Amie Donald

{{Infobox person

| name = Amie Donald

| image = Amie Donald Photo Op Nightmare Weekend Richmond 2024 (cropped).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Donald in 2024

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of dates|12|2023|01|16|13|2023|3|20}}

| birth_place = New Zealand

| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|dancer}}

| years_active = 2021–present

| height =

}}

Amie Donald (born 2010){{Cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/m3gan-horror-interview-amie-donald-killer-doll-dancer-1850234441|title=M3GAN Star Amie Donald on Dancing Her Way Into Our Nightmares|date=20 March 2023 }} is a New Zealand child actress and dancer known for starring as the title character in the 2022 horror film M3GAN.{{Cite news |url= https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-01-07/m3gan-movie-horror-puppet-animatronics-dance-amie-donald |title=Puppets, fake tears, an 11-year-old dance phenom: How 'M3GAN's' killer doll came to life |first=Jen |last=Yamato |date=7 January 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=19 January 2023}}{{Cite news|url= https://www.insider.com/m3gan-dance-scene-not-in-original-script-megan-2023-1 |title=The viral dance scene in 'M3gan' wasn't in the original movie script |first=Kirsten |last=Acuna |date=8 January 2023 |work=Business Insider |access-date=19 January 2023}}

Career

Donald is a dancer{{Cite news |access-date=19 January 2023 |url= https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2022/10/new-zealand-child-dancer-the-star-of-a-new-horror-movie-trailer-that-s-been-viewed-by-millions.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221012224915/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2022/10/new-zealand-child-dancer-the-star-of-a-new-horror-movie-trailer-that-s-been-viewed-by-millions.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 12 October 2022 |title=New Zealand child dancer the star of a new horror movie trailer that's been viewed by millions |work=Newshub |first=Darren |last=Bevan |date=13 October 2022}} who has performed in international competitions. She represented New Zealand at the Dance World Cup in 2019, where she was the first competitor from her country to win medals: a silver and a bronze. She dances at Norris Dance Studios in Papakura.{{cite news |last1=Sharma |first1=Heena |title=Meet the cast of M3gan, a sci-fi horror movie set to hit theatres today |url=https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/meet-the-cast-of-m3gan-a-sci-fi-horror-movie-set-to-hit-theatres-today-549971 |access-date=19 January 2023 |work=WION |date=6 January 2023}} Kylie Norris, her long-term dance teacher and choreographer, developed the M3GAN dance scene with her while filming was done in Auckland.{{cite news |last1=Monteil |first1=Abby |title=Meet the Mastermind Behind the M3GAN Dance |url= https://www.them.us/story/m3gan-choreographer-kylie-norris-interview |access-date=19 January 2023 |work=Them |date=17 January 2023}}

Donald began her acting career by appearing as Maya Monkey in the Netflix TV series Sweet Tooth in 2021.{{Cite news |last=Tsintziras |first=Aya |date=6 October 2022 |title=M3GAN: Everything We Know So Far About The Upcoming Blumhouse Horror Film |url= https://gamerant.com/m3gan-everything-know-upcoming-blumhouse-horror-movie/ |work=Game Rant |access-date=19 January 2023}} She is represented by the Bubblegum Talent Agency.{{Cite news |last=Tisdale |first=Jennifer |date=12 October 2022 |title=James Wan's Obsession With Dolls Continues With 'M3GAN' — Who Is Playing the Titular Role? |url= https://www.distractify.com/p/amie-donald-m3gan-movie |work=Distractify |language=en-US |access-date=19 January 2023}}

In the 2022 film, M3GAN, Donald starred as the titular character alongside a cast with Allison Williams and fellow child star Violet McGraw.{{Cite news |last=Panaligan |first=EJ |date=11 October 2022 |title='M3GAN' Trailer Introduces a Killer Robot Child Thirsty for Blood and Mayhem |url= https://variety.com/2022/film/news/m3gan-official-trailer-james-wan-blumhouse-1235399234/ |work=Variety |access-date=19 January 2023}} The trailer for M3GAN went viral due to significant coverage regarding Donald's dance moves and physicality as the killer doll in the film. Donald received movement coaching for the film from Jed Brophy and Luke Hawker. The character's voice in the film was provided by actress Jenna Davis. In the film, Donald "performed her own stunts and co-choreographed the killer dance sequence from the film that went viral on TikTok". Donald also surprised directors by figuring out how to do certain difficult movements on her own, such as a "cobra rise" from the ground without using her arms, and running through the woods on all fours.{{Cite news |url= https://www.slashfilm.com/1160132/m3gan-actor-amie-donald-did-her-own-creepy-stunts-including-running-on-all-fours/ |title=M3GAN Actor Amie Donald Did Her Own Creepy Stunts, Including Running On All Fours |first1=Danielle |last1=Ryan |first2=Hannah |last2=Shaw-Williams |date=11 January 2023 |work=/Film |access-date=19 January 2023}} /Film wrote of Donald's acting that "it's that human performance that really takes the creation from mildly creepy to terrifying... much of M3GAN's physicality came directly from Donald". The Hollywood Reporter noted that Donald and co-star McGraw became close friends during the filming.{{Cite news |url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/m3gan-film-allison-williams-blumhouse-horror-robotic-doll-1235278317/ |title='M3GAN' Premiere Featured Eight Look-Alike Dolls Dancing to Taylor Swift Song in Now-Viral Moment |first1=Chris |last1=Gardner |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=9 December 2022 |access-date=19 January 2023}} Donald reprised the role for the 2025 sequel, M3GAN 2.0.{{cite web | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/m3gan-cult-status-queer-fans-1236261540/ | title=How 'M3GAN 2.0' Doubled Down on its Very Gay, Very Online Fanbase | website=The Hollywood Reporter }}

Personal life

Donald lives in Auckland, New Zealand.{{cite news |last1=Casey |first1=Alex |title=Meet the New Zealand girl behind the creepy viral M3GAN dance |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/16-01-2023/meet-the-new-zealand-girl-behind-the-creepy-viral-m3gan-dance |access-date=19 January 2023 |work=The Spinoff |date=16 January 2023}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ Television and film roles
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \|Notes
2021–2024 \|Sweet Tooth \|Maya Monkey / Wolf Boy #2 \|
2022 \|M3GAN \| rowspan="2" \|M3GAN \|Film
2025 \|M3GAN 2.0 \|

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Television and film roles

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" |Notes

2021–2024

|Sweet Tooth

|Maya Monkey / Wolf Boy #2

2022

|M3GAN

| rowspan="2" |M3GAN