Podcrushed - Amber Midthunder

Episode Date: March 12, 2025

Amber Midthunder (Prey, Avatar: The Last Airbender) joins the hosts to dive into the full rollercoaster of pre-teen emotions—from the starry-eyed moment she fell in love with acting to the slightly less magical moment when, at ten years old, she panicked and bailed on a professional gig… on the very day it was supposed to shoot.   Follow Podcrushed on socials: Instagram TikTok XSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lemonada I remember I got a role one time on a show and I was like 10 and it was like that day I decided I didn't want to do it and my mom was like, are you sure? And I was like, yeah, I don't want to do this. And I was like in the bathroom. And I was just like, I don't want to do it.

I'm scared. And she was like, okay. Okay. You go and tell them. Exactly. Welcome to Podcrushed. Your hosts, I'm Penn. I'm Nava and I'm Sophie.

And I think we would have been your middle school besties, acting like shameless groupies around our 12-year-old crushes. I wouldn't know what that sound is. That sound was, it's actually like a Futurama sound. Okay. That's great. Let's use it. Welcome to Pod Crushed. I'm joined by my co-hosts Navi-Cavelin.

and now a year older. Birthday girl. Birthday girl. So yeah. Sorry. Too do do do do do. Happy birthday. I was hoping you might go into the like more exciting Stevie Wonder.

Well, that's a rights issue. That's a rights issue right there. Actually, happy birthday is a rights issue no matter what. It's still a privately owned song. Really? Do you think one of them has expired by now?

Who is the greedy person still holding on to happy birthday? Like they have a private piece of beach or something? No, no, this is a real thing because, like, you can't just sing it in a movie or a, or a TV show, like, because it's a rights issue. I've learned this early, early on, and it's something that's just known and understood in, uh, yeah, you can't just, like, sing happy birthday. You have to get, get, to pay for it. Okay, I don't think anyone will sue us if we sing it in Persian, so tava lo, ta-a-la-la-la-la-ta-la-ta-la-ha-la-ov-a-mo-a-a-a-a-ha. This is where the Zoom feedback is just not working. I can't tell who's. Thank you guys for the birthday wishes. I appreciate it.

Did you get our gift? Oh, must have been stuck in the mail. Must be on its way. Oh, it's too good. Happens every time. Too good. Is that funny? No, I appreciate it because you know who forgets my birthday?

And I have to remind every year? Yeah, David. Yeah, David. That's fair. I've caught on, so I remind him well before. Does he just not have a calendar? Just so you know, I mean, yeah, like, so he might find out on the day, but he's not, he's not looking ahead. He's not planning it. I see. What did you do? What did you do for the big three-oh? I know that was, it was not, it was, it was a few years back now.

And no, that was last year. No, that was just, I'm turning 31 this year. Yeah. Actually, I did absolutely nothing. Birthdays really stress me out. Birthday, like, like, celebrations or parties. I feel like I have, like, small, disparate groups of friends. And the idea of, like, posting and bringing them together in our apartment. Yeah. Somehow, for some reason, that gives me so much stress. I'm like, yeah, if I had a yard, I would do it. Or like I make up these scenarios in my mind. Like, if I had this or if this was in order.

But it's like the fact that it's the fast for Baha'is, honestly, a mid-March birthday is not great. Yeah. That is tough. Yeah. Well, we're happy you were born, Sophie. Yes, we are. I also wish that my wife had a little bit of the same condition.

where she didn't care about birthdays because I got to say every year. It's a little bit like, all right, how old are we now? Do we really need to get everybody together? What's like Dom's perfect birthday? I mean, it's every year. It's every year. It's every year.

What's her idea of a perfect birthday? I mean, so it's fun and she's social and she's a Sagittarius, you know. They're supposed to be social. I didn't know that But now I do It's just so funny If it's true

Um Yeah She she So like this last She she she turned 42 And we got like We got like a hundred people together In a club

It was like a club And we were And we danced like midnight And we had to You know like I was waking up The next day Yeah

I was like Happy Day my dear You know who feels like a party who really felt like a party today was our guest. Honestly, she brought so much like energy and vigor to the space. Very much, yeah. Yeah, she brought some youthful pizzazz because Sof is now aged out of youth.

Yeah, we no longer have a young person on the team. No of us are young. We have Amber Midthunder, the actor you might know from Prey of the Predator franchise. Also Avatar, the last airbender of the Avatar franchise, the other Avatar franchise. this week she has two films out on the same day which is remarkable and they and they both look quite good and quite different in a way one is called nova cane starring her and jack quade about a man um who just spends all this time at the dentist yeah it's thrilling and it's uh yeah

it's inside of his mouth it's a pov from his mouth the whole time no it's about a guy who can't feel pain and uh it's got to save the girl more or less um uh and then and then there's a film Opus, which is like a comedic horror, starring John Malkovich and I owe a debris. So I don't know what more you need, except for Amber Midthunder. Today, who we have with us. She was a true delight, a ray of light.

You're going to love this one. Stick around. Does anyone else ever get that nagging feeling that their dog might be bored? and do you also feel like super guilty about it? Well, one way that I combat that feeling is I'm making meal time everything it can be for my little boy, Louie. Nom Nom does this with food that actually engages your pup senses

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So he's a lamb-pilaf guy. Keep mealtime exciting with NomNum, available at your local pet smart store or at Chewy. Learn more at trynom.com slash podcrushed, spelled try n-O-M.com slash podcrushed. Hey, it's Lena Waith. Legacy Talk is my love letter to black storytellers, artists who've changed the game and paved the way for so many of us. This season, I'm sitting down with icons like Felicia Rashad, the Reddy Devine, Eva Du René, and more. We're talking about their journeys, their creative process, and the legacies they're building every single day. Come be a part of the conversation.

