12 surprising things y'all probably didn't know almost the 'Mamma Mia' movies

mamma mia 2

"Mamma Mia" is a love franchise.
Universal Pictures
  • "Mamma Mia" and its sequel "Mamma Mia! Here Nosotros Go Again" are popular films featuring ABBA's music.
  • Judy Craymer pitched the moving-picture show thought to ABBA star Björn Ulvaeus when she was giving him a ride habitation.
  • Lily James had to get on vocal residuum for a week before filming "Mamma Mia! Hither We Get Again."
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The whole franchise started with a serendipitous car ride, and it was a stage musical first.

Björn Ulvaeus, Judy Craymer, and Benny Andersson became friends later on the car ride.
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images

Producer Judy Craymer was 25 years erstwhile when she was asked to pick upward ABBA popular star Björn Ulvaeus from the airport.

According to Vanity Fair, the friendship between Craymer, Ulvaeus, and another ABBA member, Benny Andersson, began during that car ride. Afterward, Craymer pitched them the idea for an ABBA stage musical, which eventually became "Mamma Mia."

The musical premiered in London's West Terminate in 1999 and went on to open on Broadway in 2001. The show saw early success earlier it was adapted into the moving picture we know and love today.

Phyllida Lloyd directed both the stage musical and the first movie.

Phyllida Lloyd directed "Mamma Mia."
Yuriko Nakao/Reuters

Phyllida Lloyd directed the "Mamma Mia" stage musical, and since the show was such a success, they hired her to directly the beginning picture likewise.

The joy during the "Super Trouper" number at the end of the 2d film was 100% accurate.

The cast said they had a cracking time filming "Super Trouper."
Universal Pictures

Screenwriter and managing director for "Mamma Mia! Hither Nosotros Go Again" Ol Parker told Awards Daily in 2018 that the "Super Trouper" scene looks really fun because it was.

"When they're dancing in 'Super Trouper,' that'south all real. Nosotros played the vocal loudly and sent them off to different corners … They just had an absolute hoot," Parker said.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were executive producers for both films.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were involved in the franchise.
Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, were executive producers of both "Mamma Mia" and "Mamma Mia! Here Nosotros Go Again."

Meryl Streep really did the splits in the beginning film.

Meryl Streep didn't think before doing the splits.
Universal Pictures

Meryl Streep said that it was "instinct" that allowed her to do splits in the outset film, although she's not sure she could replicate it now.

"I just did the splits on instinct. That'due south what always happens with my acting. As an player, you're not allowed to remember," Streep told The Guardian in 2008. "I couldn't do the splits for you right now."

Cher turned downward a function in the start film.

Casting directors wanted Cher to play Tanya.
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Ruby Sheridan wasn't the first "Mamma Mia" office that Cher was considered for.

Craymer told Vanity Fair in 2018 that Lloyd originally wanted Cher to play Tanya, but she passed on the role.

"I remember she felt that the Tanya grapheme was probably besides shut to her," Craymer said

Tony-winner Christine Baranski was eventually cast as Tanya.

Cher was handpicked for the function of Sophie'south grandmother, and the head of Universal Pictures wouldn't take no for an answer.

Cher played Donna'south mother and Sophie'due south grandmother in the film.
Universal Pictures

Cher told Heaven News in 2018 that she didn't have much of a choice when it came to playing Ruby Sheridan in the sequel.

The caput of Universal Pictures also used to exist her agent, so when he called her to tell her most the role, he hung upwardly before she could say no.

Pierce Brosnan'due south family (and housekeeper) weren't also keen on his singing voice at first.

Pierce Brosnan'due south family wasn't excited to hear him sing.
Universal Pictures

In a 2008 interview with Good Housekeeping, Pierce Brosnan said when he first tried out singing for his family unit, "even the housekeeper cringed."

"They kept their opinions to themselves for a while, though. They didn't want me to be discouraged," he told the publication.

But after practicing all the time, Brosnan said he got improve.

"Now my family seems to recall I'm doing all right. Merely it'due south possible they're being prissy. They're probably still cringing," he said.

To prepare for filming the "Mamma Mia" sequel, Lily James didn't talk for a week.

Lily James had to give her voice a break.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

In a 2018 interview with Build Series, Lily James said she had to save her vox to prep for the role of young Donna since she had only come off a press tour for the picture "Baby Driver."

"All I'd done is talk for and then long and my voice was shot to hell information technology was just croaky and disgusting," she said. "And so, information technology was me beingness really neurotic, every bit usual, just it was also me beingness told by the dr. I had to close upwards … I just didn't talk for a calendar week."

James watched the beginning film "hundreds of times" to prepare for the function of Donna.

Lily James in "Mamma Mia! Hither We Go Again."
Universal Pictures

In "Mamma Mia! Hither Nosotros Go Again," James had the difficult task of playing young Donna — the young-developed version of Streep'south function from the first motion-picture show.

She told Allure in 2018 that she watched the first film over and once again to prepare for the office. By the time they started filming the sequel, James knew every line from the original.

"Every moment of that film I know by heart," she said. "I think I could mimic [Meryl Streep] pretty well, simply so in the moment, when y'all're there on gear up with the cameras rolling and you lot've got another actor in front end of you lot ... the thing I like most acting is fully surrendering to that moment and not trying to control what happens. And so I think I just forgot to practise anything."

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