Dancing Queen Returns: Toni Collette's Surprise Muriel's Wedding Reunion
Olivia Bennett, 3/9/2025Toni Collette surprised fans at the Glasgow Film Festival, celebrating the 30th anniversary of "Muriel's Wedding" with a spontaneous ABBA singalong. Her unexpected appearance highlighted the film's enduring relevance and showcased the joy of unscripted moments in Hollywood.
Who says lightning doesn't strike twice? Three decades after dancing her way into our hearts, Toni Collette just proved she's still got that Muriel magic – this time by turning a routine Glasgow Film Festival screening into an impromptu ABBA-fueled celebration that nobody saw coming.
The whole thing wasn't even supposed to happen. The plan was simple enough: stream a pre-recorded intro for the 30th-anniversary showing of "Muriel's Wedding" at Glasgow's Cottiers Theatre. But Collette – never one to play by the rules – had other ideas. She hopped a train from London (in the middle of award season madness, no less) and showed up unannounced.
"It wasn't what was discussed," she admitted with that signature mix of charm and mischief that's carried her from Porpoise Spit to Hollywood's inner circle. The moment would've been memorable enough on its own, but then... well, then came "Dancing Queen."
The scene that unfolded could've been pulled straight from the film itself. There was Collette, Oscar nominee and critically acclaimed actress, leading a spontaneous ABBA singalong in a converted church. The walls of Cottiers Theatre – which has seen its fair share of drama since opening its doors in 1865 – practically pulsed with joy. It's the kind of moment that reminds you why we still go to the movies, especially now in 2025 when everything's gone so digital.
"Muriel's Wedding" isn't just some nostalgic relic, mind you. The film that grossed AUS $16 million domestically and another $15 million stateside remains startlingly relevant. Maybe it's because we're all still trying to figure out who we are, or maybe it's because ABBA's hooks are eternally catchy. (Probably both, if we're being honest.)
Collette reflected on the journey via Instagram: "When I was 20, I had no idea how this story would resonate all these years later. I had no idea how much love would be in that room. Love for Muriel, love for the film and love for me."
That journey's been something else – from breakout Australian star to that bone-chilling turn in "Hereditary" (still gives me nightmares, thanks for that), with an Oscar nod for "The Sixth Sense" somewhere in between. Now she's about to add another fascinating chapter with Bong Joon-ho's "Mickey 17," easily one of 2025's most anticipated releases.
The Glasgow celebration – part of a festival lineup that's already hosted James McAvoy, Jessica Lange, and Ed Harris – served up something rare in today's carefully choreographed entertainment landscape: pure, unscripted joy. For a few magical minutes, the line between performer and audience simply... vanished.
Funny, isn't it? The woman who once played a character desperate to escape through fantasy has created a reality more enchanting than any daydream. Three decades on, Toni Collette isn't just the dancing queen – she's Hollywood royalty who still knows how to surprise us. And thank goodness for that.
