A young mother’s “American Dream” turns into a living nightmare until she finds the inner strength to hear a voice she hadn’t heard before: her own. Donna : Stronger Than Pretty, featuring Kate Amundsen (“Shameless”) in an unforgettable performance, premieres on all major streaming platforms February 23 from Gravitas Ventures. We spoke to Amundsen about the powerful film and her terrific lead performance.
When did you begin acting, Kate?
I’ve been acting since I was a kid, putting on all sorts of productions in my parent’s basement with friends.
And what was the first paid gig? Frame that check?
Haha- I wish I still had that check! I got my first paid acting gig while I was still living in New Mexico when I was 12 or 13 for a commercial for a local political campaign in which I was paid $40 bucks! I later got my first SAG job for a Colgate commercial in 2008.
Did you have a mentor- someone who helped you brush up on the skills or got you in the door at meetings?
I was shy as a teenager, new to LA at 14, so I initially preferred modeling where I didn’t have to talk. My modeling agency recommended I sign with them commercially as well, which is how I met my commercial agent, Anna Rossi, who I am still signed with to this day. She encouraged me to take classes, and, upon booking my first commercial, I realized how thrilling being on set was. This encouraged me to further face my fears and take the whole thing more seriously.
And while auditioning, or testing for parts, did you have to work other jobs?
I began modeling in high school when I was 15. Since then, I’ve been very fortunate to have modeling as my consistent income, when acting jobs aren’t so consistent. I also worked summers as a “greeter” at Abercrombie & Fitch at the Grove in Los Angeles back in the day. My whole scheme was to work there and eventually get hired as one of their models, which worked! I shot their 2007 fall campaign with Bruce Weber in Austin, Texas.
How different did you find acting than sports?
Oh gosh, I love sports but I’m pretty terrible at most of them. I was always the tallest girl in school so I told myself that my height must be for a reason, since I was very insecure about it at the time. I loved playing basketball and volleyball on my high school team but never excelled. What I do love, however, (and dare say that I am good at) is tennis. My grandfather was a tennis champ and I’ve reconnected to the sport during the pandemic. I’d say acting and sports are very similar in that there is a definite performative aspect to both. My current acting teacher refers to sports quite a bit in class. My favorite line of his: “Practice how you play” – meaning practice as hard as you would play in the game. Class and auditions are just as important as an acting job.
Is one more exhausting than the other – I imagine they can be both physically-draining?
Wait, did someone tell you I’m a sports buff? Haha. I’d almost say acting can be more physically draining! Especially when you are portraying someone who’s had a troubled past or are dealing with challenging aspects in their life. I feel that I have to honor the role and do it justice by going to those places myself through exploration. This is all done safely of course! But in the end, doing a part justice is the most fulfilling part of this job, no matter how “draining” it might be.
And you’re the lead in DONNA- is that daunting?
At first it was, yes. It’s a huge responsibility and undertaking to take on our Donna’s life and the many women who’ve faced similar circumstances and do her and survivors everywhere justice, as I mentioned above. The script covered 3 decades and many important relationships in her life, (not only on her side of the family but on Nick’s) and each relationship deserved the time and care to develop. Fortunately, we had the time to cover our bases by starting with the staged reading, the short film and finally the feature. By that point, we were a pretty close-knit group and we felt confident as cast and crew to get it right.
You’ve won awards for the performance. Has it started opening doors for you?
I’m so thrilled the work I did on this film is being recognized- I’m very grateful. Playing the lead in a feature film, I think, is always a good thing in this industry. Even for my own psyche, knowing that I am capable and feeling proud of my work has been a huge game changer for me personally as well as professionally. Donna, in all aspects, has opened doors for me.
Is this the first time you’ve played a real person?
I suppose it is, yes!
Did the producers encourage any suggestions from the actors? Let you bring something to the character that wasn’t necessarily on the page?
As a producer on the film, I was very much involved in certain aspects. Jaret Martino (our writer, director and producer), Pat Branch (writer) and Stephanie Lindsey (costume designer) were generous with me from the very beginning as far as collaboration. In particular, Jaret encouraged Anthony (who plays Nick) and I to do some shopping, try things on to see what feels good and right, while also making it our own. I was also involved with the reworking of a few scenes, which was a lot of fun for Pat and I. It’s a delicate thing, as you never want to step on anyone’s toes, but I was always met with generosity and encouragement. It felt really good to be so involved and trusted in that way.
How is 2021 looking for you?
2021 is feeling really good at the moment! I am super excited to promote our film and get it streaming on all platforms. I have a few other films that are making the festival rounds this year so I’m excited to see where that goes, as well. I am also working on my own personal project that I can’t wait to share with the world.