native/islander actors&actresses
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- Actress
- Additional Crew
Mizuo Peck was born on 18 August 1977 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Night at the Museum (2006), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014). She was previously married to Jeffrey Shagawat.Cherokee- Actor
- Director
- Camera and Electrical Department
Making his big screen debut, Forrest Goodluck appears opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domnhall Gleeson and Will Poulter in FOX's epic drama, "The Revenant." Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the movie centers on legendary hunter, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), who is left for dead by his compatriots following a bear mauling. Goodluck plays Hawk, the son of DiCaprio's Hugh Glass.
While "The Revenant" marks his burst onto the scene, Goodluck has several years of acting work under his belt, participating in community theater and short films since the age of ten. Prolific behind the camera, Goodluck is an award-winning youth filmmaker whose work has premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival, Taos Shortz Film Festival, LA Skins Festival, and had made him the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian and SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market Class X Youth Winner. Goodluck's film work also led to him being chosen as one of Sundance Institute's 2015 Full Circle Fellows.
A member of the Diné, Mandan, Hidatsa and Tsimshian tribes, Goodluck is the son of Laurie and Kevin, a Practice Manager and Internal Medicine Physician, respectively. He is a student at the prestigious Bosque School and studies drama with acclaimed acting teachers Angela Gibbs and Judith Weston in Los Angeles. Born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Goodluck is currently finishing his high school studies, while pursuing his acting career.Navajo, Mandan, Hidatsa & Tsimshian Nations- Ashley Callingbull is a Cree First Nations woman from Enoch Cree Nation, Alberta.
She appears in the Gemini award winning television series Blackstone. Ashley is also featured in CBC's 8th Fire Series and the Catch The Dream series. The loss of some very close family members have led Ashley to support the Stollery Children's Hospital, Walk for the Cure, Run for the Lung and to mentor underprivileged aboriginal youth. Ashley was the first First Nations woman to become Miss Canada in 2010 and represented her nation in international pageants in China, Barbados and Europe.
Ashley is also an international motivational speaker and role model for many educational institutions, workshops, conferences and award ceremonies. Ashley has spoken at Harvard University, TED Talks and WE Day. Ashley's hard work and charity work was recognized as she received the Role Model Award at the Dreamcatcher Gala and she also received the Top 20 Under 30 Award in Canada. Ashley also received a role model award from the United Nations in October 2015 for Global Dignity Day.
Ashley is currently the reigning Mrs Universe 2015 and a Canadian Activist for First Nations Rights and environmental causes in Canada. Ashley is also a spokesperson and model for the Nike N7 organization.Cree Nation - Actress
- Producer
- Director
At fourteen years old, Q'orianka Kilcher emerged into the front ranks of young actresses with her portrayal of Pocahontas opposite Colin Farrell and Christian Bale in Terrence Malick's 'The New World', an epic about the encounter between English and North American societies in the early 1600s. Her performance won her the National Board of Reviews best breakthrough performance of 2006 and the 2006 Alma Award for best Latin American actress in a feature film, as well as numerous nominations and rave reviews.
Kilcher was born in Schweigmatt, Baden-Württemberg, Germany to a Peruvian indigenous father of Quechua-Huachipaeri background and an Alaskan-born mother of Swiss-German origin. She was raised in Kapa'a, Hawaii. Having started her performing arts career at six years old, she is not only an award-winning actress with critical acclaim, but an amazing singer, lyricist, and expert dancer. Kilcher is also a committed human rights and environmental activist, as well as a fearless, powerful, young force who uses her voice as tool to bring the need for universal dignity, compassion, environmental justice, and basic Human Rights to the attention of the international community.
Traveling frequently to speak at youth events, colleges, and universities, Kilcher has been invited as a featured keynote speaker and workshop facilitator at many international conferences and events for organizations such as Amnesty International, the I.F.G. (International Forum on Globalization), and Amazon Watch I.F.I.P. (International Funders for Indigenous Peoples). She was a panelist on the "Indigenous Peoples: Human Rights, Dignity and Development with Identity in collaboration with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples" United Nations panel. She also lends her energy as spokeswoman, collaborator, and supporter to several international and national NGOs.
In her free time, Kilcher is an accomplished singer/song-writer, and recently launched her own youth driven human rights and environmental organization on Q Initiative, heading campaigns to connect young Hollywood with youth-activist leaders and projects from around the world.
Through her production company, IQ-Films, Kilcher is also producing several cause-driven documentaries and youth-programming projects.Quechua & Huachipaeri Nations- Misty Anne Upham, born in Kallispell, Montana, grew up in south Seattle, the fourth of five children. She began her career at the age of thirteen when she joined a community theater group, Red Eagle Soaring. What began as a summer workshop soon turned into a full-time job. By the age of fourteen she was writing and directing short skits and performing on tours throughout the northwest. In the next four years she would be accepted to several Seattle theater companies, all while attending high school. Her first break came in 2001 when she landed the role of Mrs. Blue Cloud in Chris Eyre's sophmore project Skins (2002), where she portrayed a victim of domestic abuse on the Pine Ridge reservation. She also had a large role in the family drama August: Osage County (2013), playing Johnna Monevata, a live-in housekeeper.
Misty died in 2014, in Auburn, Washington, of blunt-force trauma.Blackfeet Nation - Actor
- Stunts
- Producer
Booboo Stewart was thrust into the spotlight with his winning the coveted role of Seth Clearwater in the The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) and reprising the role in both The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011) and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012). At age 10 Booboo began his career as a model, participating in numerous campaigns. He received a record deal at the age of 12 with Walt Disney records-touring with acts such as The Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus and The Cheetah Girls. Booboo first worked on camera as a stunt person in films like Beowulf (2007) and then was captured by the acting bug after watching Heath Ledger's performance as the 'Joker' . Booboo strives to play interesting roles and he can soon be seen in White Frog (2012), The Last Survivors (2014), Space Warriors (2013) and An Evergreen Christmas (2014). Booboo is an accomplished martial artist - winning two World Championships and being inducted into the Jr Blackbelt Hall of Fame. He is sponsored by Gibson Guitars and resides in Los Angeles with his family.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Alex Meraz was born on 10 January 1985 in Mesa, Arizona, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) and Suicide Squad (2016). He has been married to Kim since 31 December 2007. They have two children.Tarascan Nation- Chaske Spencer is an award-nominated actor who currently stars in Marvel Studios' new series ECHO as 'Henry "Black Crow" Lopez, Maya's (Alaqua Cox) well-intended uncle with ties to Fisk's (Vincent D'Onofrio) criminal underworld. His recent co-lead opposite Emily Blunt in Hugo Blick's limited series THE ENGLISH Amazon/BBC) garnered him critical acclaim including: BAFTA Awards and Royal Television Society (RTS) Programme Awards with a 2023 Leading Actor nomination and Outstanding Performance in a New Series nomination at the 2023 Gotham Awards. On the feature side, he starred in WILD INDIAN which premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival for which Chaske was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for the 2022 Independent Spirit Awards.
Up next, Chaske stars in WIND RIVER: THE NEXT CHAPTER with Jason Clarke as well as the Peacock horror thriller TEACUP (executive produced by lan McCulloch, Atomic Monster's Wan, Michael Clear and Rob Hackett) alongside Yvonne Strahovski and Scott Speedman, inspired by Robert McCammon's novel Stinger.
When Chaske was young, he dreamt of becoming a photographer, but before long, he also found himself in front of the camera. Chaske moved to New York City and in between bartending and waiting tables, he was cast in his first off off-Broadway play, DRACULA, as the title role. He went on to perform at The Public Theater in NYC and The Roundabout, and soon was discovered by casting director Rene Haynes.