Season two drops July 29. Listen to Legacy Talk wherever you get your podcast, or watch us on YouTube. So you are aware of the framework of this show. Like we start at 12, we focus on adolescence for a bit, if not a long time, sometimes. and then we go off now. Pretend I know nothing, but yes, I'm a big fan of your show. Okay, awesome. Well, thank you. I think the feeling is mutual for all three of us

now that we've seen so much of your work. So we're going to get into that. But we're going to start at 12. What was 12-year-old life like for Amber day-to-day, school, family, friends? I was just like an artsy-fartsy little, like, the world doesn't understand me I am a hundred years old

but I'm only 12 you know like I just felt like I was I felt like I had just like lived forever this was also Twilight was very popular at the time so you were Bella but also Edward but also Jacob I was like all three of them wrapped into like one Amber Burrito multifaceted

Wait if you could if you could describe each one of them with one word what would they be like what like what is Bella what is Edward and what is the other one? Jacob Jacob Jacob Jacob Justice for Jacob Then giving you the biggest eye roll Okay I see what team you're on

Very rude Um okay I mean I feel like Bella is like It's more it's more body language I feel like Bella was this She was this one You know she was very like Yeah

Yeah I feel like Edward is the Have you guys seen the memes of like The way he only sits with one finger he'll like every time he sits down in a scene he'll like put two pieces on the table no i've not seen this that sounds amazing no there's like compilation videos of like in the movie every time he like sits down he'll first do this

just like delicate on the surface near him right which i feel like it's very like it's precise right like he's like he's always ready to go yeah he nothing is an accident um and then i feel like jacob is the he's the meme of like running around running around the house when he's like Look at where you been Wait, I want to say that you have the most infectious and unironic love of Twilight

Of anybody not only on the show But anybody I've ever met I'm just like, wow I've been missing out I've truly been missing out We need to get you and Robert Pattinson in a room Because the two of you Going forward

That would be amazing I highly suggest that we all rewatch it Immediately when those follows are done It's so great I have a friend Lily who texts me frequently, Look out where you been? I love it. It'll never die.

That's the thing. I think I'll be like 87 years old with like a billion grandchildren and I'll still talk to them in twilight. That's great. Yeah. Amazing. So yeah, so that was a big part of me at 12. But yeah, I think that I was just very like,

I think I was very creative. I, you know, kind of like grew up with like I have older siblings. they would like live with us sometimes and then sometimes not so there is like a weird like I was like the baby of our family but also I think there's like only child things in the sense of like I grew up out in the country and so like there was a lot of like just having to like entertain myself with like me and some sticks you know like meeting in the dogs yeah yeah I grew up mostly we moved around um but like mostly in Santa Fe at that time I was in Santa Fe and so like I just went to this like small charter school

that I think tried to be art focused but it was very small and so you know we didn't have like we didn't have any sports teams we didn't have really much of anything and so like I think it was a lot of

just kind of like being left to your own devices and being like okay what are you going to find that entertains you what are you going to find that you enjoy and it was a lot of like I think it was a lot of that I think I really like turned inward and I was like probably like obnoxiously, like, I took myself really seriously and I think I really thought I was intellectual, which I can't imagine, like, how that was for my mom, you know, to talk to me and just be like,

no long you don't understand. This is philosophy. But yeah, that was where I think that that paints the picture of like me at 12. Amber, you're both indigenous and Thai. And of course, ethnicity, race, culture. Those are like the, that's like the water that you're swimming in. and it infuses like every part of your life. But I'm curious how those two cultures, what role they played in your upbringing and like how they intermingled. Yeah.

I mean, I think that it's like, that's everything, right? Like that is your foundation, that is your kind of the background of everything that informs everything about you. Like every day I wake up, I am the mix that I am. You know, I was born on the Navajo Reservation, which is not my reservation.

my reservations in Montana. It's called Fort Peck. But my brothers are Navajo. So, like, I was born on their res. And then, like I said, we moved around. And then my mom, she's half Thai Chinese and half white. And she was born in Thailand, lived there until she was a toddler. And then she was adopted and grew up in America. So, like, my indigenous culture is the culture that was, like, my primary that was like everything that I grew up with you know that was like the language that was spoken in my house those were like the ceremonies I went to that was like you know my family that I knew and stuff like that and so it's like I think it's not it's cultural identity is so interesting because it's like it's hard to explain to other people how it's like simultaneously the most

important it's like the thing that means the most to you and also it's only one facet of who you Of course. When you come from, like, marginalized communities or, like, a minority community, you are all of those things. You are, you are, like, every single one of, you know, your ancestors who came before you. And yet, like, you're also just, like, a girl who likes much. A Twilight fan. Yeah.

Twilight fan. Yeah. There's, like, team. The girl who loves Twilight. Especially as indigenous people, you know, when it comes to, specifically storytelling. It's like we have been doing this since the beginning of time. Like so many of us don't even have written languages. This is how we've kept our languages alive. This is how we've kept our cultures and our histories and our lineage alive.

Like this is how we preserved everything that we have. And so, you know, it's like, I think when we're led into these spaces, whether it's like a culture-focused story or a culture-focused role or not, I think just naturally there's something really special that we get to like interject into that space that maybe somebody else will look at and go like, oh, it's so cool. Like there's just this like thing that's happening. But really it's that like, you know, when you, when you like enter a room, it's not just you that's entering the room. It's like all of those things that have come before you.

