Amanda Seyfried is just a big Joni Mitchell fan, OK? On Thursday’s episode of the Just for Variety podcast, the actress discussed her highly praised cover of Mitchell’s “California” during a recent appearance on the Tonight Show. The performance was so impressive that people began to speculate that she was subtly auditioning to play the singer in her upcoming biopic. “No, it was not an audition,” she said bout her Tonight Show rendition. The original performance was prompted by a conversation with Jimmy Fallon about playing the clarinet as kids. She ended up performing a rendition of Mitchell’s “California” on the dulcimer during the show. “In fact, I didn’t even consider that, which is funny,” she told Variety. “What I know about that project is that I’m very, very much aged out of [playing the] young Joni. That’s all I know.” Seyfried said she met Mitchell “years ago” and sees her as a “beautiful inspiration.” She said, “She’s wonderful. She’s Joni Mitchell.” When praised for her rendition, she said, “I learned the dulcimer after I had met Joni. Years ago. Way before Cameron Crowe was even born. I learned a lot of the songs on her Blue album after meeting her. How could you not want to?” Speaking to Ultimate Classic Rock in October, Crowe — who is directing the film — teased that the film might come out by next Christmas. “I’m super excited. We’re going to start in by the end of this year and hopefully have it done for Christmas next year,” he said. Meryl Streep is set to play Mitchell in the later stages of her life.