Lily James on the Sex-Positive Message in "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" and Working With Meryl Streep

Traveling to an alternate reality in which Cher gave birth to Meryl Streep and assorted townspeople enthusiastically sing along to ABBA might seem like a wild, idealistic fantasy — and one I would happily pay my entire life savings to see happen, let's not get it twisted. Luckily, none of us have to fork over quite so much. For the price of a movie ticket, you, too, can live in such a world. Because that world is Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again! and it's finally hitting theaters on July 20.

Playing fearless Donna Sheridan this time around is Lily James, who knows a thing or two about women who flout convention for all the right reasons. (After all, she played Lizzie Bennet the Zombie Slayer in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.) But as fantastical as a world wherein everyone automatically knows the choreography might be, Donna's storyline is rooted in truth: she graduates college and heads abroad, wholly unaware of the adventure waiting for her in Greece. Yes, three love interests weave in and out of Donna's life in turn. But her story is first and foremost her own — it's about seeking out what you want and letting your heart lead the way.

So what was it like to step into those overalls and travel back in time to play a young Donna? Teen Vogue talked to Lily about what the character meant to her, as well as what advice she'd have for anyone who has just graduated college and isn't sure what's next. Oh, and did I mention the movie stars Cher as Donna's mother? Because obviously that was something we had to discuss, too.

Teen Vogue: First, how are you feeling about Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again hitting theaters?

Lily James: I'm really excited, actually. I had such a great time making this movie — I fell in love with the cast, I fell in love with the island, I fell even further in love with ABBA. The whole thing was just the most joyous experience, and I think films like this don't come around very often, and that makes it all the more precious. So I'm just excited to share it with everyone because I think that the film sort of does encapsulate all of those feelings. I just hope everyone sees it and enjoys it. And even if they don't, I just had such an amazing time doing it. The experience was so rich for me, and fulfilling, that everything else is a bonus, really.

TV: You've spoken previously about how you repeatedly watched the movie, and Donna's scenes in particular, to study. Had you seen the first movie prior to auditioning?

LJ: Oh, God yeah. I remember seeing it so clearly at the cinema. It was so incredible to watch these great movie stars and legends of the cinema in this beautiful, mad Mamma Mia! world, and I just found the whole thing so uplifting, and glorying in the music of ABBA. And it's the kind of movie that every time it's on the TV... if I'm switching channels and it's on, I have to watch it to the end. There are a few movies that are like that, where you just can't but watch it. Notting Hill is like that, Mamma Mia! is like that, Titanic is like that.

I've always loved Amanda Seyfried; I am so honored to have been a part of this with her. I think we both came at it from a similar point of view. We both really felt like it was a role that we really wanted to get — her in the first film and me this time around. She's such an amazing girl, and her voice is just out of this world. I remember watching her, particularly, and then, all of a sudden being in it now, it's very surreal.

TV: What about Donna spoke to you, both in the first movie and now that you have played her?

LJ: Everything. I resonated with so much of what Donna is about. I think thousands of women do, and that's why she is so beloved. She's such a modern character. For me, to have a young woman at the center of it who is just doing exactly what she wants, following her gut... She's hungry to explore the world, have experiences, to break with convention. It's almost revolutionary.

There aren't many characters that I've played that have felt as free as Donna. Even though [Mamma Mia! is] set in the '70s, it feels so relevant and modern now, in the fact that she's so free sexually and that's celebrated. These guys that she goes off with... I always thought it was so important that that we never apologized for that.

TV: The story you're helping to tell also shows Donna immediately after she graduates college. She decides to pack her bags and explore, but a lot of new grads don't know what they want to do in the world, and everything can feel scary and daunting. Would you have any advice for them? Do you think Donna has any advice for them?

LJ: I think Donna's advice would be just to get out in the world. Don't worry if you don't know what you want to do. Why should you? You're 18, 20 years old, your whole life is about to fan out ahead of you. Enjoy the indecision, and try and find strength in that indecision. That's exciting! There's an adventure out there waiting for you. You will find your way, you'll find your people, you'll find your home. But take risks, and rather than let that kind of indecision and fear make you anxious, revel in it.

My advice is kind of the same, to be honest. It's that the unknown can feel daunting, but also, on the same hand, that's what makes it so exciting. I think change is the best thing in the world. Good things happen when you're brave, when you take risks. I know when I was that age, I went off to India for a while, I took over a month and just traveled around. I wanted new things, I wanted to mix it up. I think that's when you really get to grips with who you are and learn about yourself a bit.

Sooner or later they're going to know exactly what they're doing, their life will be mapped out, so it's a great time to live in that chaos and the unknown. I wish I could go back to being that age. Everything is a possibility. It's very exciting. Easier said than done, I know. When you're that age, the unknown feels frightening, but I think Donna would embrace that.

TV: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is also really driven by women. What was it like to be working with Amanda, and Meryl Streep and Christine Baranski, and literally Cher?

LJ: It felt like... we did a press conference the other day, and the only person sadly missing was Julie Walters. But everyone else was there, including Judy Craymer, who produced this movie. She created this whole world of Mamma Mia! I mean, it's hers. God, she was amazing. And to be sat on a press conference with all these brilliant women and actors and people was just so inspiring. There's such a sense of solidarity between us, and a sense of wonderful mayhem and honesty.

Mamma Mia! is a story that celebrates women in all that we are. Even though it's a musical, that side of it feels really real, and rooted in something that's important and brave, and it was incredible to be around them. And God, Pierce Brosnan is such a gentleman. He's so encouraging, kind, and amazing to watch, and Colin [Firth] and Stellan [Skårsgard] are just hilarious. The whole experience was filled with brilliant people, good people, talented people. It was a job of a lifetime, really.

TV: That also speaks to the fact that here, there is some role reversal at play. Yes, some of the men are chasing Donna, but she still has all the agency. She's not relegated to the girlfriend role, she's the active participant in her story. As much as Hollywood has changed, that still felt rare to me.

LJ: Yeah, yeah. I've played the girlfriend part before, and I'm sure I will continue to do so, because sometimes, even though they're the girlfriend, there's still so much redeeming about the character, or the people involved with the project.

But for me, this just felt like, yes. And I was so ready for it and I was so excited by it. My two best friends saw the movie, and they were both like, "God, it's so refreshing," to see that kind of a girl for once being shown on the screen, and like you said, having the agency with regards to romance.

TV: And one last question: what about ABBA's music resonates with you?

LJ: I just think that the combination of Benny [Andersson]'s music and Björn [Ulvaeus]'s lyrics are outstanding. It gets into your DNA, it creeps into your soul, it becomes part of your subconscious. It makes you get up and dance, and that's the best feeling in the whole entire world. I really believe that. I think if everyone just danced together more often, there'd be less problems.

There's a magic. I don't know what it is. I think it will last forever. It's universal, and it will continue on. And just to be able to work with them and to perform to their songs... I'm so honored.

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