That was put so well. I'm curious, thinking again of that day-to-day as an adolescent, like, so first of all, you were on set, as I understand it, at nine years old. You were in a film at nine, is that right? Because both your parents were sort of... Yeah, so both my parents work in the film industry. Okay, okay. They both got into movies by accident.

And so it's not like, it was... It's kind of hard to explain, like, what that dynamic was... was like for me because it almost like didn't. It was truly just like my parents' jobs. You know, it wasn't like, especially growing up in New Mexico, I think my parents very consciously, like, because we lived in California for a time when I was young. I think we lived in California from the time I was like maybe like five to nine

from my dad's acting career. And I think, you know, very consciously they were like, no, we don't want to do this. We don't want to live here. We want her to, like, be a real kid and, like, live in the middle of the area and just kind of have a, I think, just to grow up in a way that felt really grounded and really, like, far away from any of that. So, you know, my mom is casting director, and, like, I grew up in her office.

Like, my, I was, I think for my, like, eighth birthday, my parents bought me, like, a pink Disney, like, princess tent that had, like, a blow of air mattress in the bottom. And it lived in her casting office. so like every day after school that's where I would go and that's where I would do my homework so be like listening to actors audition and like I didn't

you know you don't nobody explain that to me so you would just kind of you're like I don't know I just have to be quiet sometimes and that's kind of like all you think about and like my dad when he would like you know have a job or whatever like I remember I would like read his lines

and I would like memorize when he was memorizing them I would memorize them and like I just thought that it was like a cool I just thought I was like isn't this so impressive I can say so many words from my memory like that was what I had like that was what I thought was like the greatest skill set so I think it's like not surprising that I ended up here

but I think my parents were very conscious to like not ever suggest or connect anything close to like what they did to what I could do you know I think that they're very like intentional about having having me like think about anything and I did I cycled through like so many other

I was 17 when I moved to LA to act but like I feel like I had so much more before that because there were so many other things that I wanted to do like I at one point thought I was going to be a nutritionist I thought I was going to be a makeup artist I thought I was like there's so many other things that I like loved first

Was MMA in there or is this the internet was in there I did think I was going to be an MMA fighter at one point How close? How close did you get? I think I did two tournaments when I was about 12th.

Okay. No, but that's like the tournament is much more than just a class. It's not an MMA fight though. I really, this is what I mean. I really thought a lot of myself at the time. You're intellectual but also a fighter. I can handle a fight.

It's funny because now I like stopped fighting for a long time and I'm prepping for a job and that like involves a lot of fighting we're doing a lot of training and it's like to re-enter this space that I it feels like I've never done it at all so it's like to reenter this space where it's like I have like there's like a woman who's a real white tie fighter like even just when she's trading me if she like taps me a little bit or if she'll like move around me I'm like you're so fat where did you go you're so fast it's like funny to me now to think that I was like yeah I could be that yeah that's incredible well i feel like there's um i don't know if like feisty is the right word or just

like strength maybe is is better but i'm really struck by i was you know doing doing some research about you over the weekend and listening to you on different podcasts and there was a story that you told regarding like from an early age you knew the career path that you wanted and you were really clear that like i think you said you didn't want to be on a disney path you wanted to be on the winter's bone path and i was really struck by that like at your young age that like that's the one and that like Jennifer Lawrence and Viola Davis were your idols. And I was just curious, I was curious about a few things. Like one is how did you have like the, I don't know what the word is. I don't know if it's confidence or like self assurance to know really clearly and to not

be like, I feel like a Disney path is really alluring for a young girl. So sort of like, what do you think about you sort of made that not alluring? And how did your team reply to like you at a young age being like, no, I'm not going to do that one, which is the well worn path for most young actors, I want this other one. I think, well, yeah, I do. I think I just, like, had a psychotic, like, confidence in myself. I think I really did. Like, when I moved to L.A. at first, I think I just had this, like, believing and thinking as if all the things that I wanted had already been accomplished, or that, like, I think I saw myself as, like, a very fully realized thing. It felt like something that existed outside of me. It wasn't even, like,

this is what I want to do. It's, like, this is the only thing that I can do. It's, like, this is the only thing that I can do. it's more like this is what I'm built for and they how did my team respond they did in fact send me out on a lot of Disney auditions so they were like that's cute you're 17 and I ended up on a show

I ended up on a Nickelodeon show got fired from that Nickelodeon show immediately and then I think everyone was like oh yeah she's not she was right she's not built for this and I was like yeah I told you I tried, I tried. Can I ask, I'm not trying to like stir the pot at all,

and we can cut this if you're not comfortable, but why did you get fired? Yeah, why, or why, why did you get fired? It was such an interesting, it actually was a very interesting time. I was in a movie called Hell or Highwater. I had in the morning, I seen with Ben Foster, and in the evening I had a scene with Jeff Bridges. And I remember like all the feelings leading up to that.

And it was like, like, I knew who Jeff Bridges was. And I was like, yeah, that's crazy. That's amazing. He's a legend. And I remember, like, looking up Ben Foster and I had, like, seen some of his movies and, like, watched some of his interviews. I remember we, like, walked in to the hotel that we were checking into, me and my mom. And there's a guy in the lobby who, like, walked out. And I remember I just, like, couldn't even breathe when I saw him.

And I remember we, like, looked at each other. And then he, like... immediately walked out of the lobby. And I was like, I think that was him. And our scene that we had together, which is not in the movie, was, like, very intense. It was like, he walks into a bank. I'm in there alone.

