Mamma Mia Cast Then and Now

1. Sophie Sheridan - THEN

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Modelling from the age of 11 for clothing companies, Amanda Seyfried, then moved into acting from the age of 15. Her first acting role was on the soap opera 'As the World Turns' (1999–2001). Fast forward to 2008 and Amanda landed her first lead role in Mama Mia playing Sophie Sheridan. The film went on to become the fifth highest-grossing film of 2008!

2. Amanda Seyfried - NOW

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Amanda has gone on to appear it countless other movies and television series including Les Misérables (2012) alongside Hugh Jackman, which grossed $440 million worldwide and Dear John (2010) with Channing Tatum. Seyfried, has also admitted to suffering from anxiety, obsessive–compulsive disorder, and panic attacks, which is why she didn't appear in stage productions until 2015.

3. Donna Sheridan - THEN

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Born on June 22, 1949 in Summit, New Jersey. Streep first appeared on stage in 1975 at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Playwrights Conference. After watching Robert De Niro's in Taxi Driver (1976) she decided to pursue an acting career. In 1978 she portrayed Linda alongside De Nero in The Deer Hunter. Streep's highest grossing film is Mamma Mia where she played Donna Sheridan and earnt $602.6 million.

4. Meryl Streep - NOW

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Meryl Streep's most recent acting role came in 2021, where she appeared in Netflix's Don't Look Up alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence. Commonly described as the best actress of her generation, Streep also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama in 2014. Her net work currently stands at a whopping $160 Million.

5. Sam Carmichael - THEN

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Pierce Brosnan was chosen to play the role of Sam Carmichael in Mamma Mia. Sam is an architect and one of the possible fathers of Sophie Sheridan. Bronson is originally from Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland and after leaving school at 16 worked as a painter before training three years as an actor at the Drama Centre in London. In 1982 Brosnan moved to Southern California.

6. Pierce Brosnan - NOW

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Brosnan is most known for his role as James Bond, it was announced On 7 June 1994, that he would be the fifth actor to play this role. He signed and 3 film deal and his first appearance in GoldenEye (1995), grossed $350 million worldwide. Later this year he will present a Eight-part documentary series, History's Greatest Heists With Pierce Brosnan.

7. Harry Bright - THEN

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Raising to prominence in the 1980s when he was part of the "Brit Pack" a group of young talented British actors. Colin Firth took several leading roles early in his career, including A Month in the Country (1987), Tumbledown (1988), and Valmont (1989) He was cast as Harry Bright in the musical comedy Mamma Mia, this character was also one of Sophie Sheridan's possible fathers.

8. Colin Firth - NOW

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Firth also appeared as the same character in the sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again! (2018) He is most famous for his portrayal of King George VI, in the 2010 film The King's Speech, in which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011. After Brexit was confirmed, Firth applied for dual citizenship in 2017, whilst living in Umbria a region in central Italy.

9. Bill Anderson - THEN

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Originally from Sweden, Stellan Skarsgård started acting at the age of 21, appearing in Swedish television and films, such as Firmafesten (1972) and Bröllopet (1973) His first major role came in 1997 in Good Will Hunting, where he appeared alongside Robin Williams. Skarsgård played Bill Anderson in Mamma Mia, who was the third possible father of Sophie Sheridan.

10. Stellan Skarsgård - NOW

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Appearing in several blockbusters across his career, Stellan Skarsgård has starred in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise (2006-2007), the Thor movies (2011-2022) and The Avengers (2012) After the September 11 attacks in New York, Skarsgård decided to read both the Bible and the Quran, after being raised an atheist, and condemned both as violent.

11. Sky Rymand - THEN

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Brought up in Greenwich, London, Dominic Cooper, trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, graduating in 2000. Making his acting debut in the film From Hell (2001). Cooper then moved to the stage in the same year appearing in Mother Clap's Molly House at the National Theatre. He was cast as Sky Rymand in Mamma Mia and sang several songs.

12. Dominic Cooper - NOW

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Cooper used to share a flat with James Corden in London, before starting a family. He is also the godfather of Corden's first child. Dominic, also used to date Mamma Mia co-star Amanda Seyfried, between 2008-2009. His most recent role came this year on the television show, My Lady Jane, playing the main character Lord Seymour across 8 episodes.

13. Tanya Chesham-Leigh - THEN

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A 15-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee, Christine Baranski is an American actress, born in Buffalo, New York, in 1952. She is of Polish descent, and her grandparents were stage actors in Poland before moving to America. Christine's first appeared in the sex comedy Soup for One in 1982. She was cast as Tanya Chesham-Leigh in Mamma Mia, who is a rich three-time-divorcee and is one of the best friends of Donna Sheridan.

14. Christine Baranski - NOW

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Winning the award for Best Supporting Actress in Mamma Mia, Christine then went on to appear in the legal drama series The Good Wife (2009–2016) and its spin-off series The Good Fight (2017–2022) she was nominated for the Individual Achievement in Drama award in 2019 for this role. Baranski married actor Matthew Cowles in 1983, until his death in 2014. They have two daughters and Baranski is currently living in Connecticut.

