Actress

Amanda Seyfried’s Smoking History: Quitting Cigarettes, Smoking Pot in Ted 2

Published

3 days ago

April 16, 2026

Amanda Seyfried's Smoking History: Quitting Cigarettes, Smoking Pot in Ted 2

Amanda Seyfried has built a career on playing memorable characters, from the lovelorn Sophie in Mamma Mia! to the sharp-witted Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout, and recently as Ann Lee in The Testament of Ann Lee.

But off-screen, her relationship with smoking has been a subject of curiosity for fans. Does Amanda Seyfried smoke cigarettes? Has she used cannabis? The answers are nuanced and reveal a lot about her priorities, her health, and her advocacy. She has been candid about her past social smoking.

Seyfried has also talked about her decision to quit for the sake of her voice and her support for cannabis legalization. From her role as a bong-smoking lawyer in Ted 2 to her memories of getting high with Adam Brody, here is everything you need to know about Amanda Seyfried’s history with smoking.

Amanda Seyfried’s cigarette smoking habit and quitting for Les Misérables

Amanda Seyfried has admitted to being a social smoker earlier in her career. She smoked cigarettes casually, though not heavily. “I was smoking cigarettes socially, like, every couple weeks,” she told Glamour magazine.

For instance, on April 4, 2011, she was seen smoking with her now-former boyfriend, Ryan Phillippe, in Paris. Seyfried and Phillippe reportedly met at a Halloween party and dated on and off for about seven months, from October 2010 to June 2011.

Amanda Seyfried smoking with her now-former boyfriend Ryan Phillippe in Paris in April 2011 (Photo: X17online.com)

Around a week later, on April 11, 2011, the actress was interviewed by The Fan Carpet during the London Premiere of Red Riding Hood, where she was asked if she had ever tried to quit smoking. She again replied that she smokes once in a while.

“Oh, I do smoke, I smoke every once in a while, I smoke when I drink. I did smoke in Paris the other day, and someone probably caught me doing that,” the actress told the outlet on the red carpet.

However, when she set her sights on landing a role in the 2012 film adaptation of the musical Les Misérables, she knew she had to make a change. The role required strong vocal ability, and Seyfried, who had trained in opera as a teenager, feared that smoking would wreck her voice and hurt her chances.

She quit her social smoking habit and hired a vocal coach to help her hit the high notes during her audition. Her efforts paid off, and she was cast alongside Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, and Russell Crowe in director Tom Hooper’s movie musical.

Amanda Seyfried at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) for ‘The Testament of Ann Lee (Photo: Instagram)

Reflecting on her decision, Seyfried said, “Everybody and their mother was auditioning for Les Mis, so I wanted to audition, but I wanted to be good.” She reasoned that if she was spending money on singing lessons, there was no point in continuing to smoke.

Playing a pot-smoking lawyer in Ted 2

In 2015, Seyfried took on a role that directly involved smoking but not cigarettes. In Ted 2, the sequel to Seth MacFarlane’s blockbuster comedy about a foul-mouthed teddy bear, she played Samantha L. Jackson.

Samantha is a young civil rights lawyer who is also a passionate advocate for marijuana legalization. Her character famously pulls out a bong and takes a long rip to prove her credentials to Mark Wahlberg’s character and Ted, winning them over instantly.

Seyfried didn’t need to do much research for the part. “I just know how much pot they smoked in the first movie, and that’s all the research I did,” she said. She told USA Today that playing the straight person in a comedy requires “100 percent humility,” a skill she honed while navigating the absurdity of the Ted universe.

Amanda Seyfried’s advocacy for cannabis legalization

While promoting Ted 2, Seyfried became an outspoken advocate for cannabis legalization. She told The Sunday Times that she thinks cannabis is a “wonderful thing” and should be legalized.

She questioned why alcohol, which she believes is far more damaging to society, is legal while cannabis remains stigmatized. “I don’t understand how people can die all the time from alcohol poisoning, yet pot is so stigmatized,” she said.

“They could have put a bong in every scene as far as I’m concerned,” she added. However, Seyfried also made it clear that she does not use cannabis herself. “I think it’s a wonderful thing, and lots of people use it responsibly, and it should be legal,” she stated.

She confessed that she wishes she could use it, but because she suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, she doesn’t think it would be a good combination. “Because I suffer from anxiety attacks … you can’t mix the two. So it’s the worst thing for me,” she explained.