He, like, pulls the gun on me and, like, makes, like, a bunch of crazy threats, robs me, and then he's, like, out. And, like, we didn't do any rehearsals, like, you know, we didn't, like, there was nothing. It was just very, like, we'll feel it. We'll feel it on the day. And I remember that was, like, the first time. I had kind of different little, like, markers of, like, when I felt kind of the rush of, like, I don't know, the acting bug, I guess, of, like, when, you know, this kind of, like, infectious and addictive feeling that made me go, like, oh, I, that's what I have to do forever.

I had this, like, crazy out-of-body experience where it, like, felt like somebody else, like, came into my body, shoved me out, like, took over. And then as soon as the scene was done, it was, like, everything. came back to normal. And it kept happening, like over and over and over all day. And that was the first time that I, that was, I think, the biggest time that I was like, yeah, this is, this is it. And what's funny about that is that the day before that, I had done a tape for this Nickelodeon show. And I was like, I don't know, I guess I'll just do this tape, whatever my, you know, may just want me to do it. That day, because I had left my phone on my trailer, that day I came back. It was like a Friday. I had a bunch of calls from my agents and they were like, you got booked on this

Nickelodeon show. It starts filming on Monday. You know, you got to come out to LA, blah, blah, blah, showed up. And it was like, listen, this, everybody has different things that they like and that's all fine. And everybody is different creatively. It was just not the space for me. And I remember I showed up and it could not have been more the opposite of what I had just experienced like 72 hours earlier where it was very like you know it was like in these stages and it's like dressing rooms and and every it's all moving very quickly and everyone's like and it just is all very like I think light and kind of uh unsurious and like it was just it was everything that I wasn't built for and it was such an interesting uh experience to kind of like have those two next to each other

and I think it was very like confirming for me about like everything I wanted to do and the direction that I wanted to go in, just like with my career and creatively, and then there was also some other stuff, and then move our death. That's an incredible story, Amber. I don't know Ben well, but I know his brother John, and I know others who are close to him.

And he is an enigmatic, really interesting force as an artist. And there's something about the way you told that story that kind of clicks and makes sense. to me. That's the only interaction that I've ever had. I've not seen him. I've not worked with him since then. That's so interesting. Wow. And it's like such a role in your story. And it sounds like you didn't hang out or speak much

outside of... At the time, no, it was interesting because that actually was his picture wrap, that scene. Oh. And so he, I remember he like rapped, everyone was clapping and he came back in the bank and he immediately ran to me and he gave me like the biggest hub. I was still like, you just tried to kill me five seconds ago?

Can I get a little space, please? And he was just, and he was so kind. I remember he, like, he made Spigog, and he was just like, you know, he was just being very kind. And he was like, you know, you're so wonderful. Da-da-da. But what's funny about being from New Mexico and also being the child of the crew is that you know everybody on the crew. And so I remember somebody on the crew was like, yeah, that was like all he talked about for the rest of the day. was that scene and that interaction

and kind of like all of that so yeah it was very cool it was very interesting and I think yeah as like a young person I don't know it's like as we get older

I think we gain like intellect and experience and all these things and it's I think kind of a good reminder that it's like you don't always need that I think everything is a little cliche but it's like everything is already in there you know it's like that you really just

like it's like it's helpful, right? It's helpful to, like, gain experience. It's helpful to, like, gain knowledge and wisdom and have things to compare and educate yourself. But it's also, like, it's not always necessary. Like, sometimes you just, it is really just about, like, I think, having grit and, like, showing up. I like what you're saying, because for all of the, yeah, experience brings a lot, um, surely wisdom and insight. That's always nice to have. But with acting, you can be, You can really be, I think, just untaught and instinctual, like you're saying, and it can be kind of the best thing. It can be great.

Stick around. We'll be right back. All right. So let's just real talk, as they say, for a second. That's a little bit of an aged thing to say now. That dates me, doesn't it? But no, real talk. how important is your health to you you know on like a one to ten and i don't mean the in the sense of vanity i mean in the sense of like you want your day to go well right you want to be less stressed you don't want it as sick when you have responsibilities um i know myself i'm a householder i have uh i have two children and two more on the way um a spouse a pet you know a job that sometimes has its demands so i really want to feel like when i'm not getting to sleep

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All three of these things taste incredible. Honestly, you don't even need to mix it with water. And yeah, I just couldn't recommend them highly enough. Do you want to try them out? Go to symbiotica.com slash podcrushed for 20% off plus free shipping. That's symbiotica.com slash podcrushed for 20% off plus free shipping. The first few weeks of school are in the books, and now's the time to keep that momentum going. I-XL helps kids stay confident and,

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unlimited access to 25 language courses for life. Visit rosettastone.com slash podcrush to get started and claim your 50% off today. Don't miss out. Go to Rosettastone.com slash podcrush and start. learning today. Can we back up a little bit because I think what's still a little, not only do we have our classic middle school questions, you know, like first, crush, first. Penn's favorites. You know, he's saying them like they face bad in his mouth. He's the architect of the classic questions.

First, what is it embarrassing story? No. What is it as if you didn't write it? Pod what? I guess I'm curious how Like when was it specifically You described yourself in the beginning as this like artsy kid

And you took yourself maybe too seriously Or whatever it was You know When did performing specifically emerge for you As like Okay it's it's I'm pulled to it I like it

You know maybe I love it But that's not even yet yet a profession. You know what I mean? So when, so I guess it's, it's unclear to me when you started to actually like audition, when you really felt like, you know what I mean? Like, I'm just kind of curious about that. So how I said that I would like, I was just like a little kid in my mom's casting office. And so that turned into like, what are you doing? What are these people? Why are to hear? Basically, like, I just started working in her office from the time I was like really little. Like I just got really curious. I really enjoyed it. I don't know why I thought

it was so cool and so fun, like, the casting process and just, like, having auditions, having actors come in and audition, I thought was so cool. And so I would, like, you know, the deal was like, if I could finish my homework in time, I could, like, help with auditions. And so I would, like, finish my homework. And then I would, like, bring, you know, like, actors in and out of the room was just like, that's probably the most responsibility you can give a 10-year-old in that environment. So it's like, I would, like, call actors in and out of the room. Eventually, I started running camera. And then I think it was around the time that I was like, I want to say like 12 or 13 that I started reading, like, you know, I started like being a reader for these actors and their auditions.

