'Carrie' star Amber Midthunder talks Prime Video series

Even though she's taken down a predator and prey, the predators in high school, they're even tougher. And that's what our next guest squares off with in the new series. Carrie. I'm talking about Amber Midthunder, who plays a gym teacher in the Prime Video series. Carrie, ladies, how long have I been talking about Carrie? Forever. Thank you. It's an eight-part reimagining of the classic movie and novel. Here's Amber trying to help the teen after she was bullied in the locker room shower and dealing with some political red tape. Chris Hargensen was leading the charge when I walked in. Is that true? Did Ms. Hargensen push you into the showers? I don't know. Why don't you head down to the nurse's office and just get checked out. Do you know where that is? Okay. That's it. I can't spend the entire gym class. Those girls were out of control. I thought you said you didn't see any. I saw enough. With this show, please welcome Amber back from Prey to Prom. Yeah. I mean this show had me. I stayed up all night binge those eight episodes downloaded Hot and Freddy's Shy Girl. I mean, this show has It's been a hook for everybody, including you, right? Yeah, I love, I mean, I'm so proud of this show. It's so nice, I was just telling you, like, it's so nice to promote something that you're genuinely so proud of, just from, like, top to bottom. I'm so proud to be a part of this cast and just all of it. And, you know, a lot of people, the purists, they're like, wait a minute, I love my Sissy Spacek, I love my original OG 1976 Carrie, and I, too, love that. But, man, oh, man, when you have Mike Flanagan's name attached to the title, you know. No, it's not only in good hands, he is going to restore it, but also reimagine it in the best way possible. Yeah. I mean, look, I think everybody is a fan of the original, but also have you met Summer Howell? Oh my gosh, Summer Howell was amazing. Yeah, Summer Howell, Sam Sloyan, I mean, it was amazing, like, I think for all of us to just come to work every day and not only do we like love each other, but also to have such great admiration for your peers, really. Created an environment, I think, that you can feel watching the show, which is that everybody wanted to come to work every day and give everything they had. And they sure did, because you forgot it was Summer. You saw Carrie. You forgot it was Sam. You saw her mom. I mean, I really thought that you were a PE teacher at that school. And you guys just really committed to your role so much that so many people thought you were those roles. That poor girl that plays Chris Hargensen in the show. Some people were commenting on her posts on Instagram. I mean, that is a testament to how good of an actress she is. But everyone, it is just a show. It's not a reality show. Also ironic for a show that is about cyberbullying because then cyberbullying. Yeah, guys. But it's such a good show and it's so binge worthy that I have I binged it twice and I'm sure you're hearing from fans that you can binge this a second time and catch some Easter eggs that maybe you didn't notice the first time around. Yeah, that's what's really fun about I mean Mike obviously I think Mike has cultivated this fan base that's so familiar with him and I think if you know his work or even if you don't he's so thoughtful about every single detail that I think he he creates an amazing It's been really fun to see all the people who watched it first so quickly and then have gone back now and are sort of pulling apart all the different things. Oh, yes. You have this beautiful gift as an actress where you can play tough, but you have a softness to you as well. And I really feel like we got to see that, especially in this role. Thank you so much. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that was something that I loved about this character was like, I've often gotten to play in the genre space or the action space, which I love dearly. Yeah, and you nailed it. Thank you. It's always very fun to me, but this is, I think there's a real as an actor, like an intimidation and simplicity. And there's something about this character that is she's so normal, you know, she's just She's just a woman in a new town and a new job trying to help these kids and maybe have a boyfriend. It's a very simple, relatable thing. And Mike writes all of his characters in such a full and beautiful way that I think that was a very fun and different challenge for me as an actor. Being a part of the FCU, I call it the Flanagan Cinematic Universe, there's a great photo of you guys all together, and I think it's his screening room at his home. Yes. Tell us about the bonds you had behind the scenes. Yeah, it's such a special. There it is. It's such a, there we are. Look at that. That's what we call the flannaplex. The flannaplex, nice. Yeah, we did, I mean, look, Mike loves to host many a movie night. We watched this, another night we did Scream for the wonderful Matthew Lillard. Yes. But yeah, we just like, it's such a special environment and show. It just, from the beginning, felt like nothing else. We had two to four weeks of rehearsals before we started, which is so rare and such a gift. And in that time, I think we really got to sort of bond and create this like family and this group that was not just there to support each other in work, but I've walked away from the show with friends that will be a part of my life forever. You're bonded. Yeah, absolutely. And I could see that for sure. And it's so funny to see the different ages that are enjoying the show. I mean, I'm a woman of a certain age and I can relate to so many of those high school themes Seems to in the original, your character actually slaps a student. Now, it's like the student is slapping you. Not today. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that was also what was so fun, right, is, like, this is a reimagining and, like, with each character was so thoughtful about sort of giving us the liberty to, you know, Create our own character and tell our own story while also giving all the fans everything that they love and that they know about Carrie. Oh, yeah, let's talk about another hidden star of the series obviously the cast obviously the creator with Mike Flanagan Obviously the lore of Carrie, but we've got to talk about the music Mm-hmm. He has curated quite the playlist to go along with this series Yeah, and I have to say I'm hot and Freddie right? Yeah I The Shy Girl, look it up. It is such a great song. It's featured in the last episode of the series. All throughout the series, actually. It is throughout the series. Well, I think I heard it extra. Yes, yes. Yes. But talk about the music. Did he help keep it light on set by playing some fun songs? I mean, did he introduce you guys to this group? It was a really cool, just in general, it was like such an amazing environment. And Mike is so open with all of his, sort of all of the way he works. He's so generous with his information. And I remember that we would all sort of go in because he edits his stuff himself. And so we would go in while he was editing and like just, you know, me and Allison and Sienna and Talia would just go and like sit on the couch in his office and just like eat our lunch and watch him edit. And I remember like, yeah, like hearing the music and going like, we also have like Kay Flay in the show. I love K.Flay, Hot on Friday, all these different like great artists. Lana Del Rey. Yeah, Lana Del Rey. When's it gonna be my turn? Exactly. I love it. It was very cool for all of us, I think, to get to see that early and then watch it come together. I'm telling you, I'm going to say it again. I've been saying it for weeks on this show. You have got to watch Carrie on Prime Video. All eight episodes of the series are available now. Amber McThunder, thank you so much, girl. You are bringing it. Thank you. It's appropriate you have Thunder in the name because your talent is roaring. Well, thank you. You're the town. Okay, we'll be right back.