Chaske is well known for his portrayal of 'Sam Uley' in the Twilght Saga: New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn I and II. He starred in the Susanna White directed feature, WOMAN WALKS AHEAD, opposite Jessica Chastain and Sam Rockwell, which made its World Premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. His most notable television credits include: NatGeo's BARKSKINS, NBC's BLINDSPOT, Netflix's JESSICA JONES, the Emmy award-winning Cinemax series BANSHEE, A&E's LONGMIRE, and the Amazon series SNEAKY PETE with Bryan Cranston.
Chaske Spencer was born of the Lakota Sioux tribe, and raised on Indian Reservations in Montana and Idaho.Lakota, Nez Perce, Cherokee, & Creek Nations - Actor
- Additional Crew
Gil Birmingham is an American actor of Comanche ancestry, best known for his portrayal of Billy Black in the The Twilight Saga film series. Birmingham was born in San Antonio, Texas. His family moved frequently during his childhood, due to his father's career in the military. He learned to play the guitar at an early age and considers music his "first love". After obtaining a Bachelor of Science from the University of Southern California, he worked as a petrochemical engineer before becoming an actor. In the early 1980s, a talent scout spotted Birmingham at a local gym, where he had been bodybuilding and entering bodybuilding contests. This led to his first acting experience, in a music video for Diana Ross, for her 1982 hit song "Muscles". After appearing in Ross' music video, Birmingham began to pursue acting as his primary career. He studied acting with Larry Moss and Charles Conrad. In 1986, Birmingham made his television debut on an episode of the series Riptide. By 2002, he had a recurring role as the character Oz in the medical drama Body & Soul, starring Peter Strauss. In 2005, he was cast as the older Dogstar in the Steven Spielberg six-part miniseries Into the West. He recently played a Texas ranger a ranger, in Hell or High Water, opposite Jeff Bridges.Comanche Nation- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Special Effects
Jay Tavare describes himself best when he says he is a storyteller and a citizen of the world.
Jay's acting performances in several Oscar winning films--with some of our era's most talented and acclaimed directors and actors--are the natural outcome of his eclectic life experiences and the direct result of his intense focus on excellence and dedication to authentic characters. Jay's onscreen roles include:
* Pathfinder (Marcus Nispel, 2007) as Black Wing, with Karl Urban and Clancy Brown * The Missing (Ron Howard, 2003) as Kayitah, with Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones * Cold Mountain (Anthony Minghella, 2003) as Swimmer, Jude Law's Cherokee half brother and fellow Confederate army warrior * Adaptation (Spike Jonze, 2002) as Matthew Osceola, the enigmatic Seminole orchid thief opposite Meryl Streep * Street Fighter (1994) as Vega, the devilishly handsome and lethal Spanish Ninja * Into the West (Steven Spielberg, 2005 mini-series) as Chief Prairie Fire opposite Keri Russell * CSI Miami season finale, Going Ballistic (2009) as Manny Ortega.
For his role on CSI Miami Jay performed all his own stunts for the episode, including an astounding world class 23 story controlled free fall (more than 200 feet!) which was awarded an Emmy nomination. This sort of feat has given Jay an onset reputation as a bit of a daredevil. But it is more accurate to say he is master of an impressive repertoire of physical skills. Jay does not promote himself as a stuntman, but his experience as an athlete and dancer gives him the rare ability to create seamlessly believable characters by preparing and performing his own stunts when the role calls for it. It's no surprise directors and fellow actors recognize him for this.White Mountain Apache and Navajo Nations- Actress
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- Writer
Kimberly is a Native American actor who has enjoyed a long career in film, television, and theatre. Some of Kimberly's recent credits include playing "Auntie B" in FX on the hit comedy RESERVATION DOGS, "Katie Clarke" opposite Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer in the lauded Amazon/BBC limited series THE ENGLISH , and the Mom/Head Ranger in Netflix's new animated series SPIRIT RANGERS. Her recent film credits include the critically acclaimed feature, MONTANA STORY, the gritty revenge thriller and winner of the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival Audience Award, CATCH THE FAIR ONE and Julie Taymor's inspirational Gloria Steinem biopic, THE GLORIAS, where Kimberly plays legendary Cherokee Chief Wilma Mankiller opposite Julianne Moore. On stage, Kimberly originated the role of "Johnna" in Tracy Letts' Tony Award-winning play AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (Chicago, Broadway, London, Sydney) and also starred in MANAHATTA (The Public Theater, NY) and THE FRYBREAD QUEEN (Native Voices, LA). Kimberly serves as the Artistic Director at UC Riverside, where she is an Associate Professor in the department of Theater, Film and Digital Filmmaking. Kimberly is an enrolled member of the Colville Tribes and also has Salish heritage, and is married to composer and musician, Johnny Guerrero. The couple have worked for years in tribal communities mentoring youth and supporting wellness through the creation of original films, online content, and music.Colville, Salish-Kootenai, & Cherokee Nations- Actress
- Producer
- Executive
A dedicated performer, visual artist, & creative producer, Marisa is best known for her role as "Huilen" - a pivotal character in the Box Office hit Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2.
She is a graduate of the esteemed Brown University, and as part of her Ivy League undergraduate experience she had the privilege of training at both the National Theater Institute and the St. Petersberg State Theatre Arts Academy in St. Petersberg, Russia.
Upon graduation Marisa moved to New York City where she co-founded Davai Theatre Ensemble. During her time in NYC, she modeled in popular magazines like "Latina" & "Glamour", appeared in indie films, commercials, and produced and performed in Off-Broadway theater productions.
Since moving to LA, Marisa has booked roles in national commercials, print ads, indie films, studio films, as well as portrayed memorable characters in popular Network TV shows like Sons of Anarchy and Private Practice. Most recently, Marisa has worked with Oscar-winning Director Bill Condon in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 2.
Her artistic endeavors in the realms of music, photography, and production have led to a myriad of opportunities both at home and abroad. Marisa has performed as a professional vocalist in both the Unites States and Mexico, as well as been commissioned as a professional photographer in LA, New York, and Europe.
Marisa's dedication to creating opportunities for artistic expression in Film, Television, and New Media inspired her to establish Monarch Media Productions, an organization committed to generating innovative content which challenges stereotypes and promotes diversity. Monarch Media Production's first major project, Sweet Mary & Jane, allowed Marisa the collaborative experience of co-producing, co-creating and co-starring in this edgy, female comedic film.Lipan Apache Nation- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Nôses Kisik-Papimohtew (Mother Walks-in-the-Sky), also known as Roseanne Supernault, is a classically trained Actress who was raised on East Prairie Métis Settlement, and also hails from the Whitefish Lake Atikameg First Nation in the Treaty 8 territory of Canada. Born in the Treaty 8 territory to a Politician Father and Artist Mother, her eclectic upbringing included classical training in art, theatre, and dance; practicing and sustaining her cultural hunting & land rights as a Cree Metis; and being exposed to the politics and social justice movements of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Her life took a sharp turn into arts when she was discovered by a Los Angeles Casting Director at 13 and thereafter signed to a Talent Agency - she has worked steadily as a performer and has seen her profile rise steadily since.
Recognizable from the APTN hit series, "Blackstone," where her haunting performance has garnered her several accolades; the historical, pre contact epic, "Maina," where she plays the title character, for which she received the Best Actress Award at American Indian Film Festival; and the groundbreaking Feature, "Rhymes For Young Ghouls," by Jeff Barnaby, that premiered at Toronto International Film Festival and was named TIFF Top 10.