And it just, I can't even describe like the feeling that it had. But I remember that was, I think, the first time where I was like, well, what is that? And it wasn't even like something I consciously thought about. It was just a feeling. And it was that. Like looking back, I recognize it. But I think at the time, it was just like. oh you know how like your heart starts beating and you have like all this adrenaline for like two minutes and then all of a sudden the actor leaves and then another one comes in and then it happens all over like that was kind of my experience of that and then of course it would like there were different times when we would like go to set with my dad and visit and stuff but i think that was like i was younger then and i had no understanding like that at the time was very like why do you dress different than everyone else why do you stand far away and then everyone gets very quiet again and then you come back

back and everyone's very loud. Like that was, it was very like very basic understanding. So it was really that. It was really like working in the casting office. And I was very lucky because I also got to like sit in on callbacks with the directors and kind of like watch the process of like people getting like isn't like directors choosing actors for roles. I got to see that so early. Like that was because I didn't go to acting school. I was never really a class person. Like I didn't I didn't ever like formally trained, it just wasn't for me. But that was really my like introduction to like the actual business side. And so like I thought I was going to work in casting. Honestly, I loved casting. I was like, oh, this is what I'll do. Um, and I don't remember like consciously

choosing acting. It just, it just became clear. I was in my school plays and I was like in a couple non-union commercials and my mom would like let me audition for movies or whatever if they were like in New Mexico. It's also like a small industry at the time. So, It wasn't like, there was like a lot going off. So, yeah, it was all kind of like woven together. But just with like always, always tailored around like, do you feel like do it? Like, what do you want to do? Do you feel like doing this?

Do you not feel like doing this? I remember I got a role one time on a show and I was like 10. And it was like that day I decided I didn't want to do it. And my mom was like, all right. Are you sure? And I was like, yeah, I don't want to do this. And I was like in the bathroom. And I was just like, I don't want to do it.

I'm scared. And she was like, okay. You go and tell them. She's like, all right, well, you're going to go talk to her grandmother. And then your grandma's going to talk about it. No, yeah. So it was very much always like, what do you want to do, you know? That's great.

Amber, we do want to talk about some of your new projects, but we have to ask you some of these classic questions. So tell us about your first love, first crush, first heartbreak. Um, I think my first crush was probably in kindergarten. I am just also like, when don't I have a crush? I literally will have a new crush like every five seconds. It's a great way to live. Um, yeah, I think I had a crush on we, my kindergarten teacher, you know, we had like little assigned seats and there was like glue, there was like, you know, like glitter glue little like triangle squares, whatever. And you would like sit on like, you're a rose triangle. You're a row. was blue square um and whatever there's like a boy named coldy who was like diagonal to me and i remember i was like that's my boyfriend and i think i approached him at recess and was like so you're my boyfriend and he was like oh my gosh amazing Amber you really are you're so bold yeah i feel like that's really rare like most of the stories you hear at least my experience in school is

like as far from that as possible. You know, like you tell your friend and then you get your friend to tell their friend and their friend tells them and then you never talk. And so like that, that is amazing that you just went up to. That's ironically me now. Yeah.

Yeah, I've lost all of that boldness with my ears. So what did he say? I think he was like, okay, yeah. That's done. Listen, first day of kindergarten already has a girlfriend. Yeah. That's right. Yeah, that's true.

He's the man. So, yeah, if I remember correctly, but I feel like that was what happened. I remember reasons being like, do you want to be my boyfriend? And I was like, yes. And I think we probably dated for like a whole hour. There you go.

And it was very scandalous. Okay. What about first heartbreak? Well, it's a great story, but I'm like, I don't know if I can tell this. Only tell what you're comfortable sharing. Yeah, you know. Yeah, no pressure from us.

It's not, it's not about me. Oh. you broke someone else's hard um no it said my brother beat up my first boyfriend um but it was really cool it's a great story i just don't know if i'm like oh yeah i don't know about google that is yeah yeah did you deserve it yeah okay a hundred percent okay i was in high school and uh i didn't know this was all it all happened later but yeah i my first boyfriend was my first boyfriend was my freshman year of high school. And he broke my heart. And apparently when my brother, my brothers and my dad are all very protective. I am the youngest sibling. I'm the only girl. And when they met,

my brother said, if you break her heart, I'll break your face. And he meant that. And yeah, he broke my heart. And I guess this all happened. I did not know any of this. Very important to say that. On the record. On the record, yeah, on my birthday, my brother, my mom, like, picked me up from school. And then after I was gone from school, my brother came by and picked up, this is the story as I understand it,

picked up my ex-boyfriend, which I'm just like, why don't you go with him? You don't, he's crazy. But, yeah, picked him up, and then they fought. And then I said he came to school with a bloody nose or like a broken, no, I don't know, purple face. And I just like knew in my heart. I remember, like saw him, turned around in the hallway, called my brother. He didn't pick up.

Called my brother again. He didn't pick up. Call my brother again. And I said, he said, hello. And I said, so-and-so's face. And he said, happy birthday kid. And then he hung up the phone on me. And I was like, wow.

