Amanda Seyfried has the starring role in the movie version of Mamma Mia!

Universal studios

NEW YORK — Amanda Seyfried (pronounced SIGH-frid) says that her big eyes make her look a bit like a frog.

But the Amanda sitting across a small table last month in a suite at New York’s Ritz-Carlton looks nothing like a frog, unless she’s referring to some parallel bizarro universe in which frogs kiss ugly princes to turn them into frogs.

Seyfried (Big Love, Mean Girls) is pretty, petite and bursting with energy and opinion. In a celebrity culture in which actors are either dumb as rocks or prepped for the press like political candidates, this Allentown, Pa., native and her handlers haven’t yet gotten the memo. She’s as refreshing as an ocean breeze.

It is hoped that Mamma Mia!, her first leading role (and it’s opposite Meryl Streep), won’t change her.

Q. After a series of serious roles in Law & Order: SVU, House and Alpha Dog, was it easy for you to lighten up for ABBA?

A. It was pretty simple for me to just be excited, and that’s the character I play. She’s just enthusiastic about life, and I was so enthusiastic about filming that I didn’t really have to go anyplace to get the right attitude. It was a very rare experience — Greece and Meryl and Pierce (Brosnan) and dancing and singing, sharing something that is so private for me.

Q. Have you prepared yourself for the increased media attention?

A. Two minutes out of (Manhattan’s) Midtown Tunnel last night I see a taxi cab with my head on it, and I was like, “Wow!” I’m just in a continual state of shock. One day I may wake up and be like, “I didn’t appreciate it enough.” But hopefully that won’t happen.

Q. You started as a young model. Was acting always the goal?

A. Acting became the goal. Modeling was just fun. I got to experience it. I got actual jobs from it, surprisingly. I was doing theater when I was younger but I never thought I was good enough.

Q. No actress thinks she’s good enough.

A. True, until you get experience. Then All My Children gave me experience. Now I think I’m good enough for some things, not good enough for others. I would like to be one of those actresses who can do anything.

Q. There aren’t many of them.

A. There really aren’t. I would say that I’d like to be like Meryl some day — I don’t know many people who don’t have that goal.

Q. What was your first big break?

A. I guess I’d have to say Mean Girls, because it was my first experience on a movie and it got such critical acclaim that a lot of people on the street knew who I was — the girl from Mean Girls. But that only gets you so far. From this movie, people might know my name, and that’s another big break.

Q. What was it like working with Tina Fey on Mean Girls? And you can’t use the words “genius” or “brilliant.”

A. Tina Fey: Clever. Tina Fey is so humble and super-accessible, and her humility shines through in her writing. She’s not afraid to do anything. She’s my kind of person, and I love her.

Q. How did you avoid becoming a tabloid fixture after Mean Girls?

A. It’s really easy to avoid the tabloids. You just live your life and don’t hang out with famous people who are in the tabloids. Don’t do anything controversial and be a normal person. Have friends. And get a job and keep working. I know people love celebrity and love to get into the coolest clubs and wear the coolest outfits, but there’s a quick route to being a celebrity that has nothing behind it or there’s a route you can take where you have something under your belt, some experience, something to say or do that can affect people.

Q. How did you land Mamma Mia?

A. Just another audition — I didn’t think I had a chance because I’m not Greek, but then a few months later I heard Meryl was going to play the mother and I thought now I have a chance. So, I see the show, and then I get the bug, and then I go for my first singing audition and (ABBA’s) Benny (Andersson) decides to like my voice. So that’s amazing. And then I did the last audition with (director) Phyllida Lloyd and Ellen Lewis, the casting director, and Martin Lowe, the musical director. And I connected. She respects me. She trusted me. And I am so grateful — I will always be grateful. She gave me such an opportunity to do something so different. It changed my life — careerwise, lifewise, lovewise. I fell in love with London so much. I think I want to live there when I can — when I can afford it.