Amie Donald can currently be seen playing the role of Maya Monkey in the second series of Sweet Tooth, having played three different hybrids in Series 1, with all episodes releasing on Netflix in April and the show recently announcing a third and final series. In the science fiction horror film M3GAN, Amie stars as the titled character M3GAN (voiced by Jenna Davis) alongside a cast including Violet McGraw as Cady, and her M3GAN dance in the film went viral. As well as acting, Amie is a competitive dancer, having started from a young age, and she has represented New Zealand at competitions such as Dance World Cup in 2019. We caught up with Amie, who told us about playing Maya Monkey in Series 2 of Sweet Tooth, playing the titled character in science fiction horror film M3GAN and her stunt work on both projects.

You have joined the cast of Sweet Tooth for Series 2 as Maya Monkey, can you tell us about your character and how was it getting into costume?

Maya is a cheeky, playful, clever character. Loved getting into costume, it felt comfortable and the prosthetic side didn’t take long each day.

How much did you know about Sweet Tooth before auditioning and what drew you to the role?

I didn’t know anything about Sweet Tooth. When we came across the audition it sounded like a fun project to work on. I played three different hybrids in Season 1 and was asked to audition for Season 2 for Maya Monkey.

What was the show like to work on and what did you enjoy most about playing Maya?

Maya’s character was fun. I enjoy trying new styles of characters and it was especially fun to do my own stunts and to be with the other hybrids on set.

How have you found the experience having Maya as your first major role in a TV series?

I have learned a lot through playing the character. I was fortunate enough to learn some ASL (sign language), got to do my own stunts and had loads of fun “helping” with puppeteering.

How does it feel now Sweet Tooth Series 2 has been released and who do you think will enjoy watching it?

It’s nice to finally see the finished product and I think everyone will enjoy it. Can’t wait for Season 3.

Last year, you starred as M3GAN in the science fiction horror film M3GAN, what are some of your favourite memories from filming alongside the rest of the cast?

My favourite memories were the friendships I made with cast and crew. I especially loved how much fun it was working with Violet McGraw. We have still kept a close friendship since filming finished.

Do you remember what it was like finding out you’d booked the leading role of M3GAN?

I was in shock and excited at the same time. It really took a while to sink in.

How did you prepare for your role and what was M3GAN like to play?

I had two movement coaches, Jed Brophy and Luke Hawker, who helped with the robotic side of M3GAN, and my dancing skills helped with the flexibility of her movements. I liked that in the movie, the more time M3GAN spent time with humans, the more human her movements became.

What do you feel you learnt from your time working on the project and was there anything you found most challenging about playing the character?

My biggest challenge was the mask. I could only wear it for 30 minutes at a time or the eyes would fog up and I couldn’t see. Other than that I found her character and movements really fun to do.

Did you have a favourite scene to film and how was it on set?

That’s a difficult one, there are a few favourites. One was the fight scene with Bruce the Robot and another favourite scene was the hallway (dance) scene because I got to do what I love.

How did you feel watching M3GAN for the first time and how has it been seeing the fan response to the release and the viral clip of the M3GAN dance?

Loved how everything was pieced together and how the animatronics, Jenna’s (Davis) voice and my movement brought M3GAN to life. The fan response was just crazy. I love watching fan’s repeat the dance on TikTok.

We understand you did stunt work for your roles in both M3GAN and Sweet Tooth, what this was like to do?

I loved all the stunt work. I was very lucky to have two great stunt teams on both projects. I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

You are also a competitive dancer, and represented New Zealand at the Dance World Cup in 2019, can you tell us about your dance career and do you have a favourite aspect of being a dancer?

I started dancing at five years old. My favourite genre is jazz and contemporary dancing. I also love that I can use acrobatics in my dancing.

Where does your love of acting and dance come from and how did you get into the industry?

I kind of fell into acting by accident. It wasn’t something I had thought about. I love dancing, have been since I was five years old. My dance teacher, Kylie Norris, said I should get an agent because I was good at expressing myself on stage and eventually we did, which paid off because I found a new interest in acting.

What are some of your favourite films and TV shows to watch and how do you like to spend your free time?

Love spending time on my trampoline and with our animals. My favourite TV series is Stranger Things and I love any action movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, anything Marvel. I hope to be in a Marvel movie someday.

Do you have any projects coming up that you can tell us about and what are you hoping 2023 brings you?

I do, but nothing I can talk about just yet.

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