Amber Midthunder’s full biography age, early life, breakthrough in Prey, net worth, and her rising Hollywood career as a Native American actress.
Amber Midthunder is one of Hollywood’s most compelling young talents, an actress whose rise feels both inevitable and historic. Born into an entertainment family and raised with deep ties to her Native American heritage, she spent years quietly building a formidable resume before the world finally caught up with her. Today, she is best known for her electrifying lead performance in the 2022 Hulu hit Prey, a role that announced her as a generational talent.
What sets Midthunder apart isn’t just her skill — it’s her purpose. She’s become a trailblazer for Indigenous representation in mainstream Hollywood, tackling roles with authenticity and gravity that few of her peers can match. From Marvel’s Legion to Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, her trajectory has been nothing short of remarkable.
Quick Facts About Amber Midthunder
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Amber Thunder Rose Midthunder |
| Date of Birth | April 26, 1997 |
| Age | 29 (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | Shiprock, New Mexico, USA |
| Profession | Actress, Producer, Writer |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux (paternal); Thai-Chinese (maternal) |
| Parents | David Midthunder (actor), Angelique Midthunder (casting director) |
| Net Worth | Estimated $1.5M – $5M (2024) |
| Famous For | Prey (2022), Legion, Roswell, New Mexico |
Early Life and Native Roots
Amber Thunder Rose Midthunder was born on April 26, 1997, on the Navajo Nation in Shiprock, New Mexico. She later spent much of her childhood in Santa Fe, where she attended the Academy for Technology and the Classics. Her family eventually returned to Shiprock, grounding her in a community that would profoundly shape her identity and career.
Her heritage is richly layered. Her father, David Midthunder, is an actor of Hunkpapa Lakota, Sisseton Dakota, and Assiniboine descent, and Amber is an enrolled citizen of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribe. Her mother, Angelique, originally from Thailand, is of Thai-Chinese ancestry and works as both a casting director and stunt performer. Her parents met on the set of the 1995 Japanese film East Meets West — a love story as cinematic as anything either of them has worked on since.
Growing up between two worlds — Indigenous American and the entertainment industry — gave Amber a perspective that would later define the characters she chooses to portray. She developed a love of acting early, memorizing and reciting lines from her favorite shows as a child. Before committing fully to acting, she also explored interests in makeup artistry and trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, skills that would serve her well in physical, demanding roles.
From Child Actor to Screen Presence
Amber’s first speaking role came at just nine years old, opposite Oscar winner Alan Arkin in the indie drama Sunshine Cleaning (2008). It was a small but meaningful start — working alongside experienced talent taught her the craft from the ground up.
Her television career gained real traction in 2012 when she appeared in Longmire, the Western drama series on A&E. Roles in Banshee and Hell or High Water (2016, alongside Jeff Bridges) followed, each adding texture to a resume that was building quietly but steadily. These early credits weren’t splashy, but they were formative.
Her first major breakthrough came with Marvel and FX’s Legion (2017–2019), created by Noah Hawley. Midthunder played Kerry Loudermilk, a mutant with a uniquely complex power set and an even more complex emotional arc. The role required her to carry physically demanding sequences alongside deeply emotional ones, and she delivered on both counts. Legion earned a passionate cult following, and Amber became one of its standout performers.
She followed that with a series regular role on The CW’s Roswell, New Mexico (2019–2022), where she played Rosa Ortecho. The show was a sci-fi drama reboot that built its own dedicated audience, and Amber held her own through multiple seasons of layered storytelling.
Prey and a Historic Leading Role
Everything changed in 2022. Amber Midthunder was cast as Naru, a young Comanche healer and warrior determined to prove herself as a hunter, in Prey — the fifth installment of the Predator franchise and its first prequel. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg and released on Hulu, the film became the platform’s most-watched premiere ever.
Critics were almost unanimous in their praise, and much of that praise was directed squarely at Midthunder. Her performance was physical, nuanced, and deeply felt — she carried an action blockbuster almost entirely on her own shoulders and made it look effortless. Prey also made history as the first Hollywood franchise film to feature an all-Native American cast and the first to release a full Comanche language dub.
For Midthunder, the role was personal. “It’s been such an emotional experience being with my own people, or other native people, and getting to see what this means to the people that it represents,” she said after the film’s release. Her performance earned her the Breakthrough Performance Award at the Saturn Awards and a Critics’ Choice Award nomination.
Princess Yue and Expanding Horizons
Off the back of Prey, Midthunder was cast as Princess Yue — the compassionate spiritual leader of the Northern Water Tribe — in Netflix’s highly anticipated live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024). It was a role she took with visible excitement, having grown up loving the original animated series. “I’m geeking out!” she told Empire magazine. “I loved Avatar as a kid. I rewatched it recently and I love that character.”
The series carried a production budget reported at over $120 million, placing Midthunder in one of the most high-profile genre projects on television. Her appearance across three episodes left a strong impression on both longtime fans and new viewers.
In 2025, she continued expanding her range with roles in the action-comedy Novocaine and the thriller Opus, demonstrating that she has no intention of being defined by a single genre or type of role.
Personal Life and Advocacy
Midthunder keeps her personal life largely private. She has been linked romantically to River Thomas, with the relationship becoming publicly known through social media. She has no children.
Beyond acting, she is a committed advocate for animal rights and environmental causes — issues she speaks about with the same directness she brings to her performances. Her Indigenous identity isn’t merely biographical; it actively informs the roles she pursues and the stories she wants to tell.
Net Worth and Career Earnings
As of 2024, Amber Midthunder’s net worth is estimated at between $1.5 million and $5 million. Her income comes primarily from her acting career, which spans two decades of television and film work. Series regular roles on Legion and Roswell, New Mexico, combined with the high-profile success of Prey and her subsequent projects, have placed her firmly in the upper tier of working actors her age.
Awards and Recognition
- Saturn Award — Breakthrough Performance, Prey (2022)
- Critics’ Choice Award — Nomination, Best Actress in an Action Movie, Prey (2022)
- Ellen Monague Award — Best Youth Works, short film #nightslikethese (2014)
Wrapping Up
Amber Midthunder’s career is a masterclass in patience and purpose. She spent over a decade developing her craft before Prey made her a household name — and when that moment came, she was more than ready for it. Her performance didn’t just launch a new phase of her career; it shifted what’s possible for Native American women in Hollywood.
What’s most striking is how intentional her journey has been. Every role, from Legion to Avatar, reflects an actress who knows who she is and chooses her work accordingly. She isn’t chasing stardom — she’s building a legacy.
With more projects in the pipeline and a growing platform, Amber Midthunder is far from finished. If anything, Prey was just the opening act.
People Also Ask
Is Amber Midthunder Native American?
Yes. Amber Midthunder is an enrolled citizen of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribe through her father, David Midthunder, who is of Hunkpapa Lakota, Sisseton Dakota, and Assiniboine descent. Her Indigenous heritage is a central part of both her personal identity and her approach to her craft.
What is Amber Midthunder most famous for?
She is best known for her lead role as Naru in Prey (2022), the Predator franchise prequel that became Hulu’s most-watched premiere ever. She also gained recognition for her roles in Marvel/FX’s Legion and The CW’s Roswell, New Mexico.
How old is Amber Midthunder?
Amber Midthunder was born on April 26, 1997, making her 29 years old as of 2026.
What other movies has Amber Midthunder been in?
Beyond Prey, her notable film credits include Sunshine Cleaning (2008), Hell or High Water (2016), The Ice Road (Netflix, 2021), Novocaine (2025), and Opus (2025).
Did Amber Midthunder win any awards for Prey?
Yes. She won the Breakthrough Performance Award at the Saturn Awards for her role in Prey and received a Critics’ Choice Award nomination for Best Actress in an Action Movie.