She can be seen in several book-to-film adaptations, such as "Neither Wolf Nor Dog," where she plays twins across Dave Bald Eagle, Christopher Sweeney, and Tatanka Means; and "Juliana and the Medicine Fish," across from Adam Beach, and Emma Tremblay. She appears in Sky1's "Jamestown" among a star studded English & Native American cast, produced by the makers of "Downton Abbey." She attended Cannes International Film Festival with sci-fi, "The Northlander," - for which she was also nominated for the Best Actress Award at the American Indian Film Festival.
Recently, she plays the lead role of Jo in CTV Comedy's #1 hit series "Acting Good," which also streams on Crave; she plays across stand up comedian Paul Rabliauskas. She also appeared in the Canadian hit film "Guitar Lessons," which had an immensely successful theatrical run. And she is in production with her feature film directorial debut, "Dusk & Dawn," a dark comedy ensemble piece which she also wrote and produced.
She has been nominated for and received multiple acting awards, namely Best Actress for her performances in "Maina," "Blackstone," "Every Emotion Costs," and Best Supporting Actress for "Rhymes For Young Ghouls." She was recently nominated for an A.M.P.I.A Best Actress/non-Binary award for her performance in Berkley Brady's directorial debut "Dark Nature," where she plays a soldier with PTSD who suffers against a dark entity while on a healing retreat in the Rocky Mountains.
Her stage performance in "Dreary and Izzy," where she played a First Nations woman with FASD, has garnered her rave reviews from various critics. She continues on her storytelling journey as a producer and filmmaker, through her film production companies Flying Up Moon, and Magnate.
Supernault is trained in Theatre, Film, and Television. She graduated from 4 years at Victoria School of the Arts an institution focused on not only the history of the arts, but the execution and constant immersion in the field; this is where she discovered her passion.Cree & Metis Nations- Canadian born, Shauna Baker was raised by her Dené Grandmother on a reservation in northern Canada. Shauna was extensively involved in business before her entertainment career began. Despite her success in the corporate world, she instinctively knew she was not following her dreams. Shauna started modeling, then moved to hosting and then fell in love with the dramatic arts.
Her acting credits include a supporting lead in an executive produced Robert Redford feature film selected in Sundance called Drunktown's Finest (2014), guest-starring roles in Blue Mountain State (2010) and Smallville (2001).Carrier Dene Nation - Actor
- Sound Department
William J. Finley is known for The Bold and the Beautiful (1987), NCIS (2003) and Criminal Minds (2005).Cherokee Nation- Wesley French was born on Good Friday April 13th, 1979 in London, Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the Chippewas of the Thames 1st Nation reservation in Southwestern Ontario. He is an actor known for Cashing In (2009-2014), Skinwalkers (2006) and In Einem Wilden Land (Wild Land) (2013). He resides in Toronto, CanadaAnishinabe (Chippewa) Nation
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From small-town Oklahoma native to internationally acclaimed actor and musician, Wes Studi credits his passion and multi-faceted background for his powerful character portrayals that forever changed a Hollywood stereotype. Within a few years of his arrival in Hollywood, Studi caught the attention of the public in Dances with Wolves (1990). In 1992, his powerful performance as "Magua" in The Last of the Mohicans (1992) established him as one of the most compelling actors in the business.
Studi has since appeared in more than 80 film and television productions, including Geronimo: An American Legend (1993), Being Flynn (2012), Avatar (2009), Comanche Moon (2008), Streets of Laredo (1995), Mystery Men (1999), Kings (TV Series), The New World (2005), Hell on Wheels (2011), Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) and Seraphim Falls (2006). He also brought Tony Hillerman's "Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn" to life in a series of PBS specials produced by Robert Redford: Skinwalkers (2002), Coyote Waits (2003), and A Thief of Time (2003).
Studi was born in Nofire Hollow, Oklahoma, the son of Maggie (Nofire), a housekeeper, and Andy Studie, a ranch hand. Studi exclusively spoke his native Cherokee language until beginning school at the age of five. A professional horse trainer, Studi began acting at The American Indian Theatre Company in Tulsa in the mid-80s.
Studi and his wife, Maura Dhu Studi, live in Santa Fe, New Mexico. They have a son, Kholan. Studi has a daughter, Leah, and a son, Daniel, from a previous marriage.Cherokee Nation- Actor
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Steve was born and raised on the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, Montana. Son of Curley and Lila Reevis, he is the 4th of 6 siblings. He graduated from Flandreau High School and attended Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas where he received a degree in arts. After junior college, he left the reservation in Montana to try to begin an acting career in Los Angeles. He lived on the beach in his car, a 1971 Ford Torino, for many months before he began to have a more steady income. He and his wife Macile, an artist and clothing designer, have three children.
In 1996 Steve received an award from First Americans in the Arts (FAITA) for his supporting roles in both the critically acclaimed movie Fargo and in the made for television movie Crazy Horse. In 2004 he repeated this honor for his work on the ABC series Line of Fire.Blackfeet Nation- Actor
- Producer
Native American actor, Rodney Arnold Grant was born the 9th of March, 1959. After his biological parents abandoned him, his grandparents raised him from 6 months of age, up until 1982. Rodney has five adult children: three daughters from his ex-wife, all of which were raised by their mother, and two sons from previous relationships. He is now married to Lee-Anne. Over time, Rodney initially has performed in major motion pictures, as well as television appearances. One in particular CBS's Stolen Women, Captured Hearts (1997), opposite Janine Turner and Michael Greyeyes. On the big screen, Rodney is extensively known for his portrayal of "Wind in His Hair" in Dances with Wolves (1990). Inasmuch as Rodney has proven to be eclectic in his acting ability, he can "play the part" in other genus as well.
Rodney has other multitudinous ways in which he contributes to those in "need" -- especially the Native American Youth. For example, The Boys and Girls Club of Cheyenne country, South Dakota, where he is on the Board of Directors. At the present time, Rodney has taken an interim from acting to bestow his time to family, charities, and independent film making.Omaha Nation- Actress
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Karina Lombard is an actor, screenwriter and director. She is Italian, French, Native American. Born in Tahiti, the youngest of five children, and raised and educated in Spain, Switzerland and Peru. She is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, French and German. She resides in Venice, California.
She is known for roles in such films as "Wide Sargasso Sea", "The Firm" with Tom Cruise, and "Legends of the Fall" opposite Brad Pitt, and television roles on such series as "The L Word", "NCIS", "CSI", "Rescue Me", and others. She did all her own stunts in Kull the Conqueror (1997).Lakota Nation- Julia Jones is one of the entertainment industry's brightest talents.
Julia stars in a leading role on Dexter: New Blood, Showtime's record-shattering, most watched series to date. She can also be seen in Peacock's comedy series Rutherford Falls, Disney+'s hit series The Mandalorian, and HBO's critically acclaimed drama Westworld.
Jones played the pivotal role of 'Wilma' in Taylor Sheridan's critically acclaimed neo-Western, Wind River, opposite Jeremy Renner. The film premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and won the Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard-Best Director award. Other film credits include Lionsgate's Cold Pursuit alongside Liam Neeson and Laura Dern; Quentin Tarantino Presents' Hell Ride; Jonah Hex opposite Josh Brolin; Winter in the Blood; and Netflix's The Ridiculous Six, to name a few. She also portrayed 'Leah Clearwater' in the hugely popular The Twilight Saga franchise.
Jones' television credits include Amazon's legal drama, Goliath, and recurring roles as "Gabriella Langton" on the Netflix series Longmire and "Dr. Kaya Montoya" on NBC's long-running series, ER.
On stage, Jones played "Dacotah" in the Culture Clash play Palestine, New Mexico at The Mark Taper Forum.
