12 surprising things you probably didn't know about the 'Mamma Mia' movies

mamma mia 2

"Mamma Mia" is a beloved franchise.
Universal Pictures
  • "Mamma Mia" and its sequel "Mamma Mia! Here We Become Again" are popular films featuring ABBA'south music.
  • Judy Craymer pitched the pic thought to ABBA star Björn Ulvaeus when she was giving him a ride dwelling house.
  • Lily James had to go on vocal residual for a calendar week before filming "Mamma Mia! Here Nosotros Get Once more."
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more than stories.

The whole franchise started with a serendipitous car ride, and it was a stage musical start.

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

Producer Judy Craymer was 25 years sometime when she was asked to pick upwardly ABBA pop star Björn Ulvaeus from the drome.

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

The musical premiered in London'south W Terminate in 1999 and went on to open on Broadway in 2001. The prove saw early success earlier information technology was adjusted into the picture we know and love today.

Phyllida Lloyd directed both the stage musical and the first picture show.

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

Phyllida Lloyd directed the "Mamma Mia" phase musical, and since the show was such a success, they hired her to directly the first picture show as well.

The joy during the "Super Trouper" number at the end of the second motion picture was 100% authentic.

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

Screenwriter and director for "Mamma Mia! Here We Become Over again" Ol Parker told Awards Daily in 2018 that the "Super Trouper" scene looks actually fun considering it was.

"When they're dancing in 'Super Trouper,' that's all real. We played the song loudly and sent them off to unlike 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! Hither We Get Once more."

Meryl Streep really did the splits in the outset film.

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

Meryl Streep said that information technology was "instinct" that allowed her to do splits in the first film, although she's not sure she could replicate it at present.

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

Cher turned down a role in the first film.

Casting directors wanted Cher to play Tanya.
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Reddish Sheridan wasn't the offset "Mamma Mia" role that Cher was considered for.

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

"I think she felt that the Tanya character was probably as well shut to her," Craymer said

Tony-winner Christine Baranski was eventually bandage as Tanya.

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

Cher played Donna'south female parent and Sophie's grandmother in the moving-picture show.
Universal Pictures

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

The caput of Universal Pictures likewise used to exist her amanuensis, and so when he called her to tell her about the part, he hung upward before she could say no.

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

Pierce Brosnan's 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, "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.

Merely after practicing all the time, Brosnan said he got better.

"Now my family seems to remember I'one thousand doing all right. But information technology'south possible they're being dainty. 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 requite her vocalization a break.
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In a 2018 interview with Build Series, Lily James said she had to salvage her voice to prep for the role of young Donna since she had just come up off a press tour for the moving picture "Baby Commuter."

"All I'd done is talk for so long and my voice was shot to hell it was just croaky and icky," she said. "So, information technology was me beingness really neurotic, equally usual, but information technology was also me existence told by the dr. I had to shut up … I only didn't talk for a calendar week."

James watched the first movie "hundreds of times" to set for the part of Donna.

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

In "Mamma Mia! Here Nosotros Go Over again," James had the difficult task of playing immature Donna — the young-adult version of Streep'due south role from the starting time moving picture.

She told Allure in 2018 that she watched the first film over and over over again to prepare for the part. 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, but then in the moment, when you're at that place on set with the cameras rolling and you've got another actor in forepart of you lot ... the thing I like nigh acting is fully surrendering to that moment and not trying to control what happens. And so I think I just forgot to do anything."

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