IN CONVERSATION WITH AVIANNA MYNHIER

interview by JANA LETONJA

Avianna Mynhier is entering a bold new chapter. After earning recognition for her work on The Walking Dead and Blue Ridge, the rising actress now steps into the global franchise arena with Disney+’s sci-fi action series Armorsaurs, which premiered this February. As Paloma, one of five elite teen pilots selected for the classified Armorsaurs Program, Avianna takes on her most physically demanding and internationally expansive role yet, signaling a dynamic evolution in both her craft and career.

Armorsaurs marks a major leap into global studio franchise work. What drew you to the role of Paloma?

I love her duality. On the surface, she’s sharp, stylish, and sarcastic, the girl who always has a comment ready. But underneath that, she’s deeply intelligent and observant. She doesn’t arrive fully formed. She grows into herself and her leadership. Getting to play a sparky character with true growth inside a massive sci-fi world with armored dinosaurs? Count me in.

How would you describe Paloma’s personality and her place within the team of elite teen pilots?

Paloma is the girl who will save the world and drop a perfectly timed one-liner before the dust settles. But underneath the sarcasm is a razor-sharp mind. She’s always scanning the room and reading dynamics. Over the course of the first season, her intelligence becomes a superpower and she steps into being a real anchor for the team. She has a really close bond with her sister Prisca and her dinosaur Blaze.

Did stepping into a large-scale franchise shift the way you approach your craft compared to more grounded, prestige television projects?

It expanded it. On a grounded drama like The Walking Dead, there was a lot more stillness, tragedy and gore. In a franchise like Armorsaurs, we’re serving a completely different audience of kids and their families, so the world is more bright, louder, energized. There’s emotional truth in both genres, but I definitely tried to calibrate my acting to the audience. 

The series was filmed on location in South Korea. What was that experience like both professionally and personally?

Filming in South Korea was foundational to the show’s DNA, especially since our show is inspired by the 2021 South Korean original series Armored Saurus. Getting to be immersed in the culture that birthed the concept was incredibly special.

Professionally, I learned so much from our Korean camera crew and how they operated with such precision and professionalism. I’d say it elevated our whole team. Personally, I fell in love with life in Korea — late-night karaoke, Han River sunsets, discovering new food, feeling completely safe walking through the city at any hour. It’s a very special place.

You underwent intensive physical preparation for Paloma. What did your training routine look like?

I focused on weight training before we filmed so I could feel my strongest. Paloma is an action hero so I wanted her physicality to reflect that. Training, for me, is also about mental sharpness. It helps me get my mind clear and ready for the day. Movement refreshes my energy, brings new ideas and helps me focus. 

In VFX-heavy projects, much of the world is built in post-production. How do you maintain authenticity in scenes where so much is imagined?

You’re absolutely right. Everything was imagined, but we really wanted to hold onto as much authenticity and sincerity as we could, so I tried to ground myself in thoughts like “What does she stand to lose? Who is she protecting? What’s at stake emotionally?” I’d zoom in on my scene partner and envision the reactions of our dinosaurs in great detail. I tried to focus on the heartbeat of the scene so that when the fantastical elements were added in post-production, the audience still felt emotionally invested. 

You’ve worked on projects like The Walking Dead and Blue Ridge, How has your journey through those series prepared you for Armorsaurs?

The Walking Dead and Blue Ridge taught me about tension building, emotional specificity, and humanity. The tone of those shows are very different from Armorsaurs, but they gave me the experience to walk into the challenge of green screen acting with wonder, instead of fear. This calmness helped me stay open and playful. Working on those series also helped me be aware of audience – “Who are we making this for? What delights them?” Building the world of Armorsaurs for kids and families on Disney+ made me really think about how to bring joy and humor to any moments I could. 

Outside of character wardrobe, how would you describe your own aesthetic right now?

Interesting question. I’d say I’m really into color, texture, mixing and matching patterns, and clothes that feel special. I love finding pieces when I travel too, then the garments carry memories.

What keeps you grounded when you’re not on set?

Family, learning new things, travel. I love to read, explore new cities, remind myself how big the world is and how much there is to learn. You get so zoomed into a project on set, so I try to zoom out afterward and reconnect with all the people I missed while I was filming.

As you enter this new phase of your career, what kind of stories, and what kind of characters, do you hope to portray moving forward?

We’re living in such a rapidly changing world, I’m drawn to stories that engage with all the new technology, social norms and ways of life we’re stepping into with AI, digital identities, space exploration, etc. Storytelling has the power to help us process it all. 

I love portraying women that live boldly. Women with strength, complexity and resilience. I’m very drawn to projects that push my boundaries and challenge me technically, emotionally and/or comedically. 

TEAM CREDITS

talent AVIANNA MYNHIER
photography RYAN TUTTON
interview JANA LETONJA
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA