Amber Midthunder is an American actress, martial artist, and cultural trailblazer who has become one of Hollywood’s most compelling young talents. She is best known for her critically acclaimed starring role as Naru in the 2022 film Prey, a prequel to the Predator franchise.
Born: April 26, 1997
Birthplace: Shiprock, New Mexico (on the Navajo Nation)
Raised: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Amber Midthunder was born into a family with deep roots in the entertaiment industry. Her father, David Midthunder, is an actor of Hunkpapa Lakota, Sisseton Dakota, and Sahiyaiyeskabi (Assiniboine) descent. Her mother, Angelique Midthunder, is a casting director and stunt performer who was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand, before being adopted to the United States.
Despite their careers in Hollywood, Amber’s parents were intentional about giving her a normal childhood. They never pressured her into show business, and she wasn’t even fully aware of their careers growing up. As Midthunder recalled in an interview with Timid Magazine, she would go to her mom’s office after school to do her homework in a Disney princess tent they had set up for her.
When she eventually caught “the acting bug,” her parents were supportive and provided what she describes as “a wealth of knowledge.” Before her acting career took off, the young Midthunder explored various interests, including makeup artistry and Brazilian jiu-jitsuβskills that would later serve her well in her action-heavy filmography.
Related: Top 50 Most Beautiful Actresses in the United States
Amber Midthunder’s Ethnicity and Heritage
One of the most distinctive and meaningful aspects of Amber Midthunder’s identity is her rich, multicultural heritage. She is a citizen of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribe through her father’s side.
Paternal Heritage
- Native American:Β Hunkpapa Lakota, Sisseton Dakota, and Assiniboine
- European:Β Norwegian and English ancestry
Maternal Heritage
- Asian:Β Thai-Chinese ancestry
- European:Β English ancestry
While many know Midthunder primarily for her Native American Indigenous representation, she has been increasingly vocal about her Thai-Chinese heritage. As she told Timid Magazine:
“You don’t look at me and think I’m part Asian. When it comes to Native representation, there’s so many people who claim to be when they’re not. I know that’s not my situation, but I’m very sensitive to not wanting to take up space where other people may have a deeper background to be speaking. I’m very proud [to be Asian] and I’m learning how to navigate and connect to it publicly.”
Midthunder has grown closer to her Thai roots through multiple visits to Thailand, including an extended trip while filming the second season of AppleTV+’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. She spent time with family in Bangkok, connected with locals, and even volunteered to help with the city’s street dogs. One particularly emotional moment occurred at a Buddhist temple in Thailand, where she was brought into the “Thai only” section to pray and give offeringsβan experience that moved her to tears.
“When people from your communities are proud of you or champion for you, it means something,” Midthunder said. “It’s just a bit deeper and more emotional. It’s being seen in a way that doesn’t have to do with any career accomplishments or anything. It’s just you with your own people.”
She has since updated her Instagram profile to include both her Native tribal affiliations (Nakoda/Lakota/Dakota) alongside “Thai,” a small but significant gesture of pride in the full spectrum of her identity.
Career
Early Beginnings
Midthunder’s acting career began in childhood with her first credited role in the 2008 film Sunshine Cleaning. She worked on various productions in New Mexico before making the bold decision to move to Los Angeles at age 17 to pursue acting full-time.
Television Career
Midthunder has built an impressive roster of television credits, including:
| Show | Role | Network/Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Legion (2017β2019) | Kerry Loudermilk (series regular) | FX |
| Roswell, New Mexico (2019β2022) | Rosa Ortecho (series regular) | The CW |
| Longmire | Recurring role | A&E / Netflix |
| Banshee | Guest appearance | Cinemax |
| Reservation Dogs | Guest appearance | FX on Hulu |
| Avatar: The Last Airbender | Recurring role | Netflix |
| Monarch: Legacy of Monsters | Recurring role | Apple TV+ |
Breakthrough: Prey (2022)
Midthunder’s star-making role came in 2022 when she starred asΒ NaruΒ inΒ Prey, directed by Dan Trachtenberg. The film, a prequel set 300 years before the originalΒ Predatorβfollows a young Comanche warrior who must protect her tribe from one of the first Predators to land on Earth.
