Amanda Seyfried reveals unexpected involvement in Elizabeth Holmes documentary

The actress says taking creative risks has become an important part of her career

Amanda Seyfried has opened up about taking on an unusual acting assignment that brought her back to one of the most recognisable roles of her career.

The actress secretly participated in You Can See Everything, a documentary about disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim. Now that her involvement has been revealed, Seyfried says she feels both relieved and excited.

Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at the New York premiere of Netflix’s Steps on November 8, the actress discussed her decision to reprise her portrayal of Holmes for the documentary.

Seyfried previously played the former technology executive in Hulu’s The Dropout, earning an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance.

Her latest appearance involved recreating conversations and encounters that Fielder and his team had been unable to capture during their documentary filming. The project follows Holmes in the weeks leading up to her imprisonment for fraud.

Seyfried explained that accepting unfamiliar assignments was important to her development as an actor and artist.

She said she wanted to pursue projects that challenged her and pushed her outside her comfort zone. She also described the satisfaction of taking a creative risk and discovering that the finished work could have a positive impact.

The documentary features an unusual combination of real footage and staged reenactments. One particularly revealing moment involves Holmes watching Seyfried portray her in The Dropout.

After Holmes entered prison, the filmmakers invited Seyfried to view much of the footage they had collected, eventually bringing her into the project.

The actress’s involvement had been kept out of the promotional material and trailers released before the documentary’s theatrical debut on October 16.

Meanwhile, Seyfried continues to explore different projects. She also voices Cinderella in Netflix’s upcoming film Steps, scheduled to arrive on November 20.

Her return to Holmes’ story demonstrates her continued interest in complex characters and unconventional storytelling.