Amanda Seyfried jumps into ‘Octet’ cast after brief pitch from Lin-Manuel Miranda
The actress says she agreed immediately after learning Lin-Manuel Miranda was directing
Amanda Seyfried said she signed on to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s upcoming musical film Octet without fully understanding what it was about, admitting she agreed immediately simply for the chance to work with him.
Speaking at the 2026 Tiffany & Co. Blue Book Gala on April 16, Seyfried told People she initially knew very little about the project, beyond Miranda’s involvement and its musical nature.
“I didn’t even know what it was exactly,” Seyfried said. “I just knew that Lin-Manuel Miranda was making a new project and he was directing a new movie, and it was a musical… I was like, ‘I don’t care what it is. I’m in.’”
She recalled later meeting Miranda to hear the full concept, adding that he patiently broke down the project after her immediate commitment.
Octet is a musical film centered on digital-age dependency, told through a cappella performances.
The story follows eight internet-obsessed individuals who meet in a church basement and lock their phones away, exploring themes of connection, isolation, and redemption.
Seyfried plays Jessica, a character who, according to the original stage version, is the first to open up in a support group about being “canceled” online.
“It’s a cappella, and I’m a born singer,” Seyfried said. “It’s what I love to do… some of the best moments of my life have just happened this week.”
The film features a large ensemble cast including Rachel Zegler, Jonathan Groff, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Phillipa Soo, Gaten Matarazzo, and others.
Creator Dave Malloy, who wrote the original musical, said Miranda’s adaptation brings new life to the project, praising both the cast and the continued relevance of its themes.
Miranda, who is directing and adapting the film, said he was drawn back to the work after seeing its original stage production, calling its score “brilliant” and “more relevant with each passing year.”
Seyfried, no stranger to musicals, previously starred in Mamma Mia! and its sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, and said she has quickly bonded with the Octet cast during rehearsals.
“It’s just like we’re all in the same place, breathing the same air and loving the same music,” she said.
The film does not yet have an official release date.