The performance was widely praised for its nuance, physicality, and authenticity. Prey became Hulu’s most-viewed premiere ever and was the only film in the Predator franchise to win an Emmy Award. It was also met with overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics.
“There were people who were not super warm to that original idea [of a Native American story],” Midthunder reflected. “[Then it came out and] people really liked it, which is only proof that minority people have so much to offer. We have important stories to tell about our culture.”
Film Career Highlights
- Sunshine CleaningΒ (2008) β First credited role
- Centurion: The Dancing StallionΒ β Early film role
- The Ice RoadΒ (2021) β Opposite Liam Neeson
- PreyΒ (2022) β Breakout starring role
- Dream ScenarioΒ (2023) β Supporting role
- NovocaineΒ (2025) β Female lead/love interest opposite Jack Quaid
- PainterΒ β Upcoming project requiring Muay Thai training
Novocaine and Beyond
In the romantic action-comedy Novocaine, Midthunder plays Sherry, the love interest to Jack Quaid’s Nathan Caineβa man who cannot feel pain but risks everything to save her after she’s taken hostage by bank robbers. Midthunder found the role refreshing because there was no reference to Sherry’s ethnicity; she simply existed as the female lead.
“Movies like Novocaine are important for diversity because you should be used to seeing a face like mine in the position of the female lead/love interest. There’s nothing that justifies me being there other than I’m me.”
Her co-star Jack Quaid praised her effusively: “Not only is she a powerhouse performer, but she’s just the greatest human being. She lights up every room she’s in… She’s simply the best, and if I had my way, I’d keep working with her until I’m dead.”
Awards and Recognition
Midthunder’s work has earned her recognition from both mainstream and community-specific organizations:
- Gold House A100 ListΒ (2023) β Recognized as one of the most impactful Asians and Asian Americans
- CAPE Radiance Rising Star AwardΒ β Honored by the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment
- Emmy AwardΒ βΒ PreyΒ became the onlyΒ PredatorΒ franchise film to win an Emmy
Related: Inside Sadie Sinkβs Rise to Fame in Hollywood
Personal Life
Relationship Status
Amber Midthunder maintains a notably private personal life. She is not married and does not have a husband. Some reports have linked her to River Thomas, a model and social media influencer, though she has not publicly confirmed or discussed her current relationship status in recent years.
Interests and Skills
- Martial Arts:Β Midthunder has studied martial arts since childhood and continues to train. She has practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu and is currently training in Muay Thai for upcoming projects.
- Thai Culture:Β She is a proud user of the Thai herbal inhaler “ya dom,” an aromatherapy product popular in Thailand, which she uses to relieve stress during filming and press tours.
- Studio Ghibli:Β She is an avid fan and has expressed her dream of playingΒ Princess MononokeΒ in a live-action adaptationβa role that would honor both her Indigenous and Asian heritage.
- Romance Films:Β Despite being known for action roles, her favorite films includeΒ Past LivesΒ andΒ Blue Valentine, and she aspires to lead a romantic comedy or dramatic love story.
Advocacy and Legacy
Midthunder is deeply committed to improving representation for Indigenous peoples, Asian Americans, and mixed-race individuals in Hollywood. She has been intentional about the roles she takes since the start of her career, noting:
“I’ve always been very intentional about [my roles] when I first started acting. I knew I didn’t want to get stuck [in a stereotype].”
She advocates for both culturally specific storytelling and for people of color to simply exist in everyday narratives without their ethnicity being the focus. Her work in Prey demonstrated the commercial and artistic viability of Indigenous-led stories, while Novocaine showed that diverse actors belong in any genre without qualification.
When reflecting on the legacy she hopes to leave, Midthunder’s focus is forward-looking:
“When I think about legacy, I actually think about children. I think less about myself and more about the people who come after me. I just hope whatever I do in some small way or another, I’m helping the people who will come after me. Whether it’s my direct future children and grandchildren or younger Native girls or Thai girls or mixed race girls who come behind me in the industry, I want it to be easier for them.”
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