You know those actors who just seem to have "it"? That weird, unquantifiable magnetism that makes it impossible to look away? Honestly, in the Thai industry, that person is Davika Hoorne. Whether you call her "Mai" or just recognize her from a random Gucci ad in Milan, she’s basically the gold standard for what a modern Thai superstar looks like.
She isn't just a pretty face. Far from it.
Her filmography is a wild ride through record-breaking horror, gritty Netflix thrillers, and historical epics that cost more than some small-town budgets. If you’re trying to navigate the massive list of davika hoorne movies and tv shows, you've probably realized she doesn’t really stick to one lane. She jumps from playing a legendary ghost to a cutthroat historical empress without breaking a sweat.
The "Pee Mak" Effect and Early Breakthroughs
Let’s be real: we have to start with Pee Mak (2013). If you haven't seen it, you're missing out on the highest-grossing Thai film of all time. Period. Davika played Nak, the ghostly wife of Mario Maurer’s character. Most people expected a typical jump-scare horror flick, but it turned into this weirdly touching, hilarious romantic comedy.
It earned over 1 billion baht.
That movie didn't just make her famous; it made her an icon. But before the ghost makeup, she was already grinding in TV dramas like Ngao Kammathep back in 2010. People forget she started as a "Channel 7 girl," which is basically the bootcamp for Thai acting. You're doing 15-hour days, filming while the show is already airing. It’s intense.
📖 Related: Big Brother 27 Morgan: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
Essential Early Career Milestones
- Ngao Kammathep (2010): Her debut lead role. She was just a teenager, basically a kid, but you could already see the screen presence.
- Tawan Tor Saeng (2012): This is where people started noticing her chemistry with co-stars was elite.
- Heart Attack (2015): Also known as Freelance. This movie is a mood. She played a doctor treating a workaholic graphic designer, and her performance was so understated and "human" that it swept the awards circuit, including the Subannahongsa (Thailand's Oscars).
Why Her Recent TV Shows Feel Different
Fast forward to the 2020s, and Davika has moved away from the standard soap opera (Lakorn) tropes. She’s picking projects that feel much more "global." Take 6ixtynin9: The Series on Netflix. It’s a remake of a classic Thai film, and she plays Toom, a woman who finds a box of cash outside her door during a financial crisis.
She looks exhausted in it. Baggy eyes, messy hair—it’s a total 180 from her red-carpet persona.
Then you have The Empress of Ayodhaya (2024). This show was massive. She played Queen Sri Sudachan, and the production value was insane. It’s one of those shows where the costumes alone probably cost a fortune, but she managed to make a historical figure feel relatable and, honestly, kinda terrifying.
The Project Everyone’s Talking About: Claire & Belle (2025)
If you’re keeping up with Thai entertainment news in 2026, you know Claire & Belle is the big one. There’s been a ton of buzz because Davika and her long-term partner, Ter Chantavit, reportedly put about 40 million baht of their own money into the production.
That’s a huge gamble.
👉 See also: The Lil Wayne Tracklist for Tha Carter 3: What Most People Get Wrong
It’s a "Girls' Love" (GL) series, which is a genre that’s been exploding in Thailand lately. They actually built a full-scale prison set from scratch just for this show. It’s not just a romance; it’s a gritty, high-stakes drama. It shows that she’s moving into the "mogul" phase of her career, where she’s producing the stories she wants to tell instead of just waiting for a script to land on her desk.
Navigating the Davika Hoorne Filmography
If you’re new to her work, don’t just watch everything. Some of the early stuff is a bit melodramatic if you aren't used to Thai TV styles. Start with these:
For the Vibes: Astrophile (2022). She stars opposite Bright Vachirawit. It’s cozy, pretty to look at, and perfect if you just want a low-stress romance.
For the Drama: Wanthong (2021). This was a cultural phenomenon in Thailand. It re-imagines a classic literary character who was always labeled a "loose woman" and gives her a voice. Davika was incredible here.
For the Laughs: Suddenly Twenty (2016). It’s a remake of the Korean film Miss Granny. She plays a 70-year-old woman who magically inhabits her 20-year-old body. Her physical comedy is surprisingly top-tier.
✨ Don't miss: Songs by Tyler Childers: What Most People Get Wrong
What's Next?
The industry is changing, and Davika is leaning into it. We’re seeing more international collaborations, like her participation in Sisters Who Make Waves in China. She’s also become the face of Gucci in Thailand, which means her schedule is split between film sets and fashion weeks in Milan or Paris.
Actually, if you want to see her best work, look for the "indie" projects. A Useful Ghost (2025) is a great example—it’s more arthouse and less "superstar," proving she still cares about the craft more than the paycheck.
Your Davika Watch-List Strategy
- Watch "Pee Mak" first. You need the context. It’s the foundation of her career.
- Move to "Heart Attack" to see her actually act without the glam.
- Binge "The Empress of Ayodhaya" if you love historical drama and high-stakes plotting.
- Check out "Claire & Belle" to see where she’s heading as a producer in 2026.
Basically, whether she’s playing a ghost, a queen, or a prisoner, Davika Hoorne has figured out how to stay relevant in an industry that usually chews people up and spits them out after five years. She’s been at the top for over a decade, and looking at her upcoming slate, she isn't going anywhere.
Check out A Useful Ghost if it's playing at a festival near you, or just dive into the Netflix catalog for her recent series. You'll see why the hype is real.