Video: Christine Baranski Reveals Which MAMMA MIA! Star Was a Reluctant Dancing Queen

Christine Baranski had fans laughing during her recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as she dished on her Mamma Mia! co-stars- and one actor’s less-than-enthusiastic attitude toward dancing to ABBA. Watch the video!

Baranski, who played Tanya in the 2008 movie musical, recalled filming the joyful “Dancing Queen” number with co-stars Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgård. While Brosnan was all in and Firth leaned into the irony of his dance moves, Skarsgård had a tougher time.

“Stellan hated it,” Baranski said with a grin. “We finally got to the dock, and the number was ending, and the camera was moving around him.” Director Ol Parker eventually told Skarsgård it was time for his close-up. “‘You have to do the moves now,’” Baranski recalled him saying. “And Stellan just let out a string of expletives.”

She joked it was like asking him “to perform Arabic poetry while jumping rope.” Still, the acclaimed actor powered through—and delivered the moves. “He did it,” Baranski said. “It was so funny. I love Stellan. He’s the greatest.”

Mamma Mia! featured a star-packed ensemble that also included Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Cher, and Andy Garcia—and went on to become a global phenomenon.