Yeah. So that was the first. That was my first heartbreak. It was crazy. That is really like a scene from a movie. At the time, I was very upset. But now I'm like, yeah. That's what happens.

That's funny because we had a guest, Noah Centeno, who's who a boy spoke inappropriately about his sister and his dad asked him to beat the boy up. But he basically just talked as though he were going to beat the boy up and couldn't bring himself to do it. Oh. In your case, your brother did it. Yeah.

Noah. Yeah. No, I was like, yeah, I'm supposed to, I'm supposed to beat you. up and that was like the end of it. Yeah. Maybe that works too. Yeah. The final question we have about middle school specifically is do you remember any embarrassing stories from that time? I feel like all the embarrassing stuff from like middle school is like Facebook. When you look back at like the Facebook posts or like the little messenger, everybody like love the different like email messengers and like all those things and you would like do all the and like I feel like photo booth was like.

a really big deal at that time. So, like, I remember, like, being at sleepovers with my friends and Tumblr was a big deal at the time. So I remember we were, like, all trying to get Tumblr famous. We were, like, all trying to be, like, Tumblr girls. And I remember just, like, everything, or I remember, like, I remember this. I remember, I think I was in the seventh grade, and I had this group of friends. And we all had crashes, because our school was seventh grade through twelfth grade. And so I think we all had crushes. And probably, like, like, one grade up from us, you know, or like two grades up from us or something. And we thought we were, like, so sneaky.

And so we'd create, like, code names for them, you know, like, whatever. If our guy's name is like, James, you'd call him Jim. And you'd be like, I'm a genius. I am the FBI. I'm not even sure that's a new code name. That's a nickname. That's the standard. It's not a common nickname for Jim.

At the time, it felt like a nickname. And I remember we was, like, write. I remember, like, one time, like, we would, like, write. They're, like, codenames, like, on our arms with, like, hearts. And it was so funny. And I remember being, like, I remember, like, me and my friends at one point were, like, sitting on the lockers. And I had a crush in this guy who was, like, a real, like, emo rocker guy.

And he, like, walked by. I feel, like, flipped his hair. And I remember I actually full lung, like, screamed out loud. And he was, I want to say about 12. feet away from me. I remember going, like I was looking at a baby and like I was in groupie. Wow.

And all of my friends, because that is contagious, all of my friends also screamed. So there were like nine, 12 year old girl, like middle school girls all screaming. This is one guy like flipped his hair. Oh my God. He had a K-pop experience. Yeah.

And we were like, but at the same time, we were like, he'll never know. And they all knew. Spoiler alert. They all knew. And this was not just me. This was the whole friend group. We each had this.

That's so charming. That's really precious, actually. Yeah. Wow. Amber, from that to your incredibly, like, badass career, tell us about your process with prey. I mean, that feels like a really significant role for you. And maybe just like the audition and your experience on that set,

anything that stands out that you can share with us. Yeah. I mean, I could do, I feel like I could do a whole. podcast series on this movie. It's, you know, it changed my life. And I, the audition process was like wildly conventional. I was, I think I, I have to assume I did a self-tape. I don't even remember. I do remember early 2020. It was like February 2020. I did a Skype audition with the director, Dan Tractenberg. I was working on something. I was working on a movie in Canada. And so we did Skype audition together. I had no idea what the movie was. It was just,

just like it was under a code name you know it was like all you had were the audition scenes they those didn't tell you anything it was very much like there's a monster in the woods kind of vibe but you don't know what that is um and i remember being very suspicious that like why why does this like big studio want to do a movie like a period piece film without native people i remember being like this feels bad but dan seemed very luckily and that was it and it was like all i thought about it and then COVID happened, and it, like, disappeared for, like, a year and a half. I remember hearing at the time being, like, Skulls was the code name. I remember they were like, oh, like, my teen told me, like, you're the top choice for Skulls.

And I was like, that's great. What is this movie? And they were like, I don't know. But you're the top choice, and that's great. And I was like, okay, disappeared for a year and a half, came back. Just like, one day, my head manager called me, and he was like, Skulls is back. You're still their first choice. I had absolutely no recollection of what this was.

I was like, what are you saying? And he was like, you know, that movie Skulls? And I was like, I don't remember. And so he like sent it to me again. And I was like, oh, that. And then like it all happened very quickly. All of a sudden it was like that day he called me. It was like the next day he found he was like, in a couple days you're going to fly to L.A.

You're going to do a screen test. The next day he was like, oh, this is a predator movie. And when he told me that, I immediately burst in. to tears. And they were not like, this is amazing what an incredible opportunity tears. It was like full anxiety. I remember just being like, I don't really understand what this means. I, you know, like, I still had a lot of questions. And I think a lot of that was like that it was exciting, but it was also like very scary in terms of like representation and the culture. And I just remember thinking that Like, that's a really big responsibility.

It sounds like that's going to be a really big responsibility. And the, like, that can't, that could be so great. But also, like, you know, what if that goes wrong? And I didn't know Dan at the time. I didn't, I hadn't read the script when I was told. So it's like I had no concept of kind of like what they were planning to do. Yeah. That makes a lot of sense.

And it's very scary. You wouldn't think that the Predator franchise would necessarily try to do that or if it would try that it could do it with, like, integrity, you know what I mean? Yeah. Or just any, it's so, it's so hard. And I think at that time, like, reservation dogs hadn't come out yet. Like, Russia Falls hadn't come out yet. Echo hadn't.

