Elizabeth Saunders on Donna’s Darkest Moment Yet in ‘FROM’ Season 4: “Someone Had Written My Fear”

By Klep Napier | Wearecritix.com

One of the reasons FROM continues to resonate with audiences is because beneath the monsters, mysteries, and increasingly terrifying revelations, the series never loses sight of its characters.

Every season asks its residents to confront something darker than the creatures lurking outside their doors. Fear. Loss. Isolation. Grief. Desperation. The supernatural horror may draw viewers in, but it’s the human experience underneath that keeps them invested.

Few characters embody that balance better than Donna.

Portrayed by Elizabeth Saunders since the series began, Donna has become one of the emotional anchors of Fromville. She's the protector, the realist, and often the person willing to make the difficult decisions nobody else wants to make. But as FROM enters its fourth season, audiences are seeing new layers emerge beneath that strength.

When we recently sat down with Saunders, our conversation focused on Donna’s continued evolution, the unique challenges of performing within one of television’s most mysterious shows, and why Episode 6 forced her into one of the most emotionally difficult places she's encountered during her time on the series.

The Mystery of FROM Continues to Shape Its Characters

One of the fascinating aspects of FROM is that the uncertainty audiences feel every week is often shared by the cast themselves.

Unlike many television productions where performers have a clear understanding of their character’s long-term destination, FROM thrives on unpredictability. New mysteries constantly emerge, answers remain elusive, and character arcs evolve in unexpected ways.

For Saunders, adapting to that approach required a significant shift.

Coming from a theater background where actors often know the full story from beginning to end, stepping into a production built around uncertainty wasn't always easy. Over time, however, she discovered that the lack of answers became one of the most rewarding aspects of the experience.

“Not knowing kind of freaked me out to begin with, but I really like it now because it's sort of organically finding its way.”

That philosophy feels remarkably similar to the experience of watching FROM itself. Rather than forcing characters toward predetermined destinations, the series allows them to evolve naturally through the circumstances surrounding them.

And nowhere is that more evident than with Donna.

Across four seasons, she has transformed from a hardened survivor into one of the show's most emotionally layered figures. While her toughness remains intact, the burden of leadership continues to leave visible scars. Every loss, every impossible decision, and every new threat slowly adds weight to a character already carrying more than most.

Watch Our Full Interview with Elizabeth Saunders

Elizabeth Saunders joins WeAreCritiX to discuss Donna’s journey, the challenges of filming Season 4, and why Episode 6 became one of the most personal storylines she has tackled on the series.

Continue reading or watch our full interview via YouTube:

Spoiler Warning: Episode 6 Takes Donna Somewhere Dark

Warning: The following section contains spoilers for Episode 6 of FROM Season 4.

Following the devastating events of Episode 5, Episode 6 places Donna in one of the most emotionally vulnerable positions audiences have ever seen her face. For a character who has spent four seasons serving as the backbone of Colony House and one of Fromville's strongest survivors, watching her suddenly become vulnerable is genuinely unsettling.

What makes the episode so effective isn't simply the medical emergency itself. It's the fear surrounding it. After suffering a heart attack, Donna is forced to confront something she cannot fight, negotiate with, or simply power through with determination and grit. The situation strips away the control she has worked so hard to maintain, exposing a level of vulnerability rarely seen from the character.

That reality made the storyline particularly difficult for Elizabeth Saunders.

During our conversation, Saunders revealed that Donna's health scare touched on a deeply personal fear she has carried for years. Rather than approaching the episode as just another acting challenge, she found herself navigating emotions that felt uncomfortably close to home.

"It was sort of like someone had written my fear."

It's a powerful statement, and one that helps explain why the performance lands with such authenticity. The fear, uncertainty, and emotional exhaustion viewers witness throughout Episode 6 aren't simply rooted in the script. They are grounded in a genuine emotional connection to the material itself.

The result is one of Saunders' strongest performances of the series. Because beneath the mystery, monsters, and mythology of FROM, the show's greatest strength has always been its ability to make fear feel human. In Episode 6, Donna's battle isn't against the unknown horrors of Fromville. It's against something painfully real, and that's what makes it so unforgettable.

The Strength of Donna Has Always Been Her Humanity

What makes Donna such an important character isn't that she's fearless.

It's that she continues moving forward despite her fear.

Throughout the series, she has become a symbol of resilience for both the characters trapped in Fromville and the audience watching at home. But FROM has always been at its best when it reminds viewers that strength doesn't mean invulnerability.

Season 4 continues exploring that idea.

As the mysteries surrounding Fromville deepen and the emotional toll on its residents grows heavier, characters like Donna become increasingly important. They represent the fragile humanity still fighting to survive amidst impossible circumstances.

And according to Saunders, that's one of the aspects of the show she finds most compelling. While audiences often focus on the mysteries, the heart of FROM remains its people and how they evolve under extraordinary pressure.

That evolution continues to be one of the show's greatest strengths.

Why Season 4 May Be the Show’s Most Emotional Yet

One thing became clear during our conversation: Saunders is just as excited about this season as the fans are.

The actress laughed while admitting that enough time often passes between filming and release that she finds herself rediscovering the story alongside the audience. But even with that distance, her enthusiasm for Season 4 was undeniable.

And honestly, it's easy to understand why.

The season continues pushing both its mythology and its characters into unfamiliar territory. Questions are being answered. New mysteries are emerging. Relationships are being tested. And emotional wounds that have been building for years are finally beginning to surface.

For Donna specifically, Episode 6 may represent one of the most significant chapters of her journey yet.

Not because it answers questions.

But because it asks her to confront something far more difficult.

Herself.

Watch FROM Every Sunday

New episodes of FROM Season 4 premiere every Sunday exclusively on MGM+.

Fans can stream new episodes weekly on MGM+ and catch up on previous seasons now available on the platform.