name, iconic screen legend Shirley MacLaine. This will be MacLaine’s first movie since A Heavenly Christmas which was made for TV. In total, the screen actress, now 82 years old, has 75 films under her belt which includes three more scheduled into 2019.
Despite her age, Shirley MacLaine still has enough energy to not only continue starring in films but to also attend premieres and even the 89th annual Academy Awards event, where she shared the stage with Charlize Theron.
During the premiere, it was reported that she accompanied her The Last Word co-stars Amanda Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski, who also happens to be Seyfried’s fiance. Sadoski is an actor for the stage and screen who is known for roles in the television series Life In Pieces and both John Wick movies.
Shirley doesn’t seem to be taking small roles at her age, which is often the norm for major stars in their “golden years,” as she has top billing in The Last Word.
Hollywood.com is one of the sites that reported on the premiere, showing images of a pregnant Amanda Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski with Shirley MacLaine embracing her co-star with her hand on her belly.
The Last Word is a film directed by Mark Pellington of Arlington Road and The Mothman Prophecies fame – current project is TV’s popular Blindspot – which tells the story of a businesswoman (MacLaine) who is so controlling that she’s run the closest people around her off. She hires a journalist (Seyfried) to write her obituary, which she wants to see before she dies, and in the process, their relationship blossoms.
Many of her past roles have played on the idea of her being somewhat of a controlling figure. She played a similar character in the much-lauded film Bernie opposite Jack Black.
A little insight into Shirley MacLaine’s aggressive past was revealed Wednesday night on The Late Late Show with James Corden where they spoke about Southern “hospitality” and she also talked about when she was cast for an Alfred Hitchcock movie at 19 years old. Thomas Sadoski also happened to stop by the program the same week.
As for Amanda Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski, according to People, Amanda had to respond to the death of another former co-star Bill Paxton who died from complications due to surgery over the weekend.
“He was an amazing and supportive father-figure to me in my early career. Incredibly inspired and full of life at every turn, he made you feel like everything was possible. This is a terrible loss.”
Seyfried played opposite Paxton in the TV series Big Love which ran from 2005 to 2011.
As seen in the Corden interview, it might be assumed that people would have to walk on eggshells around Shirley MacLaine, but on the red carpet, it seems quite clear that MacLaine gets along very well with her co-stars, even blessing Amanda Seyfried and her child in front of the cameras.
The reviews have been mixed on the film, many giving Shirley MacLaine credit for holding The Last Word together while slamming the script at the same time. Certainly, most of the critical reviews of the movie are subjective. Nonetheless, with the reaction and engagement between actors Amanda Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski around the death of Bill Paxton and the welcoming of a new baby into the world, this is certainly a pivotal moment for the careers of all of those involved.
Here are MacLaine and Seyfried hamming it up for the camera.
[Featured Image by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Images]