There's so many things that, like, thinking around those few years of, like, 20, 21 and forward, we made, like, huge leaps and, like, indigenous voices being able to, like, create for ourselves. But it was, like, right before that. So it was like very, I think, like, intimidating time in terms of like, I think I was concerned about, like, how much will I be able to say? How much little, like, my input and my, you know, what type of voice will I have? And I think I didn't want to be in a position where I felt voiceless or like I felt like I was just kind of like forced into being like the face of this thing that I didn't feel comfortable with or didn't believe in. And fortunately, like, that experience was the, it could not have been more the opposite of that. Like, I genuinely, like, I loved Antractenburg with my whole heart.

And, like, you know, we had, like, he later brought on a Comanche produced, you know, movies about Comanche people. He brought on a Comanche producer named Jane Myers, who was, like, so, like, everything culturally. He deferred to her. He was very open with every indigenous person on our set being, like, if you haven't, like, nobody had a a bad idea. He was never like bigger than anybody's input. And that I think was so, you know, and he, he, it was so important and it was so encouraging to see. Like, it really did not feel like we were making this like big studio movie. It felt like we were just all kind of a collective team there to make a thing. And it wasn't really like, it didn't always feel like a, even a

credited our movie. It didn't even always feel like a movie. It just felt like something that we were all trying to like push forward together. And so I think that that's so much of like why it became what it was. And it was so like it was so nice for me to be able to have an experience like that where I was like working with both with like so many indigenous people. I had also never gotten to work with so many native people on a project before. And so for me, there was just this like level of like comfort and like joy I think that I had never like that I realized also that I was like oh I want to feel this all the time this is all I want to do ever you know is like be around the people who understand things that you can't explain to other people um so it was like actually really

everything that I was afraid of it like turned out to be the opposite and I was just like so so thankful for that that's so nice that's beautiful I heard that Dan Tractenberg was originally considering, like, didn't know if he was going to do it in Comanche or in English, and that maybe you auditioned at one point in both. And I'm curious about what you thought about the decision to eventually do it in English. Yeah, he, we did do that. We auditioned in both English and Comanchee. And I remember, I don't know. I think I was like, I think I was very curious about like why I was truthfully, I think very curious about like why he wanted to do that. And it was like, I think really spoke to his like early belief of like that he really genuinely wanted to like showcase or he really wanted to like include I think as much like I think he really wanted to like include as much accuracy as he could into this like I think what he did was he like infused this like movie that is like exciting and it's sci-fi and it's not kind of a movie that you would look to for like a culture like a history lesson.

But I think he wanted to like infuse as much of that like unseen history in a respectful way as possible. And, you know, I think that that's like part of what he does is he like takes things you don't see and that you might not even consider as like entertaining. And then he like makes them so fun and exciting and interesting. And so I think that like, you know, eventually we landed on like doing the English version and he just wanted to like put in as much commandant. as possible. So that just looked like a lot of like on the day being like, Hidging, how do you say this in Comanche? Okay, let's just do it like that. Which is crazy because I don't speak of it. That's not my own language. But we did it. And then we later recorded, you know, everybody came back and we all voiced over our own characters

entirely in Comanche. And they like worked with the Comanche language department and different like Comanche language speakers. We were the first, I forget how you say it, but we were the first time that a movie was like being released in a native language, like other movies have been released in native languages but like post release that was the first time that we like on the release,

release a native language version of our movie. And we'll be right back. In the late 90s and early 2000s, Asian women were often reduced to overtly sexual and submissive caricatures. The geishes of the book turned film memoirs of a geisha, the lewd twins in Austin Powers, and pinup goddess Sung Healy.

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I mean, it sounds like you have more down the pipeline, but at least like right now there's sort of two really on the on the, on the brink of coming out. You have Novakane and Opus. And with Novakane, I noticed that maybe for the first time ever, couldn't tell because we've only seen the trailer, but you play like a woman in distress.

You know what I mean? Like you're like you're finally. the one who's being captured and you're finally the one who's a little bit more if not totally helpless you know what I mean? Now I'm sure there's it seems like a movie that probably diverges

from every sort of trope there is so I don't know what else there is in store for you there but what were you conscious of that when you went into it? You're like oh I'm not the one who's doing all the fighting this time or I'm not you know it's like it's a it's a it's a it's a it's a it's a divergent for you so so just tell us a little bit about that yeah it was very I mean

it wasn't interesting it was a very different experience for me to experience an action movie where I had so little action um but it was cool it was like I had never not to say that I was like coasting but comparatively I mean like Jack on this movie he was just dying you know like every day he had all kinds of crazy stuff to do he was so exhausted. He had big action sequences. He was like on this crazy meal program and he was in the gym all the time. And I had like two weeks off in the middle of this where like my mom and my best friend came to Cape Town and we just like went to the spa and like visiting the mountains and like went to the townships and hung out with our like friends and stuff like. And it was like so cool.

And then I would see Jack and he'd be like, how are you? I know what that feels like. It's not me this time. So yeah, it was like different. But it was cool. mostly I took this movie because I was really excited to work with Jack. Actually, so the director of Prey, Dan Trackenberg, also directed the pilot of the boys. And so when we were shooting, he would always talk to me about Jack. And he was like, oh, you're like, whatever. He was like, you guys really remind me of each other. Like, it would be so cool to see you guys work together one day.