Getting high with Adam Brody on Jennifer’s Body

Seyfried’s most personal revelation about cannabis came in a 2025 interview with her longtime friend and former co-star Adam Brody. The pair sat down for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, where they reminisced about their time filming the 2009 cult horror classic Jennifer’s Body.

During the conversation, Brody recalled that Seyfried had a rental car, and the two drove to a beach. “Yep. We got high,” Seyfried confirmed. Brody joked, “I don’t remember that. I was too high to remember that.”

Seyfried described the experience as “the most peaceful” she had ever had with cannabis. She added, “I don’t know if I could do pot again. I think I’m allergic to it. I had some bad experiences. But I remember that being the most peaceful. That was probably the last time”.

Smoking-inspired fashion on the red carpet

Amanda Seyfried has also played with smoking imagery in her fashion choices. In June 2023, she attended a red carpet event wearing a bejeweled black bra top paired with high-waisted black trousers that featured a distinctive design.

Her outfit was decorated with images of cigarettes. The “cigarette pants” became a talking point, showcasing her willingness to incorporate edgy, irreverent themes into her public appearances.

Amanda Seyfried’s filmography and career highlights

Amanda Seyfried began her career as a model before transitioning to acting. She first gained widespread attention for her role as Karen Smith in the 2004 teen comedy Mean Girls, opposite Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams.

That same year, she joined the cast of the hit HBO series Big Love, playing the rebellious teenage daughter Sarah Henrickson for five seasons. Her breakout film role came in 2008 with Mamma Mia!, the musical adaptation of ABBA’s songs.

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In it, she played Sophie, the young bride searching for her father. The film was a massive international success and spawned a sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018). Seyfried’s performance showcased her singing ability, developed through years of opera training.

She continued to demonstrate her range with critically acclaimed performances in films such as Chloe (2009), Dear John (2010), and Letters to Juliet (2010). In 2011, she starred in the provocative drama Red Riding Hood and voiced the character of Daphne Blake in the animated Scooby-Doo prequel series Scoob!

Seyfried received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Marion Davies in David Fincher’s Mank (2020). She followed that with a Golden Globe and Emmy-winning performance as Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout (2022).

In recent years, she has appeared in The Crowded Room (2023) alongside Tom Holland, A Mouthful of Air (2021), and the thriller Seven Veils (2024). She continues to balance film, television, and voice work, remaining one of Hollywood’s most versatile and respected actresses.

Fun facts about Amanda Seyfried

Her anxiety struggles and therapy

Seyfried has been open about her lifelong battle with anxiety. She sought therapy after getting drunk before an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2012, an experience she later regretted. “I have a lot of anxiety that I’ve been struggling with my whole life,” she said.

Her opera training

As a teenager, Seyfried trained in opera. This background made her especially conscious of protecting her voice, which was a key factor in her decision to quit smoking cigarettes.

Her purchase of Adam Brody’s former home

Seyfried bought the Hollywood home that once belonged to Adam Brody. During their Variety interview, she reminded him, “I might have also gotten stoned with you at your house that I now own.”

Conclusion

Amanda Seyfried quit social cigarette smoking to protect her voice for Les Misérables. She has never been a heavy smoker, but she has advocated for cannabis legalization and played a pot-smoking lawyer in Ted 2. She does not use cannabis herself due to anxiety, but has fond memories of getting high with Adam Brody on the set of Jennifer’s Body.

Frequently asked questions

Does Amanda Seyfried smoke cigarettes?

She used to smoke cigarettes socially but quit in 2012 to prepare for her role in Les Misérables. It is unknown if she has resumed smoking.

Does Amanda Seyfried smoke weed?

She has used cannabis in the past, including a memorable experience with Adam Brody on the set of Jennifer’s Body. However, she no longer uses it because she believes she may be allergic and because it exacerbates her anxiety.

Why did Amanda Seyfried quit smoking?

She quit smoking cigarettes to protect her voice and increase her chances of being cast in Les Misérables.

What role did Amanda Seyfried play in Ted 2?

She played Samantha L. Jackson, a civil rights lawyer and marijuana legalization activist who smokes from a bong.

Is Amanda Seyfried for or against cannabis legalization?

She is in favor of legalization. She has called cannabis a “wonderful thing” and questioned why alcohol is legal while cannabis is stigmatized.

Has Amanda Seyfried spoken about her anxiety?

Yes, she has been open about struggling with anxiety and panic attacks for most of her life, which is one reason she avoids cannabis.

Did Amanda Seyfried and Adam Brody smoke weed together?

Yes. They recalled getting high together while filming Jennifer’s Body. Seyfried described it as the “most peaceful” experience she had with cannabis.