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Amanda Seyfried landed in the hot seat after her appearance in the latest Elizabeth Holmes documentary unleashed a wave of criticism online.
Seyfried surprised viewers when she appeared alongside Nathan Fielder in “You Can See Everything,” a documentary that followed Holmes in the last 34 days leading up to the start of her prison sentence. Holmes reported to Federal Prison Camp Bryan on May 30, 2023.
Seyfried revisited her connection to the disgraced Theranos founder, whom she portrayed in Hulu’s “The Dropout.”
The new documentary, released Oct. 16, explored Seyfried’s evolving perspective on Holmes, including her reactions to Holmes’ personal life and relationship with Billy Evans.
Stepping back into Holmes’ shoes for the documentary, Seyfried helped Fielder recreate conversations he had with the disgraced Theranos founder after she reported to prison.
Throughout the film, Seyfried grappled with her growing sympathy for Holmes, even as the convicted fraudster challenged the way the actress portrayed her in the Hulu series.
“Amanda Seyfried defending Holmes as a victim of male manipulation until Holmes accused her of participating in a sensationalized version of the Theranos scandal and then flipping out about how it is just TV was a [sic] truly gross,” one X user wrote. “I hope she gets redragged for it.”
Other viewers piled on, accusing Seyfried of changing her tune when the scrutiny shifted toward her own role in bringing the Theranos scandal to television.
“Lots of ‘women protecting women’ posturing from her until she gets accused of perhaps also causing Elizabeth some degree of pain, after which she immediately deflects and starts engaging in female emotional manipulation by accusing Nathan of covering up for Elizabeth based on her ‘intuition,'” another user said.
Another viewer echoed the criticism, arguing that Seyfried’s behavior only reinforced their negative impression of the actress.
“This is maybe the number one reason why I loved ‘You Can See Everything.’ Seeing Amanda Seyfried for her true colors in full hypocrisy was such a cathartic feeling,” one user said. “It reminds me why we should never take people like her seriously.”
Not everyone agreed with the harsh criticism. Some viewers came to Seyfried’s defense, arguing that her changing opinion of Holmes wasn’t a sign of hypocrisy but rather an essential part of the documentary’s larger message.
“imagine walking away from this blaming amanda seyfried,” a user wrote. “the point is, amanda herself changes her opinion on elizabeth holmes. so does nathan fielder. so does the audience. thats the literal point.”
Another added, “At no point in the movie does Elizabeth Holmes reckon with how anyone other than her was harmed by the downfall of Theranos. Amanda Seyfried earnestly reckons with the consequences of her actions even when she is (correctly) pretty sure she didn’t do anything wrong.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Seyfried’s representative for comment.
Holmes was convicted in January 2022 on four federal fraud charges for misleading investors about her blood-testing company’s technology and capabilities. A jury found her guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud, all related to defrauding investors.
She was sentenced in November 2022 to 11 years and three months in federal prison.
“You Can See Everything” examined Holmes’ efforts to reclaim control of her public image after the spectacular collapse of Theranos, the blood-testing company she founded.
As she prepared to begin her prison sentence, Holmes confronted the fallout from her fraud conviction, the intense scrutiny surrounding her personal life and the Hollywood portrayal of her downfall.
The film offered a closer look at the disgraced entrepreneur’s attempts to navigate life beyond the scandal that destroyed her reputation, while exploring the complicated divide between how Holmes viewed herself and how the public perceived her.