M3GAN 2.0 star Ivanna Sakhno explains how she brought horror villain AMELIA to life and what it was like having a creepy animatronic version of herself on set: "I cannot begin to tell you how unsettling it is"

Ivanna Sakhno as AM3LIA in M3GAN 2.0 — (Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Move over M3GAN, there's a new doll on the block called AMELIA, and she’s even bigger and badder than the original AI doll. But despite AMELIA, a military grade weapon made for murder, being the villain of M3GAN 2.0, star Ivanna Sakhno says she was able to find the humanity in the AI bot.

"Frankly, after reading the script, I found that she was deep, and I felt compassion towards her," Sakhno tells GamesRadar+. "Even though on the page you see her as a villain, there are lots of things to I think, for us as humans to resonate with and for women as well. I found a whole life within her, even though she's an AI."

In M3GAN 2.0, AMELIA (Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics and Infiltration Android) is made from M3GAN’s stolen tech and created for the sole purpose of destruction. But, much like M3GAN, when she becomes a little too self-aware, AMELIA starts to rebel and seeks revenge on anyone who has anything to do with her creation, including Gemma. This forces Gemma to rebuild M3GAN in order to destroy AMELIA.

However, there is more to AMELIA than meets the eye. Despite all of the carnage, all AMELIA wants is to find where she belongs. Sakhno says this resonates with AMELIA’s "ache of being raised in an unsettling environment." The star adds, "Even though she was created as AI, there are certain aspects of her that you can just see and resonate as a human."

Ivanna Sakhno as AMELIA in the M3GAN 2.0 trailer — (Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Feeling sympathy for a robot is no new thing. The debate over whether or not an AI has real feelings just because they are programmed to replicate and respond to human emotions is still ongoing, and most definitely explored in M3GAN 2.0. But we have seen this on screen before, just think back to how you felt when you saw Ava trapped behind the glass in Ex Machina. In fact, the A24 movie did serve as inspiration for Sakhno’s take on AMELIA, as well as Terminator, and "very understandably, Metropolis," adds the star.

However, feeling sorry for AMELIA didn’t stop Sakhno from being majorly creeped out by the robot’s presence. To achieve certain scenes, an animatronic version of Sakhno was built, and often acted alongside her on set. "I cannot begin to tell you how unsettling it is to see a being that looks exactly like you do," says Sakhno. "I felt like I was out of my own body, just a spirit looking at myself. And she moves. She blinks. I mean, her mouth moves. She has my freckles, you know, it's a crazy, crazy thing."

When asked if she got to keep any of it, the star replies, "I might have, yeah. I happen to be a very sentimental person, and I do keep stuff from set as a way to travel back in time." And what about starring in any further M3GAN movies? To that, the star says, "You know, if it feels right to expand her journey… I will be there to support her and continue to tell her story."

M3GAN 2.0 is out in theaters now, but before you reunite with the diva doll, make sure to read our M3GAN 2.0 review first. For more, check out our list of the best robot movies, or keep up with upcoming horror movies by reading our guide.

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.

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