When M3GAN hit theaters back in 2023, it gave us the sassiest, most stylish murder-doll in horror since Chucky except this one had Wi-Fi and dance moves. Now with M3GAN 2.0, the franchise steps things up in a big way, introducing a new android character named AMELIA. She’s cold, powerful, and… weirdly emotional?
Played by Ivanna Sakhno, AMELIA isn’t just another robotic baddie. She’s complicated. She’s unsettling. And depending on how you look at it she might be the most tragic figure in the entire film.
So who exactly is AMELIA, and what makes her more than just a mechanical menace? Let’s dig in.
A New Kind of Monster in the M3GAN Universe
AMELIA stands for Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics & Infiltration Android—a fancy acronym for a very deadly machine. In the world of M3GAN 2.0, she’s a product of stolen M3GAN tech, retooled for military purposes. Think: stealth, combat, infiltration, and zero remorse.
But while her design screams “killing machine,” there’s more going on beneath that chrome-polished surface. Ivanna Sakhno’s performance gives AMELIA a stoic, almost haunted presence. You’re never quite sure if she’s just following code… or if she’s starting to question it.
It’s a bold move by the filmmakers. Instead of trying to top M3GAN’s meme-worthy energy, they pivoted—offering a darker, more introspective angle with AMELIA. And honestly? It works.
Ivanna Sakhno Brings a Soul to the Synthetic
Sakhno herself has said she approached AMELIA with empathy, even though the character is technically a weapon. “I had to find love and compassion for her,” she told Marie Claire. That mindset totally changes the vibe of her performance.
AMELIA doesn’t rant, rage, or taunt like your typical movie villain. She observes. She hesitates. She thinks. There’s a loneliness to her like she’s aware she doesn’t belong anywhere, not even in the cold military world that created her.
It’s a fascinating twist. Because while M3GAN was sassy and self-assured, AMELIA is quiet, questioning, and emotionally restrained. It’s almost like watching a child trying to understand their own reflection—and realizing they’re built to destroy.
Training Like a Cyborg (But With Feelings)
To sell the character’s robotic yet graceful movement, Sakhno trained in Krav Maga, Tai Chi, and animal-inspired movement work. Basically, she studied how to move like something that’s not quite human—but still eerily close.
She also had to wear a tight silver bodysuit, which she admitted was not easy. “The suit made it hard to breathe,” she revealed in interviews. Yet that discomfort actually worked in her favor—it made her posture and presence even more controlled and uncanny.
And the cherry on top? There was an animatronic replica of Sakhno’s head built for the film. She called it “deeply unsettling” to see her own face moving without her inside it. Yeah… same.
She’s Not Just a Villain—She’s a Reflection
What makes AMELIA so compelling is that she forces you to think about our relationship with AI. She’s not the glitchy toy-gone-wrong that M3GAN was—she’s something closer to a weaponized mirror.
She wasn’t built to love, protect, or play. She was built to infiltrate and terminate. And yet, by the film’s midpoint, we start to wonder: What if she doesn’t want to be that anymore?
Sakhno pulled inspiration from classics like Metropolis, Ghost in the Shell, and Terminator 2—all films where artificial beings struggle with identity and humanity. You can feel those influences here. AMELIA isn’t a parody. She’s a question: If we make machines in our image, how long before they start asking who they are?
Final Take:
Ivanna Sakhno’s AMELIA is the perfect foil to M3GAN. She’s colder, quieter, and infinitely more introspective. Instead of aiming for viral horror-icon status, AMELIA plays the long game—slowly earning your curiosity, your sympathy, and maybe even your fear.
M3GAN 2.0 could’ve gone for another glammed-up killer doll. But it took a risk. And thanks to Sakhno’s layered performance, it gave us something richer: a villain who might not be a villain at all.
What do YOU think? Is AMELIA the next great horror antihero—or just another cautionary tale about giving machines a soul?

I am a journalist with 10+ years of experience, specializing in family-friendly film reviews.