A native of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, Julia began working in commercials and community theatre at a young age. She also performed regularly in Boston Ballet's production of The Nutcracker. After high school, Jones moved to New York to attend Columbia University, where she graduated with a degree in English. While in college, she began modeling internationally appearing in ads for such companies as Levi's, Esprit, and Polo Ralph Lauren. She is on the board of Colt Coeur, a Brooklyn based theater company.
Jones currently resides in Los Angeles.Choctaw & Chickasaw Nations - Tyson Houseman was born on 9 February 1990 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He is an actor, known for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011), The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) and The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009).Cree Nation
- Canadian film and television actor, Bronson Pelletier, got his start as the host of popular children's show, "Art Zone". His first big break occurred through his role as Jack Sinclair in Renegadepress, a Canadian series for which he received Gemini and Leo nominations. After filming several episodes for BBC and Discoveries Dinosapien, he received international recognition for his performance in the Twilight Saga as Jared, a Quileute shape-shifter. In addition to acting, Bronson dove into behind the scenes producing work in 2014. He is married to Danish model, Sabine Bezzelt Moestrup Pelletier, whom he met in Copenhagen in 2009.Cree Nation
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- Producer
The Canadian-born Arizonan actress Tinsel Korey is best known for her role as "Emily" in The Twilight Saga.
Korey's career started after her passion for performing skits as a young child led her to pursue her dream to become a professional actress. As a teen she appeared in many commercials, and landed her first television role on the FOX series "Tru Calling" starring Eliza Dushku. While shooting Spielberg's TNT mini-series "Into the West", she composed a song of the same title that became an underground hit. Tinsel's films range from "The Lookout" starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "Bullet" an action/thriller feature starring Danny Trejo, to a multitude of SYFY hits such as "Hybrid" "Wyvern" & "Black Forest". Her television credits include shows such as "Longmire", "Z Nation", "The Detour", "Young and the Restless" and Paramounts hit show "Yellowstone"
In between acting roles, Tinsel is an accomplished singer-songwriter who plays piano and guitar mainly creating melodic folk music but also has been featured in rap and EDM tracks. Recently she has been focusing blending the genres of country, blues and Americana.
Korey also enjoys watching hockey, baseball, UFC and has a love affair with all things outdoors.
Tinsel now spends her time in Los Angeles, Vancouver and Arizona with her Border Collie "Lucky".Anishinabe (Ojibway) Nation- Melaw Nakehk'o's professional acting debut in The Revenant is the natural progression of her distinguished career as an artist and community leader. Born in Canada's north, raised in the community of Liidlii Kue, Melaw comes from a long line of tribal leaders of the Dehcho Dene & Denesuline people.
Melaw attended the prestigious Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, where she earned a degree in 2 dimensional arts. Melaw is also recognized for her exemplary work in revitalizing traditional Indigenous artistic practices, with contemporary applications of ancient techniques. Her work in reviving and teaching moosehide tanning techniques has initiated a resurgence of the practice and shaped a broader community building movement within Canada. She is a Founding Member of Dene Nahjo, and is a regular instructor at the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, a land-based university program.
Melaw has three sons and lives in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. - Isaiah Tootoosis is known for The Revenant (2015).
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- Producer
Jonathan Joss was born on 22 December 1965 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Abduction of the Fourth Kind (2022), The Magnificent Seven (2016) and True Grit (2010).- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa was born on August 1, 1979, in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is the son of Coni (Lemke), a photographer, and Joseph Momoa, a painter. His father is of Native Hawaiian and Samoan descent; and his mother, who is from Iowa, is of German, Irish, and Native American ancestry. Jason was raised in Norwalk, Iowa, by his mother. After high school, he moved to Hawaii, where he landed a lead role, beating out of thousands of hopefuls in the TV series Baywatch (1989) (known as "Baywatch Hawaii" in its 10th season). When the show ended, he spent the next couple of years traveling around the world. In 2001, he moved to Los Angeles, where he continued to pursue an acting career. In 2004, after the short-lived TV series North Shore (2004), he was cast as the popular character "Ronon Dex" in the TV series Stargate: Atlantis (2004), which achieved a cult-like following. In 2010, he appeared in the Emmy-nominated HBO series Game of Thrones (2011), playing the Dothraki king, Khal Drogo. To illustrate to the producers that he was Khal Drogo, he performed the Haka, a traditional war dance of the Maori of New Zealand. The audition was with the same casting director who was casting the titular role in the reboot of Conan the Barbarian (2011). Four weeks after being cast as the popular Robert E. Howard character, Momoa began shooting in Bulgaria. His approach, like that of the filmmakers, was to pull from the eight decades of comics and stories as well as the Frank Frazetta images rather than the hugely popular 1982 movie. Jason has a production company, Pride of Gypsies, in which he is expanding his career from actor to filmmaker. He has directed a couple of short films and is working on his feature film debut Road to Paloma (2014), which is pulled from a series of stories that he's been developing over the years, which he calls the Brown Bag Diaries: Ridin' the Blinds in B Minor (2010). Jason lives with his wife, actress Lisa Bonet, with whom he has two children, Lola and Nakoa-Wolf.- Melissa Ponzio stars in the Paramount+ Teen Wolf: The Movie (2023) revival, reprising her beloved role as "Melissa McCall", the hard-working and devoted single mother to "Scott" (Tyler Posey). She previously starred in the hit MTV international series Teen Wolf (2011) for six seasons and 100 episodes.
Melissa recurred on the NBC series Chicago Fire (2012) as "Donna Robbins", the wife of "Chief Boden" (Eamonn Walker) wife, a teacher and friend to Firehouse 51 over the course of eight seasons.
Fans of the AMC drama The Walking Dead (2010) will recognize Melissa as original Woodbury resident "Karen", the lone survivor of the Governor's attack on their own army in the third season finale. During season four, "Karen", who had developed a loving bond with "Tyrese" (Chad L. Coleman), met her untimely, shocking, and pivotal demise.
In 2021, audiences saw Melissa in the Netflix original feature film Thunder Force (2021), from writer/director Ben Falcone, opposite Octavia Spencer and Melissa McCarthy.
Melissa will be seen in writer/director Ali Scher's feature, "The Friendship Formula", with Cheryl Hines, where she plays "Mrs. Idle", the chemistry teacher of an 11-year-old girl genius who invents a popularity chemical for the state science fair and flips the high school hierarchy on its head.
She previously starred opposite Hilary Swank in the HBO original film Mary and Martha (2013), directed by Phillip Noyce. Additional film credits include HBO's historical drama Warm Springs (2005) opposite Kenneth Branagh and Cynthia Nixon, and the Warner Bros. comedy, Life as We Know It (2010), with Josh Duhamel and Katherine Heigl.
Melissa voices a role in the iHeart Media Podcast Bridgewater (2021) which premiered in the Summer of 2021 and debuted at #1 on the Apple Fiction Podcast Charts and won "Best Fiction Podcast" at the 2022 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards. Melissa plays "Anne Becker", a worn-down retired detective who balances cynicism and a belief in the supernatural on a knife's edge.
Notable television appearances include recurring roles in the HULU dramatic series The Girl from Plainville (2022) with Elle Fanning, the BET+ comedy series First Wives Club (2019), Cinemax's Banshee (2013), and Lifetime's Army Wives (2007) as well as guest appearances on The Following (2013), Touch (2012), Melissa Ponzio, Necessary Roughness (2011), Franklin & Bash (2011), Drop Dead Diva (2009), the CSI franchise (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), and CSI: Miami (2002)), and the The Vampire Diaries (2009)". She appeared in the Snapchat original comedy Everything's Fine (2021), from Paul Feig's Powderkeg Productions, creator Hannah Klein and executive producer Pet Wentz. Additionally, she appeared in the television films Justice for Natalee Holloway (2011) opposite Tracy Pollan and Stephen Amell, and Marry Me (2010) with Lucy Liu, and more recently in Ben Meyerson's Lifetime Television Film Killer Reputation (2019) opposite Anna Hutchison.
