Amanda Seyfried Says an Oscar Isn’t Necessary: “Longevity Is About Choices”

Amanda Seyfried has made it clear that winning an Oscar is not a priority for her, even as awards buzz continues to surround her recent work. In a candid interview with The New Yorker, the actor said she feels fulfilled with her career as it is and doesn’t believe an Academy Award defines success.

“I’ve gotten this far without one,” Seyfried said. “Why would I need one now?”

According to her, the real value of awards season lies in recognition rather than winning. “Do you remember who won in the past ten years?” she asked. “It’s not the win that’s important. It’s the nomination. It does thrust you forward. That’s a fact.”

Seyfried emphasized that while an Oscar would be welcome, it isn’t essential to her sense of achievement. “Would it be great? Of course it would,” she said. “But it isn’t necessary.” Instead, she believes long-term success in Hollywood comes from intentional decision-making. “Longevity in an actor’s career is designed,” she explained. “It’s about deliberate choices to make art among the big commercial things that are fun and pay.”

The actor earned her first Academy Award nomination in 2021 for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Mank. More recently, her role in The Testament of Ann Lee has brought renewed awards attention, including Best Actress nominations at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards, fueling speculation about another Oscar nod.

Even if that nomination doesn’t materialize, Seyfried says she feels secure in her career path. She believes she has already proven her range and reliability. “I’m getting people to trust me to do hard things,” she said, adding that public perception can change quickly, but her values remain steady.

“We all have ebbs and flows in our careers,” Seyfried noted. “How we’re perceived can change from day to day, but I’m consistent in my choices and in my needs.”

She also spoke frankly about box-office highs and lows. While recent success with The Housemaid has put her in a comfortable position, she acknowledged that not every project performs as expected. “Sometimes you’re in Mamma Mia!,” she said. “Sometimes you do something like Ted 2 or A Million Ways to Die in the West, which were supposed to do big box office and underperformed.”

For Seyfried, these ups and downs are simply part of a long game—one focused less on trophies and more on meaningful, lasting work.