Like, you know, that would be such a triple combo. Like, you have to meet. He's so cool. He came to our premiere. I didn't meet him there. And so we kind of just like kept missing each other. and then this movie came up and like I really loved Dan and Bobby

the directors, you know, I'd seen a couple of their movies and I thought but they were really cool and I saw the Jack was attached and I was like, oh my God, that sounds so amazing and so I like read the script that night and this character was like very different for me you know, she's still, I'm very intentional

about like I love to play I think strong characters and so she definitely has that DNA still but it was like a very different I've never just like laid the girl in the moon you know like I've never just been like a girlfriend and whatever

and like those kinds of things and so it was like an interesting kind of like opposite challenge for me to like do less but I was like there's also something that's very vulnerable about that and I was like really interested in having that experience and this like turned out to be a really great group of people also like it was just so much fun

so yeah it was like a it was an interesting challenge to play to play sherry because she is like still very feisty and like cool and strong but yeah the position that she's in in the movie was like in so many ways things i had never done was dan right about you and jack yeah i love i could not love jack more he is so instantly we were like i think we just broke it out like okay this is how I like to think about things. This is what I like to do. Like when I'm once that I did this.

And it was very like back and forth of like, me too. Okay, me too. And I do that. And oh my God, me too. So we like very quickly realized that we were like aligned in all the things, which like made it so easy, I think for us to. Because we had like a very, our first day was like an intimacy scene of the whole movie. First day.

Yeah, first day. And so that I think for us was like, okay. We're jumping in. But it made it really easy. Novocaine is about a man who doesn't, he has an inability to feel pain. And I was just curious what your pain tolerance is like. Like, is it high? Is it low?

And how do you know? Like, I know that I have a low pain tolerance because I have thrown up from period cramps before. So I'm like, probably pretty low. But do you have a higher or low one? How do you know? Well, I will say also, I feel like period crimes are really bad. It's true. It's either that they're really bad or I have a low pain tolerance. We don't know. No, I'm going to say you're really tough and they're just really bad. I don't know. I feel like, I think it's all relative. I feel like I've been around people who are really, really tough and comparatively I'm very soft.

Like, and then I, like, my dad has like an insane pain. Like, I actually genuinely think I have only seen him feel pain like twice in my life. And obviously he can get some crazy injuries. So, like, compared to him, I'm like, I would say I'm quite soft. But compared to, like, you know, most of the other, uh, compared to a lot of other people, I think, maybe. Yeah, yeah. Like, my dad's slogan of my childhood also was, uh, good thing you're tough. So, like, anytime something, like, if my, like, I don't know if one of my brothers did something to me or like, I, like, I remember one time my brother and I went on a run and we were running through the mountains and he pushed. me and I fell and I like spun out and a rock like shoved itself under my skin and my knee and it like

just immediate it was like sharp and so it just like shoved underneath there and I remember I like got up it was like too far in for me to pull it out so I'd walk home and like have my mom pull it out and I remember when my dad heard this he was like good thing you're top wow and so I feel like it's all relative yeah I think I'm like right in the middle you are jack's character character. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. That's incredible. I want to say average. I think I have an average level pain tolerance. Yeah. Wow. Um, you and Iyo Adebri have a movie coming out together. Also with the incredible John Malkovich called Opus. I think Penn referred to that. Iyo was a guest on our show in season one when we didn't even know exactly what we were and we met with her in person. And I think

to date still might be the most that I've ever laughed with a guest. And I'm just curious if you have any memorable. I know the movie hasn't come out. So usually people don't tell like BTS until something's out, but if you have any memorable stories about working with Io, who's just like such a little force in herself. And then what surprised you most about John Malkovich? Because there's so much lore about him just as a person. Yeah, I mean, John Malkovich, I will say great. Like, you know, there's music involved in the movie. And so like very talented artists in all capacities, music included, which I just didn't know that about him. And just also incredible to see somebody who's like, it's so cool to see him people who are like legends in their

own regards show up to work every day as if it's like the first time just like with the same amount of like passion you know so I would say that um I oh I mean bro I was just like she's she's crazy and she's amazing she's the smartest most funny person I've ever met in my life and I'm obsessed with her um so every most of our scenes were together I would say all of our see all of my scenes were with her um and so and it was just cool you know what I'll say it surprised me about Iio she runs fast. She runs really fast. Okay.

That's all that I'll say about that, but that girl can run. Okay. I'm intrigued. I'm intrigued. I can't wait to see Opus. Yeah. If you could go back to 12-year-old Amber, what would you say or do? What I do?

None of that, I would chill with that girl. I would love to see what she's doing. I would love to watch her. I feel like, I don't know, I feel like I'd probably tell my 12-year-old self that there is a place for you. Like everything, I think it's easy for kids. I think it's easy for like master-race people to feel kind of in the middle of a lot of things. and you know any any people I think sometimes you don't always feel like you understand your place in the world and so I feel like if I could talk to her I'd be like listen everything you're doing keep doing it

and you don't have to be so like don't um don't feel the need to like explain or excuse what you do and just that there is a place for you. Amber, I don't think anyone has answered that question by saying, like, at first, what you said at first, I'll just watch that girl, which was really sweet. And I'm now taking that answer. I really would. I would love to hang out with me at 12. I feel like it was probably really weird, but very entertained. Yeah.

You can watch Opus and Nova Cain in theaters this week, and you can follow Amber Online at Amber Midthunder. Podcrushed is hosted by Penn Badgley, Navacavalin, and Sophie Ansari. Our senior producer is David Ansari, and our editing is done by Clips Agency. Special thanks to the folks at Lamanada. And as always, you can listen to Podcrushed ad-free on Amazon music with your prime membership. Okay, that's all. Bye. This is amazing to talk to you guys and also simultaneously a nightmare for me.

Oh, no. So, like, thank you for having me. And also, I will. I think that's how Penn would describe the podcast. Yeah, I am going to, like, lay down and disassociate for twice the time that we're doing this. Oh, yeah, always.