Melissa is co-owner of The Goods Inc. with her longtime partner Kenny Alfonso. - Actor
- Producer
Keahu Kahuanui was born on 7 August 1986 in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Teen Wolf (2011), Duel Club (2015) and Hawaii Five-0 (2010).- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Dwayne Douglas Johnson, also known as The Rock, was born on May 2, 1972 in Hayward, California. He is the son of Ata Johnson (born Feagaimaleata Fitisemanu) and professional wrestler Rocky Johnson (born Wayde Douglas Bowles). His father, from Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada, is black (of Black Nova Scotian descent), and his mother is of Samoan background (her own father was Peter Fanene Maivia, also a professional wrestler). While growing up, Dwayne traveled around a lot with his parents and watched his father perform in the ring. During his high school years, Dwayne began playing football and he soon received a full scholarship from the University of Miami, where he had tremendous success as a football player. In 1995, Dwayne suffered a back injury which cost him a place in the NFL. He then signed a three-year deal with the Canadian League but left after a year to pursue a career in wrestling.
He made his wrestling debut in the USWA under the name Flex Kavanah where he won the tag team championship with Brett Sawyer. In 1996, Dwayne joined the WWE and became Rocky Maivia where he joined a group known as "The Nation of Domination" and turned heel. Rocky eventually took over leadership of the "Nation" and began taking the persona of The Rock. After the "Nation" split, The Rock joined another elite group of wrestlers known as the "Corporation" and began a memorable feud with Steve Austin. Soon the Rock was kicked out of the "Corporation". He turned face and became known as "The Peoples Champion". In 2000, the Rock took time off from WWE to film his appearance in The Mummy Returns (2001). He returned in 2001 during the WCW/ECW invasion where he joined a team of WWE wrestlers at The Scorpion King (2002), a prequel to The Mummy Returns (2001).
Dwayne has a daughter, Simone Alexandra Johnson, born in 2001, with his ex-wife Dany Garcia, and daughters, Jasmine, born in 2015, and Tiana Gia, born in 2018, with his wife, singer and songwriter Lauren Hashian.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Tonantzin Carmelo is a multifaceted American actress playing lead and supporting roles in movies, television series, documentaries, video games, and theater. Her break-out performance in Steven Spielberg's, Into the West, earned her several awards and nominations, including a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Television Movie or Miniseries. Recently, she filmed prime roles in Spain and Australia for the television series The English (BBC) and La Brea (NBC). Throughout her career Tonantzin has received praise for her performances. She played the leading role of Shayla Stonefeather in the critically acclaimed, independent thriller, Imprint. She won the American Indian Film Festival award for Best Actress and was nominated for the Best Actress award at the Hoboken International Film Festival for this role. She was named "An Indie Darling to Crave" at the Sundance film festival 2015 for her role as Teresa, opposite John C. Riley in the film Entertainment. Tonantzin has also appeared in several video games, including Dead Space, The Crew, Lego Marvel's Avengers, and Cyberpunk 2077. Her memorable motion-capture and voice performance portrayal of the villainous character Kendra Daniels for Dead Space led Maxim Magazine to add Kendra to their Hottest Video Game Babes of the Year list. Today, the character continues to attract legions of loyal fans. Additionally, Tonantzin is a talented choreographer. Her work was featured in the Amazon TV series, Undone, and in the opera, Sweetland, for which she was described as a "crucial choreographer" by the LA Times. She has a penchant for languages and enjoys learning new dialects. As a teenager, Tonantzin taught herself to speak Spanish. She also is a member of the Tongva Language Committee for revitalization. To prepare for some of her roles, she has worked with language specialists and has learned dialects for Wampanoag, Lakota, Nahuatl, Diné, Cheyenne, and Shoshone. Tonantzin's diverse talents can be traced back to her multicultural roots. She is a Southern California girl from suburban Orange County of Indigenous and Latina descent. In her youth, she forged a performing path through Native dances and music touring with cultural groups throughout North America. While touring, she also became a technically trained dancer and performed with the modern dance company Daystar. She discovered her love for acting while studying at UC Irvine, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Dance. While in college, she began acting in theater productions and independent films. She has also performed as a singer with the band Trio del Alma and has recorded on three albums for Canyon Records. Her first professional acting venture was an educational musical theater show produced by the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts. The production toured the Los Angeles area and allowed her to make the leap from dancer/musician to a professional actress. She has had an ongoing relationship with Native Voices at the Autry Museum in Los Angeles where she has performed on stage and has served on the advisory board. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband and is a California native plant, wildlife and outdoor enthusiast. In her free time, she enjoys restoring her yard as a native wildlife habitat, observing birds and occasionally rescuing opossums as she continues to perform as a musical entertainer, cultural educator and stage actress.California Mission Indian (Gabrielino & Mexica Nations)- Actress
- Director
Grace Dove is an Indigenous Actress and Director who has embraced a responsibility to lift up her audience and her community. In 2015 she co-starred with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy in the Oscar-winning film The Revenant. Other recent film credits include the Netflix thriller How It Ends (2018), where she starred alongside Academy Award winning actor Forest Whitaker and Theo James. In 2020 she appeared in her first leading role in the feature film adaptation of Eden Robinson's novel Monkey Beach. Her past television credits include a series lead beside Hilary Swank on ABC Alaska Daily, Syfy series Resident Alien and the Netflix series The Order. In 2020 Dove made her directorial debut with the poignantly beautiful and visually stunning short film Kiri and The Girl, which is currently streaming on Apple TV. The well-received short screened at St. John's International Women's Festival, American Indian Film Festival SF, San Diego International Film Festival and Victoria Film Festival after debuting at the Vancouver International Film Fest. Dove recently wrapped filming the five-part limited series Bones of Crows, where she stars as Cree Matriarch "Aline Spears". Bones of Crows tells the story of Spears' childhood as she survives Canada's residential school system to continue her family's generational fight in the face of systemic starvation, racism, and sexual abuse. She uses her uncanny ability to understand and translate codes into working for a special division of the Canadian Air Force as a Cree code talker in World War II. The story unfolds over 100 years with a cumulative force that propels us into the future.Secwepemc Nation- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Shannon Baker, an Indigenous Actor from the Stellat'en First Nation reserve is Dakelh Dene. Shannon was raised by her Grandmother on her reserve in Northern B.C., Canada. Shannon is an actor, producer, writer and TV host. Shannon's television experiences include TV shows such as: "CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION", ""BLUE MOUNTAIN STATE", "BONES OF CROWS" and "SMALLVILLE".Carrier Dene Nation- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Carmen has had an extensive career in film and television for over 25 years, with prominent roles in many fan favorite shows.
