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Amanda Seyfried was caught off guard when she was offered a serious, dramatic role in Long Bright River! The actress, best known for her work in comedies and musicals, never imagined herself playing a tough, no-nonsense cop in a crime thriller.
In a recent interview with Deadline, Seyfried admitted that she had unknowingly boxed herself into a certain type of role. “I think we all have limits as actors, but I realized I was the one putting those limits on myself,” she explained.
Seyfried first rose to fame with hit films like Mean Girls, Mamma Mia!, and Jennifer’s Body—all of which leaned into comedy and lighthearted entertainment. Over the years, she felt the industry had typecast her, and even she started believing she wasn’t suited for serious, authoritative roles.
But something changed when she was approached for Long Bright River. It made her rethink her own capabilities. “I guess I just never saw myself in this kind of role before, but now I feel like I can play anything,” she said with excitement.
Her character, Mickey Fitzpatrick, is a dedicated Philadelphia police officer tasked with solving a brutal triple homicide while also desperately searching for her missing, drug-addicted sister. Seyfried found the story gripping and was drawn to the emotional depth of the role.
Showrunner Nikki Toscano echoed Seyfried’s experience, pointing out that Hollywood has a habit of placing actors into certain categories. “The industry tends to box people in, but we need to find ways to break out of that,” Toscano stated.
The series is based on Liz Moore’s novel of the same name and comes from The Offer showrunner Toscano. Alongside Seyfried, the cast includes Nicholas Pinnock, Ashleigh Cummings, and John Doman.
As soon as Seyfried learned about the project, she wasted no time diving into the source material. “I immediately got the audiobook and finished it in less than two days,” she shared. She was also impressed with how the script managed to bring the book’s most impactful moments to life in a compelling, three-dimensional way.
Fans can now stream Long Bright River on Peacock and Prime Video.