Amanda Seyfried rejected role in $700 million Marvel hit: Here's why

Amanda Seyfried turned down a Marvel blockbuster for a reason she never regretted

Web Desk

Published October 27, 2026

Amanda Seyfried rejected role in $700 million Marvel hit: Here’s why

Amanda Seyfried once had the chance to become part of one of Marvel’s biggest cinematic successes, but the actress saw something in the project that made her question whether it was worth the risk.

The Mamma Mia! star was offered the role of Gamora in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, a character eventually played by Zoe Saldaña.

At the time, however, she was far from convinced that the unconventional superhero adventure would find an audience.

“I think turning down Guardians of the Galaxy was just so obvious to me at the time,” The Housemaid actress recalled during a Q&A discussion with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. “I’m like, ‘This is not going to be a hit.’”

For her, the idea of a superhero team featuring a talking raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and a tree (voiced by Vin Diesel) seemed like a risky bet, particularly with much of the action taking place in space.

“And I was just like, ‘This will ruin my career if this is bad. And there’s a high chance that this could be bad,’” she admitted.

In hindsight, Guardians of the Galaxy proved to be anything but a career disaster for the people involved. The film became a major commercial success and helped establish its unlikely band of heroes as fan favourites within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Seyfried, 40, acknowledged that her prediction was wrong, but she has no regrets about the decision she made.

Released in 2014, the film earned more than $700 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Its success paved the way for two sequels: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in 2017, which grossed more than $863 million, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2023, which earned more than $845 million worldwide.