If you ask Amanda Seyfried to describe the current era of her life and career, she’ll tell you she’s in a flow state, embracing opportunities that come her way and making conscious decisions about her life and career. “I’m just letting things happen, trying to respond as acceptingly as I can and also just in enacting the things that I need and making sure that I’ve created boundaries and I’m available for the good stuff,” she said in a recent interview in Toronto. 

Seyfried and Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan sat down with me for an intimate conversation about their new film, Seven Veils, which is in theatres this Friday. The director-actor duo peel back not just the layers of the film but also the profound ways art intertwines with life. They paint a picture of the film’s emotional landscape and the transformative journey it has ignited within them. 

Written and directed by Egoyan, the Toronto-set (and filmed) Seven Veils tells the story of Janine (Seyfried), a theater director tasked with remounting the opera Salomé, a production that forces her to confront her troubled past. In 1996, Egoyan himself directed his first production of Richard Strauss’s Salomé, and when he remounted it in 2023, he decided to film the opera while filming the movie, which is based on that production of the opera.

The role, Seyfried confessed, demanded a vulnerability that pushed her to reach the depths of the character, turning to Egoyan with a grateful nod, acknowledging his guidance through the character’s psyche. She relished the opportunity to be pushed to her limits—those are the projects and roles that she’s looking for in her career. 

For the 39-year-old Oscar-nominated star, acting is not merely a craft but a crucible in which she tempers her understanding of self, laying bare the deeply personal connection she forges with the characters. Seyfried believes that with every really good script and a fleshed-out character, she is always able to reflect on her own life. Even through the nuanced portrayal of Janine, she embarked on a profound journey of self-discovery. “I learned everything,” she explained, her voice filled with awe.

“I learned so much from playing a character like Janine, more so than any other character that I play.” 

“Her life just doesn’t stop. As you get older, it just keeps unfolding and bad shit keeps happening. The longer you’re alive and you amass traumas, whoever you are, wherever you are, that’s what unites us as human beings. We’re not immune to it and I think there’s a very specific story being told in Seven Veils, but of course, I can relate to having been a child and not understanding why certain things were happening to me and have taken that on as a responsibility in some way at too young an age.

She continued, “We take responsibility for things when we’re way too young and we try to survive in ways that aren’t helpful because we’re kids and and also this woman is trying to be a good mom and sort out her life back at home and she has some kind of peace with that. She’s come to some kind of understanding of what her life looks like and, therefore, I think finds safety and the timing of being able to jump into this trying almost not to trigger herself to find some kind of peace through her art. Obviously, it doesn’t go swimmingly, but it’s as complicated as any real life is. Atom’s not afraid to go into the darkness and tackle these things and sometimes very wacky ways like taking Salomé and using that to recontextualize this character’s life and what Salomé symbolizes for so many people since the Bible.”

It’s an acting showcase for the actress, who displays vulnerability and complexity from the first act. She proves she can be vulnerable, fierce, comedic and dramatic, often within a few beats. Egoyan knows the range and delivery that he can expect and bring out from Seyfried. After all, the two worked together 15 years ago in his 2015 film Chloe, which was also filmed in Toronto. There seems to be a shorthand in the way they explore theater and film, possessing a deep passion on both fronts. 

The Oscar-nominated filmmaker is a master at weaving complicated narratives that linger long after the credits roll. “It’s hard to make these things,” he sighed, acknowledging the arduous path of filmmaking. Yet, his voice carries a quiet conviction as he speaks of the profound sense of fulfillment that comes from the creative struggle. “It was improbable that it was going to get made because there were so many pressures on it having to do it while the opera was on, but when it happens, you’re just thankful that you have contact with amazing other artists that can enhance and fulfill your fantasy of what is possible.”

Their collaborative spirit feels like a dance between artist and muse, director and actor, which infuses their discussion of Seven Veils. They seem to have a shared belief in the power of art to illuminate the human experience, foster empathy, and inspire personal growth.

Egoyan posed the question, can art bring you to a personal catharsis? It’s something he saw with Janine on-screen and something he contemplates in life, especially with how films are made. 

“I just know that it’s becoming challenging to make this type of work because filmmaking is expensive. This was just a total peak experience because the two worlds came together. So I’m still trying to absorb what that means in terms of where I am, but it’s a good place to be,” he said.

Seyfried, who made her acting debut in 2004 with the Toronto-shot Mean Girls, has enjoyed a two-decade career as an actress, a journey that has not only deepened her understanding of the human experience but has also fueled her personal growth and artistic direction. Reflecting on her diverse roles, she observed, “There’s just so much empathy, like I just feel like I know so many people from being able to play so many different people in so many different circumstances.” 

“The more people I play, the more people I get to know and the more friends I have inside of me,”

This realization has ignited a newfound clarity and purpose. “It makes you more empowered to go forward and just keep creating,” she said. “Like, I’m full steam ahead. I have more of a clear-cut direction that I wanna go as an artist than I ever have.” This sense of empowerment stems not only from her artistic explorations but also from a deeper understanding of herself and her own needs. “It’s good for my soul,” she said with a sense of gratitude. “It’s good for my ability to relate to people, and it’s also just empowering to know that I can make good decisions, and I know what I need.”

Seven Veils neatly, and sometimes chaotically, uses art to confront demons and heal old wounds and is steeped in symbolism. As Seyfried puts it, “We’re all human beings, and we’re all trying to tell each other stories.”

Seven Veils is in theatres Today.