Amanda Seyfried manufacturers socialism a ‘attractive concept’ days after refusing to apologize over her Charlie Kirk feedback

Amanda Seyfried praised socialism as a ‘gorgeous idea,’ arguing it was rooted in collective care and responsibility during a recent podcast appearance – reigniting scrutiny of the actress’s outspoken political views.

The Mamma Mia! actress, 40, shared her thoughts while appearing on Variety’s Award Circuit podcast as she promoted The Testament of Ann Lee, a musical centered on the founder of the Shakers, an 18th-century religious movement built around communal living.

As she and host Michael Schneider discussed the current state of the United States, Seyfried suggested the values behind the Shaker movement reflected what she believes modern society is missing.

‘We’re kicking our own out, and then, I keep thinking, “thank God we’re talking about Ann Lee so much,” because there’s a direct relationship to what she created and what we’re lacking,’ Seyfried said.

She continued: ‘How about we all don’t have any kind of agendas? How about our agenda is take care of each other? Socialism is a gorgeous idea, and I know it doesn’t work perfectly.’

Schneider noted that the term socialism often carries different meanings depending on who is using it, prompting Seyfried to explain how she personally understands the concept.

‘For me, it’s taking care of each other. If I have more money, I can spend more money on other people. Isn’t that right?’ she said.

The discussion later turned to moments of national solidarity, with Schneider pointing to the period following the September 11 attacks as an example of Americans acting selflessly toward one another.

‘Everybody dropped everything for each other. People sacrificed their lives without a thought in the world,’ Seyfried said.

She added that such unity should not require catastrophe to emerge.

‘We shouldn’t have to have a meteor or a house-on-fire situation in order to drop everything for each other. That’s just what we are as human beings,’ she said.

Seyfried’s remarks came days after she rejected calls to apologize for comments she made about Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk following his assassination in September.

In an interview with Who What Wear published December 10, the actress addressed backlash over an Instagram post in which she described Kirk as ‘hateful,’ insisting she stood by her words.

‘I’m not f—ing apologizing for that,’ Seyfried said. ‘I mean, for f—’s sake, I commented on one thing. I said something that was based on actual reality and actual footage and actual quotes. What I said was pretty damn factual, and I’m free to have an opinion, of course,’ she added.

Seyfried said speaking out publicly was a way of reclaiming control over how her views were portrayed.

‘Thank God for Instagram. I was able to give some clarity, and it was about getting my voice back, because I felt like it had been stolen and recontextualized, which is what people do, of course,’ she said.

She added that navigating political conversations requires restraint, saying she has to remember to ‘keep [her] head on’ when engaging with divisive issues.

Seyfried, who is known for her roles in Mean Girls and Jennifer’s Body, currently stars in the newly released film The Housemaid, where she co-stars alongside Sydney Sweeney, an actress who has become a political lightning rod in recent months.

Sweeney, 28, sparked a social media firestorm this summer over an American Eagle jeans advertisement that played on the phrase ‘good genes,’ with critics accusing the campaign of echoing ‘Nazi propaganda’ by featuring a blonde, blue-eyed star.

In the wake of the backlash, reports emerged that Sweeney was a registered Republican, prompting condemnation from some left-leaning fans. 

President Donald Trump later weighed in on the controversy, joking: ‘Now I love her ad.’