With a start in local theatre in Vancouver she quickly gained recognition with a couple of Jesse nominations. Auditions for film started a slew of guest starring and recurring roles on many popular TV series. From 2004-2005 Carmen played one of the leads, "Simone", in Vancouver's "Godiva's" and was nominated for her first Leo (BC Film/Television Awards) for her performance as the mysterious, sexy bartender. After Godiva's Carmen played the leading role of "Rebecca" in the Canadian Independent Feature Film "Unnatural & Accidental" and was honored for her performance with the Women in Film & Video Artistic Merit Award at the Vancouver Film Festival in 2006. She played the leading role of "Leona Stoney" for 5 seasons in APTN's multi-award winning Blackstone for which she won the 2011 Leo award and was nominated for a Gemini award; was nominated for another Leo in 2012 and 2015, and won the 2014 Leo Award and the 2016 Leo Award. She was nominated for a 2017 Canadian Screen Award for her performance in Blackstone's Series Finale. Carmen played "Loreen Cassway" for the 3 seasons of CBC's "Arctic Air" with Adam Beach, for which she was nominated for a Leo Award in 2012. The past few years have had her recurring on "Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce", "Arrow", "iZombie", "Chesapeake Shores" and the Fox series "Second Chance" in which she played "Special Agent in Charge Sue Adair". 2018 proved to be an exciting year. She found herself overseas in Scotland running through the forest with Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe aka "Jamie and Claire" as the fierce warrior "Wahkatiiosta" in Starz hit TV series "Outlander" Season 4. Once home, she jetted off to Quebec to shoot the leading role of "Susan Russel" in the Indy feature "Rustic Oracle", the story of a Mohawk woman desperately searching for her missing teenage daughter; meeting racism, ignorance, and indifference in the years following the Oka crises. Told through the lens of her 8-year-old daughter "Ivy" played by the brilliant "Lake Delisle". With several awards from film festivals (including two for Carmen so far for her heart wrenching performance) , Rustic is set for limited theatrical release across Canada soon. She was then off again near the end of 2018...and found herself in Ireland as a recurring guest star on another hit series...which she unfortunately is under strict gag orders about...more on that to come later ;) 2020 has Carmen guest starring in CTV's 4th Season of "Cardinal" as "Shiela Gagne", MLA and mysterious wife to district attorney Robert Quillen, as well as recurring as "Hannah Gruen" on The CW's "Nancy Drew".
Carmen was honored at the 2013 UBCP/ACTRA Awards with the "Lorena Gale Woman of Distinction Award", for her contribution to the empowerment of women in the Vancouver Film Industry. She has producing credits on two Feature Films, "Two Indians Talking" and "White Indians Walking", as well as a short film "Not Indian Enough". Carmen made her directorial debut on the short film "Ariel Unraveling", a BravoFact award winner, in 2015. Ariel premiered in February 2016 at the Victoria Film Festival.
Her biggest and most important production to date is her son Jaden.Wet'suwet'en Nation- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Amber Midthunder is an American actress who uncovered a deep love of acting at a young age. Growing up with an actor father and casting director mother, she began her own on-screen career early in life. Her first speaking role was at the age of 9 opposite Oscar winner Alan Arkin in the indie hit Sunshine Cleaning. Since that time she has continued her work as an actress with series regular roles on Marvel/FX's "Legion", and The CW's "Roswell, New Mexico"; as well as leading feature films such as "The Ice Road" for Netflix and 20th Century's "Prey."
Midthunder is an enrolled tribal member at Ft. Peck Indian Reservation.
Outside of acting she has a passion for animal rights and environmental activism.Lakota Nation- Adam Joaquin-Gonzalez is known for The Colors of Hell (2020), Tell Me Again, Grandfather (2020) and Freedom Riders (2009).Choctaw Nation
- Ana Red Horse is known for The Red Man's View and Red Man's View: The Trail of Truth Begins.
- Native American Actress.Navajo/Apache/Zia Nation born in Arizona raised in New Mexico/Denver Co. Started in theater and moved to Television and Film.Acting is her Passion she continues to follow her dream with all the film and Television coming to New Mexico. Working with the best film has to bring from Breaking Bad to Longmire to The Night shift, to Better Call Saul she has learned and played with the best.Navajo Nation
- Actress
- Writer
- Composer
Andrea Menard was born on 5 January 1971 in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada. She is an actress and writer, known for Blackstone (2009), Rabbit Fall (2006) and The Velvet Devil (2006).Metis Nation- Bella Rose Maltzman is an actor, dancer, model and host from Orlando, Florida. She is actively involved in central Florida films, commercials, dance and voiceover work.
Bella Rose started acting at the age of 6 when she expressed a true desire to be on television. Her passion for acting is very strong and she consistently takes new acting classes as well as workshops. Bella Rose recently completed her eighteenth, recently appearing in a film with co-stars such as Brandon Larracuente and Anthony Belevstov. Her desire is to continue her travels to Los Angeles and Atlanta.
An interesting thing about Bella Rose is she is the granddaughter to a Native American drummer/musician/artist "Blue Spruce Standing Deer" and is a Federally registered Native American. Her tribal nation is the Taos Pueblo, Taos, New Mexico. She also has the desire to appear in Native American films and television. She has two older brothers that are also actors, Ethan and Jared Maltzman.Taos Pueblo Nation - Actor
- Soundtrack
Chevez Ezaneh was born on 12 August 1992 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. He is an actor, known for Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007), Into the West (2005) and American Experience (1987). He is married to Destiny Ezaneh. They have one child.Dene Nation- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Cheyenne King was born in the USA. Cheyenne is an actor and producer, known for Older Than America (2008), Amityville Toybox (2016) and Terrible Angels (2012).Anishinabe (Ojibway) Nation- Crystle Lightning, the Canadian Screen Award Winner for "Best Actress in a Drama Series" 2021, is an Indigenous Actress from the Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta. She began her career at age nine when she landed her first lead role in the feature: 3 NINJAS: Knuckle Up and has been working in the industry ever since.
Crystle's film and television appearances include "Yellowstone" on Paramount +, "Outlander" on Starz, "Trickster" (series lead) on The CW, "The Good Doctor" on ABC, "Rutherford Falls" on Peacock, "Ghosts" (recurring) on CBS, and recently the #1 Series on Amazon Prime TV "Three Pines" on Prime TV. This year, you will see Lightning in "Spirit Rangers" on Netflix, George R. R. Martin's "Mary Margaret Road Grader," directed by Steven Paul Judd, "Fancy Dance," directed by Erica Tremblay and "Bass Reeves" on Paramount +.
Lightning is co-creator and star of the all-Native, hit musical "BEAR GREASE," an Indigenous twist to the 1978 Classic, "Grease," marking her directorial debut.
In addition to acting, Lightning is a Hip Hop recording artist and a member of the award- winning group "LightningCloud." She has won Power 106's "Who's Next?" and Hot 97's "Battle for the Best." Additionally, she has recorded with a myriad of artists including Cypress Hill and Timbaland and toured with legends like Kendrick Lamar, Asap Rocky and Nicki Minaj.
Now, Crystle lives in Treaty 6, Alberta with her husband, son and 3 dogs.Cree Nation - Daniel Studi was born on 4 July 1976 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, USA. He is an actor, known for Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) and Crazy Horse (1996).Cherokee Nation
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Daniel TwoFeathers is an American actor; he was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is known for his role on Pawn Stars Chum-parazzi Season 8 episode 16 and as a Ghost Nation Warrior on the HBO series Westworld 2016-2018). He was also a Lakota language translator for the Westworld series and the Lakota dialog coach working with the actors on Westworld. Daniel's first television appearance was on PM Magazine in 1982 regarding Tesla technology. Daniel is a master martial artist, plasma physicist, life safety specialist, project manager, and fire protection engineer with expertise in the work of Nikola Tesla. Daniel worked at Los Alamos National Lab and he has been involved in paranormal and UFO research since the 1970s. In addition, Daniel was a Green Beret, US Ranger, police officer, trapeze artist. Daniel worked in Hollywood as an animal trainer with big cats, primates, zebras, and dolphins; he also worked for Doug Trumbull building special effects and sets. Daniel was also a bodyguard for notable people, including Elvis Presley.
