When you’re enjoying the radiant delight of Mamma Mia! or its spectacular follow-up, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, it appears the cast is relishing every moment—dancing, singing, and enjoying the sunshine in a whirlwind of ABBA-inspired excitement.

However, as the ever-charming Christine Baranski, who portrays the effortlessly stylish Tanya Chesham-Leigh (yes, the one who sings “Does Your Mother Know”), noted, not everyone was excited about the film’s energetic choreography—especially the three leading men.

In a chat with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show, Baranski disclosed that Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgård weren’t exactly enthusiastic about the dance sequences. “I don’t think he’ll mind me sharing this,” she began, “but all three actors—Pierce, Colin, and Stellan—absolutely disliked doing the dance routines.”

She elaborated that while Brosnan was a real trooper—“He would skip down the hill several times while singing ‘Dancing Queen.’ This was James Bond, and he’s dancing, ‘Yooou can daaance’”—Firth approached the choreography with a bit of sarcasm. But it was Skarsgård who struggled the most.

“Stellan detested it,” Baranski laughed. “We finally went down the hill in ‘Dancing Queen’ and ended up on the dock. It was the conclusion of the number, and the camera generally avoided Stellan. But then finally, Ol Parker, our amazing director, said, ‘Alright, it’s time for your close-up. You need to do the moves now.’”

Skarsgård’s response? “He unleashed a barrage of expletives,” Baranski remembered. “It was as if Ol had asked him to recite Arabic poetry while skipping rope.”

So while the musical performances may seem effortless on screen, it turns out that even experienced actors can find themselves outside their comfort zones—particularly when ABBA and dance are involved.