Prey's Amber Midthunder Reveals The Terrible Advice She Was Given Early In Her Career

"Prey" is the first "Predator" movie in a long time that has gotten audiences to care just as much about the human characters as they do for the franchise's central hunter alien. Much of that feat primarily owes to the film's lead, Amber Midthunder, who portrays Naru, a fierce Comanche hunter who steps up to protect her tribe from the Predator. The star's performance has attracted a lot of praise, particularly by Rotten Tomatoes critics for "Prey," many of whom have noted it as a highlight of the film.

Midthunder's breakout role in "Prey" has proved to be nothing short of a launchpad for her career, quickly propelling the actress from modest success into bona fide stardom. However, it's a far call from the trajectory that certain parties originally suggested for the 25-year-old back when she first entered the realm of professional acting. In fact, the "Prey" star actually received a particularly abysmal snippet of career advice in those early days.

Amber Midthunder might have been hanging around with Mickey Mouse instead of the Predator if she had heeded certain advice given to her early in her career. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress explained her rocky entry into professional acting. The star moved to Los Angeles at 17 to become an actress, but talent agencies had a specific idea in mind for her path forward.

"[Agencies] were like, "Okay, you can go on the Disney Channel," Midthunder said. "And I was like, 'No, no, no. That is a skill for a lot of people, but that's not a skill that I have. I want to cry. I want to feel horrible things through my art. I want to suffer!' And they were like, 'That's cute. Go do Disney.'"

It's true that many celebrities started on Disney Channel. Zendaya, Miley Cyrus, and Selena Gomez are a few major names that starred on the kid-friendly programming network. However, Midthunder's refusal to jump into the House of Mouse paid off. The actress eventually landed her role in "Prey," a property more tonally suited to her tastes than any sitcom (even if Midthunder didn't initially know she was auditioning for a "Predator" film).

"I think setting eyes on her for the first time, seeing her behavior and hearing her speak, you just sort of immediately connect with what she's experiencing," "Prey" director Dan Trachtenberg told CinemaBlend. "And that can't be done by everyone."