SPOILER WARNING: The following contains spoilers for FROM Season 2, Episodes 1-10.
Donna doesn’t mess around. As one of FROMville’s most seasoned residents, she stands apart as the strong, intelligent mother figure. Season 2 has seen Donna, played by Elizabeth Saunders, both soften up and extend her leadership skills. Elizabeth Saunders sat down with me to chat about Donna’s journey, a bit about her life before getting trapped in the town – and just what might happen next after that season finale twist!
Kelsey Yoor: First things first. How satisfying was that scene in Episode 9 with Randall (played by A.J. Simmons) and the Cicadas? Because I felt joy.
Elizabeth Saunders: Super, super satisfying, but also I was like, UGH! (Laughs) I thought it was so effective, but it was very satisfying.
KY: And now that twist or revelation at the end of the finale with Tabitha (played by Catalina Sandino Moreno), what was your reaction and how do you see the story going forward from there?
ES: You know we all kind of had a “what the fuck?” moment. Like, we all touched each other. Go, What? Where did John [Griffin, series creator] get that? What?” (Laughs) So I love it. I think it’s epic.
I really don’t know [what may come next], but I would imagine, as a mom, one would want to get to their kids. So how do you get back in? And I haven’t seen it yet. I’ve just, you know, read it.
There are always things in the show that when I actually see it on screen that I’m like, “Oh!” The way it’s shot… Like even if there are no special effects, it’s like, “Oh, that’s true the way they shot this – that’s got a creepier feel!” Or something looming. So, I have yet to see it but I’m so excited. I can wait to be like, “Where will this go? Oh my God.”
KY: Speaking of, if we get a Season 3, is there anything you’d like to see for Donna? Anything in her story arc?
ES: Yeah, you know, there are a lot of things – and I will first say that I think that whatever I can imagine and desire, John likely has something more interesting up his sleeve.
So I’m happy to kind of gamble. But you know, I do love that this season we added in her love and empathy, and her ability to see, you know, see Ethan (played by Simon Webster) – this is not just another person, but this is a small child that needs reassurance; that we learn that about Donna, that she can slow right down, she can go, “Okay, I’m going to, I’m dealing with the individual here rather than the big picture.”
Same with Fatima (played by Pegah Ghafoori). I’d love to see the progression of that story, the pregnancy, and how Donna’s hopefully a part of it. I would love more – always more – with the conflict with Boyd (played by Harold Perrineau). I would love to see that relationship become even more complex. Yeah. I’d love more stuff with Scott McCord.
KY: He’s so good.
ES: Yeah! And, Jade (played by David Alpay) and you know… I see that happening last, but I’d love to revisit some Donna and Victor stuff. That would be nice. I would be happy if Donna had some kind of crisis that wasn’t necessarily town related, that may branch her out a little bit. Like something kind of shitty and scary to happen, but she survives, always survives! (Laughs) Yes, with a guaranteed outcome.
KY: Actually, speaking of learning more about Donna, who she is and what she’s like deeper this season, do you know any more of Donna’s backstory than what has been shared? Or do you have any of your own ideas about her past?
ES: Yeah, a little bit. Not a lot that, you know, that I feel confident enough about sharing, but I will say what has not been revealed that John shared with me when we first started is that her family was a survivalist family. So she’s been raised in a tradition of being a part of knowing how to survive. And I think it was just her, her sister and her mom, so a really heavy female influence.
For me [as an actor], my relationship with and the loss of my sister fires my engine more often. That’s Liz’s. That’s not something that I was told was a part of my backstory, but it’s something that… I just don’t know how you watch your sibling be eviscerated and not let that live in you every single day. Especially when you stood by and watched. What were you gonna do though? I think, you know, even when we go, “what are we gonna do?”… Like as a mom – as a mom in real life – like sometimes we have things that I go, “oh, I should’ve done that better – it’s my fault that [happened].” And then I realize or someone has to remind me, no, it’s not your fault, it’s gonna happen. And I feel like that town, too, really exploits that feeling of, like, guilt and trauma and just runs with it. So yeah. One little ounce of negative emotion, and you’re out.
And I think that may be at the heart of why it has resonated with people, because I think it’s written with great empathy. It’s a frightening show, but in my view, it’s not written from the perspective of wanting to frighten the audience. I think John is addressing the fact that human beings meet fear all the time.
KY: Man, that was beautiful. I think that’s the perfect way to sum up the entire show – thanks for the poetry!
ES: That’s how I feel about it. I find it very moving that way, you know? But it also is entertaining enough that some people can watch it without having to think that way. But it does definitely resonate on a deeper human level.
KY: I think that’s what’s really compelling about horror sometimes, is you can kind of tell these deeper, darker human stories through a more accessible lens. And Donna, I think is such a fantastic archetype for that. So very, very glad you made it through the end of Season 2.
ES: Me too. Very hopeful to see more of Donna in Season 3!
All episodes of From Seasons 1 & 2 are streaming on MGM+.
Article content is (c)2020-2023 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram.
Follow Kelsey Yoor on Twitter at @itskelseyytime and on Instagram at @itskelseyytime.
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