Prey’s Amber Midthunder Says She Was Told To ‘Go Do Disney’ While Pursuing Acting
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Dan Trachtenberg’s “Prey,” set in 1719, stars indigenous actress Amber Midthunder as a young Comanche woman named Naru who is often rejected from her tribe’s hunting excursions because of her sex. This, in spite of her acknowledged tracking skills and tremendous capability with a tomahawk. In the film’s early scenes, Naru begins to find evidence that a strange, large animal — something larger than a bear — may be lurking in the woods, killing anyone who wanders too far out. The creature is, of course, a space alien (Dane DiLiegro) who has come to Earth to hunt the most sophisticated game it can find. “Prey” climaxes with a face-off between Naru and the alien wherein she manages to evade and outwit a creature three times her size.
Midthunder gives a compelling performance in “Prey,” imbuing Naru a richness and personality that extends beyond general action movie badassery. She has a complex relationship with her brother Taabe (Dakota Beavers), and her confidence is so palpable that it comes as no surprise when other characters decide to listen to her and believe her claims. The film’s careful pace and Midthunder’s performance are its greatest strengths. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Midthunder said that finding a role like Naru wasn’t the easiest thing in the world. The 25-year-old member of the Fort Peck Sioux Tribe was reportedly told by acting agencies that lightweight, kid-friendly performances should be more on her radar. Midthunder, aching to stretch as an actress, handily rejected the notion.
Midthunder gives a compelling performance in “Prey,” imbuing Naru a richness and personality that extends beyond general action movie badassery. She has a complex relationship with her brother Taabe (Dakota Beavers), and her confidence is so palpable that it comes as no surprise when other characters decide to listen to her and believe her claims. The film’s careful pace and Midthunder’s performance are its greatest strengths.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Midthunder said that finding a role like Naru wasn’t the easiest thing in the world. The 25-year-old member of the Fort Peck Sioux Tribe was reportedly told by acting agencies that lightweight, kid-friendly performances should be more on her radar. Midthunder, aching to stretch as an actress, handily rejected the notion.
‘Go do Disney’
“[Agencies] were like, ‘Okay, you can go on the Disney Channel.’ And I was like, ‘No, no, no. That is a skill for a lot of people, but that’s not a skill that I have. I want to cry. I want to feel horrible things through my art. I want to suffer!’ And they were like, ‘That’s cute. Go do Disney.’”
New Mexico to Hollywood
“Prey” was a great opportunity for her not just because of the visibility of appearing next to a Predator, but because of the film’s respectful indigenous representation. She said of the script:
Midthunder’s career has been a typical Hollywood upward swing. Her talent and intensity has been noticed enough to get her involved in higher and higher profile projects, leading to a film like “Prey.” Her next project will be the live-action adaptation of the hit cartoon show “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” in which she will play Princess Yue.
“You very rarely get good representation — good being accurate, respectful or something to be proud about … This is the first time you get to see an Indigenous female action hero at the center of a film. That in and of itself is a really incredible statement.”
If her career continues along the track it’s been on, it won’t be too much longer before Midthunder’s is a household name. Given the caliber of her performance in “Prey,” this is a fate the public could easily be at peace with.