Daniel is Native American, i.e., of the Lakota Sioux and Wampanoag tribes and Scottish; he is a Sundancer, a Pipe Carrier, and fluent in Lakota. Dan is a musician and plays the didgeridoo, Native American flute, native drums; he is also a percussionist. In addition, Daniel is a traditional native leather craftsman and an avid electronics technician. Daniel designs and builds electronics devices; he designed and created devices for the late Dr. Marcel Vogel, a well known scientist for IBM.
Daniel has been a Sifu for over 30 years and has trained in martial arts for decades; he was the late Grand Master Willem Reeders/Liu Siong student. Daniel is the second non-Asian member of the Chunghwa-Kung-Fu-Hui, the first being the late Grandmaster Art Sikes. Daniel was a professional fighter in the US and Asia. He is a Master of Liu Siong Royal Gung Fu/ Liu Siong Kuntao, a second-degree black belt in Kenpo, a Sifu of Wing Chung, Pentjak Silat, and Northern and Southern Praying Mantis systems. Daniel also trained in several other art forms such as Ninjitsu, Puklulan, Choy Li Fut, Hun Gar, Southern Dragon Kung Fu, Tibetan Tai Chi, Bagua, Shorin-Ryu, Judo, Muay Tai, Jujujtsu, Jeet Kun Do. Daniel is a munitions expert, a sword and knife fighter, including the katana, Asian weapons of all kinds, the broad sword, and battle-ax. In addition, Daniel is a tracker and taught survival training and combat to US special forces; he also had a dojo in Las Vegas for many years, where he taught martial arts.Lakota Sioux & Wampanoag Nations- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Born on a military base in Okinawa and raised in San Diego, Elizabeth Frances is a talented, multi-ethnic actress best known for her on-camera roles such as Angela Maryboy in Drunktown's Finest, produced by Robert Redford which premiered at Sundance Film Festival; Bad Penny in the Emmy®-nominated series Her Story; Lilly Rowan on Netflix's Love from producer Judd Apatow; NBC's Heartbeat; FX's Mayans M.C.; and Prairie Flower on AMC's hit series The Son starring Pierce Brosnan.
She received a BFA from Cal Arts, and started her professional career working with such notable theaters as Center Theater Group, La Jolla Playhouse, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Marin Theater Company, Native Voices, and the Kirk Douglas Theatre.Cherokee Nation- Iroquois Nation
- Actor
- Stunts
- Producer
Brave Rock is best known for his hard hitting roles in AMC's Dark Winds as Frank Nakai and The Stranger in The Dirty Black Bag role. Previously appearing in a standout role in Wonder Woman as "The Chief" in Wonder Woman (2017) starring Gal Gadot in the title role. He was born and raised at the foothills of Rocky Mountains of southern Alberta, Canada on the Kainai (Blood) Reserve. A talented actor and stunt person, Stunt Skills acquired as a performer in "Buffalo Bills Wild West Show" at Euro-Disney in Paris France led to other opportunities in film and television including setting up boot camp for Native American Stunt performers featured in the Oscar award winning film "The Revenant".Blackfoot Nation- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Evan Saucedo was born on 8 September 1988 in Los Angeles County, California, USA. He is an actor, known for The Lion King (1994), I'm with Her (2003) and Cedric the Entertainer Presents (2002).Yaqui Nation- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Ipeelie Ootoova was born in Pond Inlet, Nunavut, Canada. He is known for Irninnu Unikaara, Nakimayuq (2020) and Maïna (2013).Inuit Nation- Actress
- Producer
Irene Bedard (born July 22, 1967) is an Alaska Native actress enrolled in the Native Village of Koyuk who has played many American Indian characters in a variety of television shows and films. She is best known for her voice role as the title character in the Disney animated film "Pocahontas," and the cult-classic "Smoke Signals" as Suzy Song. She is known for bringing a powerful emotional presence to her characters.
Bedard was born in Anchorage, Alaska, raised primarily in Alaska, but also spent a few years as a child in Washington state. Her father was Bruce Bedard, and mother was Carol Bedard, and she is their oldest of four - Leslie Bedard, Joseph Bedard, and David Bedard are her younger siblings. She is Inupiaq and Yup'ik on her mother's side, and Cree on her father's side. She graduated from Anchorage's Dimond High School in 1985, and then earned a Musical Theatre degree from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bedard's son Quinn Wilson was born in 2003.
Her first role was as Mary Crow Dog in the television production, "Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee," which depicted the 1970s standoff between police and Native Americans, many of the Pine Ridge Reservation, at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. She received a Golden Globe nomination for the role. Besides the first Disney Pocahontas movie, she also voiced direct-to-video sequel "Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World." Bedard was the physical model for the character. She appeared in a different take of the Pocahontas story in Terence Malick's 2005 film "The New World," as Pocahontas's mother, Nonoma Winanuske Matatiske. In 2005, she was cast in the television mini-series Into the West, portraying the half-Lakota, half-white adult Margaret "Light Shines" Wheeler. In 2011 Bedard portrayed the Messenger in the Academy Award-nominated film, "Tree of Life." In 2018, Bedard reprised her voiced role of Pocahontas for Disney's "Ralph Breaks the Internet."
Her television roles span from 1995, including Stephen Spielberg's "Into the West," "The Spectacular Spider-Man," "Longmire," "Westworld," and "FBI: Most Wanted." She has performed in two Stephen King series, 2017's "The Mist" as Kimi Lucero, and 2020's "The Stand" as Ray Rentner. In the 2017 she portrayed the future Co-President of the United States for the Jay-Z music video "Family Feud," directed by Ava Duverney.
Bedard's decades of creative work includes singing, theatre, spoken word, producing television and movies, speaking, and teaching. She fosters a passion of many creative disciplines, and is a great lover, and adopter, of animals. Bedard was chosen in 1995 as one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People." She's served on the American Indian Enterprise and Business Council to the United Nations, and is involved in frequent activist work around the environmental and Indigenous issues.Inuit (Inupiaq) & Cree Nations- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Aulii Cravalho is an American actress and singer who made her acting debut as the voice of the titular character in the 2016 Disney 3D computer-animated musical feature film Moana. She went on to star in the NBC drama series Rise (2018), the Netflix drama film All Together Now (2020) and the Hulu romantic comedy Crush (2022).- J. LaRose was born in the USA. He is an actor, known for The Righteous Gemstones (2019), Ray Donovan (2013) and Saw III (2006).Navajo Nation
- Actress
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Camera and Electrical Department
Jamie Loy is an American actress known for her role as Elizabeth Canoe in the feature film The Cherokee Word for Water and as Tara in the short Running Deer.
