FROM interview: Elizabeth Saunders on Donna’s Fatima dilemma
Coming off of this weekend’s FROM season 3 episode 8, it is so easy to feel for Donna — just as it is most of the town! After all, she is now in a position where she has to contribute to some hard decisions when it comes to Fatima, a Colony House resident who she has known and cared for a rather long time.
Of course, the death of Tillie is just one of many struggles that the character is facing, as it has been an emotionally tumultuous season in between heated debates as to how to escape the community. (That is, if there even is a way for most parties to make it out.)
SUBSCRIBE to Matt & Jess on YouTube for new FROM videos every week!
Below, the fantastic Elizabeth Saunders (who plays Donna) breaks down some key events from episode 8, while at the same time working to set the stage for some incredible stuff coming up the rest of the way.
Matt & Jess TV – We are coming out of episode 8 now, and we’re seeing Donna struggle immensely with what is happening to Fatima. What is her headspace like now?
Elizabeth Saunders – I think it’s really terrifying for her, how to cope with the [fact] that someone you believe in has done something wrong, even if they may have been out of their control. You don’t know.
She puts on this tough persona — the head of Colony House, someone that a lot of people look to. Then, earlier on this season, you, as Donna, have this incredible scene with Boyd where you start to break down a little bit. At this point, is she on the verge of cracking? How is she holding all this together?
I think she is on the verge of cracking. She’s been crumbling and crumbling, but you don’t know when Donna is going to actually crumble. She’s just someone who keeps coming back in because she goes, ‘that’s life.’ You will crumble, but then you will come back and you will deal with it.
Is there something about her experience before Fromville that makes her more adaptable than almost anyone else? She’s good at rolling with the punches.
I think the background that [creator] John [Griffin] and I talked about with Donna is that she comes from a place where you survive.
We’re now in a position where there are just a couple of episodes left, and things are insane and we really don’t know what’s going to happen. Obviously you can’t say much, but what would you say about where things are going entering these final episodes?
Complete crazy-town (laughs). Not for Donna specifically, but it’s going to get crazy.
Is there something in the finale that will make people somehow more excited for a season 4, even though it hasn’t been renewed yet?
I think there is something, but I’m not going to reveal anything beyond saying that.
When it comes to playing Donna, what do you know long-term? Are you just finding out things as the scripts get released?
Oh yeah. We find out as the scripts come out. I’ve had some conversations with John back in season 1, mostly to make sure I am where they want her to be, and to understand a bit about what he’s written. But he doesn’t give a lot away!
He watches us, too. I think a lot of good writers watch the people in the room and what’s working for them. But no, I have no clue [on what’s to come].
Related – See more on what transpired on FROM season 3 this week
What do you think we are going to see for Donna through the rest of FROM season 3?
Be sure to share right now in the attached comments! Once you do just that, come back for some other updates.
This article was written by Jessica BunBun.