CEBU, Philippines - One of today's most sought-after young actresses, Amanda Seyfried plays the central character of Valerie in Warner Bros.' new fantasy thriller “Red Riding Hood” whose signature red cloak gives the story its name.
In the film, Valerie is caught between two handsome suitors: Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), her heart’s desire since childhood, and Henry (Max Irons), the man her parents have chosen for her to marry. Questions about the identity of the murderous werewolf on the loose make her choice a matter of not only the heart but of life or death. Further complicating things, she has an encounter with the wolf and is shocked to learn they have a unique and very personal connection.
“The love triangle makes it more interesting because Valerie doesn’t know who to trust,” Seyfried says. “She loves Peter, but she is suddenly noticing little nuances about him that make her start to wonder. Could the love of her life be the werewolf? And she is also developing a closer relationship with Henry and sees what a good man he is, but questions arise about him as well. She has to figure out if what she wants is what she needs.”
Director Catherine Hardwicke (“Twilight”) says that Seyfried immediately came to mind in casting the part of Valerie. “From the first time I saw Amanda, I knew she was something special,” Hardwicke affirms. “She had everything we needed for the character, especially because Valerie is not a classic damsel in distress. Amanda is tough, she’s sexy, she’s funny, she’s vulnerable—she has it all. And the way she looks is straight out of a fairy tale. She has an ethereal quality, with the most amazing eyes that just draw you in.”
In turn, Seyfried says that this new take on an old fairy tale is what drew her in. “I don’t know anyone who didn’t read Red Riding Hood growing up, so it was cool to take a story we all know and have some fun with it. The thriller aspect was exciting to me, and the medieval setting made it feel gothic and added to the romance.”
Valerie is, at once, at the apex of the film’s romantic triangle and also directly connected to the mystery of the werewolf. When it becomes apparent that the beast is someone close to her, Valerie is given reason to question everyone in her life. “As the story unfolds, she is trying to figure out who it could be, based on the signs she’s been given,” Seyfried explains.
“It’s terrifying for her because, at different points, she has cause to suspect everybody.”
Hardwicke adds, “Paranoia starts to creep in as Valerie starts seeing little details she hadn’t noticed before, and now they are taking on new meaning. Her entire life she has seen her family and friends in one light, and suddenly things have shifted, causing shadows of doubt.”
Seyfried is well known for her multi-faceted performance, showcasing both her acting and singing skills, in the international blockbuster “Mamma Mia!.”Seyfried starred with Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan in the musical, which was released in summer 2008 and went on to gross more than $600 million globally.
In 2010, Seyfried starred in three very different films, most recently including Gary Winick’s romantic comedy “Letters to Juliet,” with Vanessa Redgrave and Gael Garcia Bernal. She also starred opposite Channing Tatum in the romantic drama “Dear John,” based on the Nicholas Sparks bestseller and directed by Lasse Hallström; and “Chloe,” an Atom Egoyan-directed thriller in which she co-starred with Julianne Moore and Liam Neeson.
Opening across the Philippines on March 11, “Red Riding Hood” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.