Christine Baranski talked about working with Stellan Skarsgård on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Baranski said that Skarsgård “hated” dancing in Mamma Mia! and the cameras would avoid him during the dance scenes
Baranski loved working with him though, and called him a “wonderful” colleague
Mamma Mia! was filled with joyful moves set to the tune of ABBA hits including “Dancing Queen,” though Stellan Skarsgård wasn’t necessarily feeling the vibes when filming the 2008 hit.
During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Wednesday, May 7, to promote the new season of Nine Perfect Strangers, Christine Baranski reflected on how some of her costars reacted to the musical numbers in Mamma Mia!.
Universal Pictures/Relativity Media/Littlestar/Playtone/Kobal/Shutterstock
Stellan Skarsgard in 2008’s ‘Mamma Mia!’
Colbert, 60, mentioned his next guest would be Skarsgård and noted that he and Baranski, 73, worked together on Mamma Mia!. Colbert showed a picture of the cast, and Baranski reminisced about working with Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Skarsgård on the film.
Baranski — who played Meryl Streep’s character’s lifelong friend Tanya — said that Brosnan “was game” and would “skip down the hill multiple times” during “Dancing Queen,” while Firth “meant all of his moves ironically.” Skarsgård’s performance, however, stood out for a different reason.
“Stellan hated it. We finally went down the hill and ‘Dancing Queen’ and landed on the dock. Then it was the end of the number. The camera would move around, and it usually would avoid Stellan,” Baranski said. “Then finally, Ol Parker, the director, said, ‘Stellan, okay, it’s time for your close up. You have got to do the moves now. You have simply got to do the moves.’ “
The Gilded Age actress told Colbert, “He let out a string of expletives. It’s as if Ol had asked him to do Arabic poetry while jumping rope. He was like, ‘I can’t do that.’ “
Despite all that, Baranski shares that Skarsgård “did it.”
“It was so funny. I love Stellan. He’s just the greatest. He’s a wonderful actor. He was a great colleague.”
The franchise also starred the likes of Amanda Seyfried, Cher and Andy Garcia.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Universal/Everett
Mamma Mia! cast in 2008
Baranski revealed that a third installment of the series is in the works during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in August 2024.
The actress shared that she’d recently met with producer Judy Craymer, who was already “planning Mamma Mia 3.” Baranski added, “She gave me the narrative plot line of how it’s going to happen. That’s all I can say!”
In teasing another sun-soaked adventure, Baranski noted that she’s optimistic about Craymer’s ability to “make things happen.” The Good Fight star said, “She made [2018’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again] happen, and it was a phenomenal hit. I wouldn’t put it past Judy Kramer to get everybody back together.”
Read the original article on People
