Amanda Seyfried’s Advice for Her Younger Self, Her ‘Pinch-Me’ Oscar Nom, and Why She Believes in Vaccines

Actress Amanda Seyfried is on cloud nine that she is being honored with the Montecito Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

“Extra’s” Cheslie Kryst spoke with Amanda about the honor, getting vaccinated, and the upcoming Academy Awards.

Of her Montecito Award, Amanda said, “It’s a big deal and, I  don’t know… I think it’s going to hit me when I’m virtually there.”

Some of the big names who have received the award include Oprah Winfrey, Kate Winslet and Lupita Nyong’o. Amanda quipped, “I wish I could tell my younger self, the one that was fired from her first soap opera for being too scared, ‘It’s okay, because if you love what you do and you have the skill and the passion, you can continue to do it throughout your life and maybe get some recognition alongside Oprah.’”

She went on to say the award is “very much unexpected… for someone who’s just trying to find work that feels worth the time away from my kids.”

In September, Amanda gave birth to son Thomas. She recently shared a picture of his older sister, Nina, sitting on Grandma’s lap with the caption, “Reason to vax #325.”

Amanda pointed out, “I’m on the vaccination train… I’m someone who believes in science and the hard work that scientists put in to create vaccines… The main goal is to save lives and… the movement to get these vaccines in people has been extraordinary… the effort has been extraordinary, and the fact that we can do this.”

Seyfried also scored her first Oscar nom this year for her performance in “Mank,” in which she plays Marion Davies, the ‘20s and ’30s screen star better known today as the mistress of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. She commented, “The Oscars are huge!”