15. Rosie Mulligan - THEN

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Walters rose to prominence by playing the title role in Educating Rita a 1983 British Comedy movie. Born in 1950 in Edgbaston, Birmingham, her first serious acting role on television came in 1982 in Boys from the Blackstuff. Julie played Rosie Mulligan, in Mamma Mia who is a successful celebrity chef, and one of Donna Sheridan's best-friends, along with Tanya Chesham-Leigh

16. Julie Walters - NOW

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One of Walters's most known roles was as Molly Weasley, in the Harry Potter film series (2001–2011) Throughout her career, Julie has won eight BAFTAs, six competitive awards plus two honorary awards. She was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2018 and after having surgery and chemotherapy, she entered remission. In March 2023 she had to withdraw from TV drama Truelove, due to ill health.

17. Lisa - THEN

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Rachel McDowall is an English actress who was born on 4 October 1984 in Whiston, Merseyside. At an early age, McDowall fell in love with acting whilst studying at Wade Deacon High School and continued her education at the performing arts college, Laine Theatre Arts. She was then cast as Lisa in Mamma Mia, who was one of Sophie's friends and was a Bridesmaid at her wedding.

18. Rachel McDowall - NOW

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After making her acting debut in Mamma Mia, McDowall only went on to have eight other roles across film and television. She played Anna in the James Bond film, Quantum of Solace (2008) and her last ever appearance was in an episode of Zoe Ever After, as Carissa in 2016. Rachel then moved to stage productions, including the musical Chicago in 2008 and 2012!

19. Ali - THEN

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Making her acting debut in 2008, Ashley Lilley portrayed Ali in Mamma Mia. Ali was also a Bridesmaid at Sophie's wedding. Lilley is from Scotland and was born in Rothesay, Bute. Her talent was quickly identified after attending the National Youth Music Theatre aged 12 and then moved to London, where she graduated at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in 2004.

20. Ashley Lilley - NOW

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Not only an actress. Ashley is also a singer, which helped her land a part in Mamma Mia, however, she mainly focused on stage productions throughout her career. her most notable appearances include Parade, Anything Goes, and Nicked. Lilley had a handful of film appearances on her resume, which include Letters to Juliet (2010) and an 11-minute short film named Cat Eats Dog (2009)

21. Pepper - THEN

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Pepper appears as a bartender on the island of Kalokairi, in Mamma Mia, and is Sky Rymand's best friend, who is chosen to be the best man at Sky's and Sophie's wedding. This role was played by Philip Michael, who is a British actor, who also grew up in Nigeria, Ireland, and the USA. Philip also graduated from the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts

22. Philip Michael - NOW

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As well as being an actor, Philip Michael has also spent time as a tenor and a stuntman. He is also a multi World champion martial artist, in Taekwondo and Shenchido and also held a belt in kickboxing. Michael also held a recurring role as Joshua Udenze in the Irish soap series Fair City for 10 years (2005-2015) appearing in 422 episodes.

23. Eddie - THEN

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Chris Jarvis was selected to play the role of Eddie in Mamma Mia, Eddie is Pepper's best friend and is included in Sky's friendship group, Eddie was also chosen to be a groomsman at the big wedding. Jarvis was born in 1980 in Poole, Dorset, England. Before landing this part of PC Dan Casper in the hit British television series The Bill, between 2005-2007.

24. Chris Jarvis - NOW

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Another talent that, Chris Jarvis has developed over the years is dancing. He learnt these skills at the Stage Door School of Dancing located in Bournemouth and the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts. He has appeared, as Harry in Chicago and Gus in Saturday Night Fever on stage. On film, he has starred in The Phantom of the Opera (2004) and Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort (2014)

25. Father Alex - THEN

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An Irish actor, born on 3 October 1948 in Dublin. Niall Buggy, formed an early love for the theatre, as his parents visited their local production every Friday night. This led to him sneaking away from home aged 11, to go for an audition. Aged 16, he joined the Abbey Theatre School in Dublin. Buggy played Father Alex in Mamma Mia, who is the minister at Sophie’s wedding.

26. Niall Buggy - NOW

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Throughout his career, Neil Buggy has worked across, Ireland, the UK, and the USA. In 1995, he won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for Dead Funny, an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre. His most recent roles have come in 2021, appearing in the television series COBRA, and the film, As Luck Would Have It.

27. Petros - THEN

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Moving to Spain, after being born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Juan Pablo Di Pace, has also lived in London and speaks English, Spanish, and Italian, after studying at the United World College of the Adriatic. Di Pace, appeared on stage in the UK production of Chicago and as Danny Zuko in the Italian version of Grease. On Mamma Mia he gained recognition for his role as Petros.

28. Juan Pablo Di Pace - NOW

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Making his on-screen debut in the erotic, survival thriller, Survival Island (2009) Juan Pablo Di Pace, has appeared in numerous British Television series including, The Catherine Tate Show, Aftersun, and New Tricks. It was announced in 2018 that he was joining season 27 of Dancing with the Stars and reached the semi-finals. Di Pace came out as gay in July 2019.

29. Stavros - THEN

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Ricardo Montez's most notable role was as a Spanish bartender in the comedy series Mind Your Language across four seasons and 42 episodes between 1977 and 1986. Ricardo was an English actor who was born in Gibraltar but escaped to England during World War II. His acting career began in 1962 in the film The Girl Hunters. His final acting role was as Stavros in Mamma Mia.

30. Ricardo Montez - NOW

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On several occasions, throughout his career, Ricardo portrayed Spanish characters on television shows such as The Saint, The Avengers, Doctor at Sea, and Don't Drink the Water. Montez mainly lived in London but visited Gibraltar twice a year. Unfortunately, Ricardo passed away on 26 October 2010, aged 86 from cancer at his daughter's house in Spain.