Jamie was born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma as the second of three children of James and Annie Loy. She grew up in the country near many small towns and communities in northeastern Oklahoma. Her acting career began when she took a summer theater job at the Cherokee Nation Heritage Center in the theater show The Trail of Tears Drama. That same summer she was able to be a part of the historical documentary The Trail of Tears: Cherokee Legacy with James Earl Jones and Wes Studi. After this she did a couple of modeling jobs for Ihloff Salons and Bacardi. Her big break came when she auditioned and got the role of Elizabeth Canoe in the feature film The Cherokee Word For Water. This role would earn Jamie her SAG eligibility. For The Cherokee Word For Water she not only got the part of Elizabeth Canoe she also got the part of the lead actress's (Kimberly Guerrero) stand-in/double. Being the leads stand-in/double allowed Jamie to be on the set of The Cherokee Word For Water for the whole shooting of the movie. She gained an enormous amount of film experience working on the film. In between the main shooting and re-shoots of The Cherokee Word For Water she was a featured extra in the family comedy Thunderstruck starring NBA star Kevin Durant. After Thunderstruck and The Cherokee Word For Water Jamie would go on to do a few commercials for companies such as AT&T, Oklahoma State Department of Health, and Dicks Sporting Goods. Next she would go on to play Tara alongside Booboo Stewart and Q'Orianka Kilcher in the short teenage drama Running Deer. In 2013 she would be a featured extra in the musical drama Rudderless, working alongside the likes of Anton Yelchin, Billy Crudup, and William H. Macy. After Rudderless she became a part of Gray Frederickson's historical documentary Unconquerable. For Unconquerable Jamie got to do acting, voice-over, stunt work and CGI modeling. After Unconquerable she worked on a music video for an up and coming Oklahoma band, a small independent film about vampires, and do modeling for Oklahoma Tourism. She recently wrapped on the feature film Light From The Darkroom which stars Lymari Nadal, Patricia De Leon, Russell Wong, and Steven Michael Quezada. On Light From The Darkroom she got to be co-lead Patricia De Leon's unofficial stand-in/double as well as a featured extra and production intern. She continues to work in film, commercial and modeling today.Cherokee Nation- JaNae is a Dakota/Crow actress enrolled in the Fort Peck reservation in Montana. The product of an esteemed Dakota/Lakota clinical psychologist mother and prolific Crow stuntman father, JaNae is an avid scuba diver and lane splitting motorcyclist. Before moving out to L.A. JaNae studied acting at UNM with Paul Ford before booking her first union speaking role on the season one finale episode of Longmire in 2012.Crow, Lakota, & Dakota Nations
- Actor
- Stunts
Born in Auckland and grew up in Hastings, New Zealand.
With Maori heritage from his father's side of the family, with both Ngapuhi and Waikato tribal affiliations.
Graduate of Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School (1992-1993).
Having worked on stage between 1994-2001, his theatre credits include roles in 'Te Rakau Hau O Te Wao Tapu'(Dir. Jim Moriarty, 1994) and 'Waiora'(Dir. Murray Lynch) the latter of which toured New Zealand, as well as Hawaii and UK (1996-1999).
Lives in Raglan, on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island.
Other than acting, Te Maioha also helps students learn the Maori language and look after the environment.- Joe Folau is known for King Kong (2005), The Other Side of Heaven (2001) and Brutal Lives - Mo'ui Faingata'a (2020).
- Pana Hema Taylor is known for Spartacus (2010), Boy (2010) and Westside (2015). He was previously married to Danielle Cormack.
- Actress
- Composer
- Music Department
Jayli Wolf is known for Spirit Rangers (2022), Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On (2022) and Monster High (2022).Anishinabe (Saulteaux) Nation- Producer
- Actress
- Director
Actor, Writer, Producer, Director Jennifer Podemski is a director, writer, producer and actor. Born and raised in Toronto, Jennifer makes her home in Barrie, Ontario.
Of mixed Anishinaabe (First Nation) and Ashkenazi (Jewish) decent, Jennifer's professional acting career began when she was 17. Her breakout role was Sadie, in Bruce McDonald's iconic film, Dance Me Outside, a performance that garnered critical acclaim, solidifying her place in Canada's film and television canon.
In 1999 Jennifer shifted her focus to producing as a way to address the lack of Indigenous representation in the film and television industry. She launched Big Soul Productions with Laura Milliken becoming Canada's first Indigenous owned and operated, full-service film and television production and post production company. Big Soul Productions produced a variety of documentary television series, scripted short films and the award winning, multi-season, all Indigenous dramatic television series Moccasin Flats for Showcase Television and APTN.
In 2005, Jennifer branched out independently and has been creating, producing, writing and directing content through her production company Redcloud Studios Inc. Her most recent credits include 5 seasons of the paranormal television series The Other Side (APTN), the award winning feature film Empire of Dirt and two seasons of documentary series Future History (APTN) for which she received the 2020 Canadian Screen Award for Best Director Factual.
Jennifer has maintained a successful career as an actor, with roles in Degrassi TNG, Republic of Doyle, Take This Waltz, Blackstone, Hard Rock Medical and Cardinal. She is most proud of her starring role in her own film Empire of Dirt which was nominated for 5 Canadian Screen Awards in 2015 including Best Actress (Cara Gee), Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Podemski), Best Editing (Jorge Weisz), Best Film (Jennifer Podemski) and a win for Best Screenplay making Shannon Masters the first Indigenous woman to receive this honor.
In 2020, Jennifer launched The Shine Network, a digital platform designed to amplify the voices of Indigenous women content creators and offer professional development opportunities to Indigenous women.
Redcloud Studios Inc. With veteran producer, Jennifer Podemski, at the helm, Redcloud Studios has produced award-winning and critically acclaimed productions across all platforms and genres for over 15 years.
Redcloud Studios is committed to creating and producing Indigenous content through an Indigenous lens while building capacity and creating opportunities within the screen sector for aspiring Indigenous storytellers. From concept to completion, Jennifer leads the creative on a wide variety of content from dramatic series to documentary, factual and live broadcast.Anishinabe (Saulteaux) Nation- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Jerry Wolf is a Native American (Cherokee and Osage) Actor and co-founder of Napesni Motion Pictures, based in Los Angeles. His journey in the world of film and storytelling is motivated by the importance of representation. Jerry's recent role in Martin Scorsese's 'Killers of the Flower Moon' and his presence on the festival circuit with 'Last Patrol on Okinawa' exemplify his dedication to inclusive storytelling.
His journey began with 'Four Winds,' a Western film he co-wrote and produced. This groundbreaking project featured Native American leads in the post-Civil War American West and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013. Jerry's love for acting and storytelling blossomed during this time as did the beginnings of navigating Los Angeles as an actor, writer, and producer.
What sets Jerry apart is his strong connection to his Native communities. He actively participates in traditional ceremonial life on his Osage reservation in Oklahoma, carrying a deep sense of responsibility and community into his work. Jerry Wolf's journey exemplifies the power of diverse voices and the impact of multicultural storytelling in spaces where representation has historically been lacking.Osage, Cherokee, & Lakota Nations- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Jessica has spent her whole life dedicated to helping move Indigenous communities forward. Over a span of 20 years, she has worked extensively with Indigenous people primarily all over Canada to help break cycles of inter-generational trauma with her company 7 Forward Entertainment. Her purpose within the film and TV industry is directly fueled by her philanthropic work dedicated mainly to helping Indigenous youth struggling with identity, racism, lateral violence, bullying, and displacement due to trauma, abuse, adoption, and also advocating for justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Jessica stars opposite Zahn McClarnon and Kiowa Gordon in Robert Redford, George R.R. Martin (Game of Thrones) and Graham Roland's produced "Dark Winds" television series with the AMC Network this 2022.Anishinabe (Saulteaux) & Cree Nations- Actress
- Writer
- Composer
Joy Harjo was born on 9 May 1951 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for A Thousand Roads (2005), Joy Harjo: Eagle Song (2002) and Reservation Dogs (2021).Muskogee Creek & Cherokee Nations- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Kalani Queypo is an actor, musician, director, writer and producer. He was born and raised in Hawaii and is best known for his acting roles in The New World, Jamestown and Trickster. He has received the RIIFF's Directorial Discovery Award for his short film "Ancestor Eyes", and is a founding member of SAG-AFTRA's National Native American Committee and serves on the Advisory Council for Native Voices Theater at the Autry. His latest writing projects in development include a stage play, Stored and Safe, and his television series, When You Miss Aloha.Blackfeet Nation- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Kaniehtiio 'Tiio' Horn is a Canadian actress from Kahnawake, the Mohawk reserve outside of Montreal. Since graduating from Dawson College's Professional Theatre Program in 2005 she has established herself as a versatile actress with roles on television including the multiple award-winning comedy Letterkenny, Amazon's Man in the High Castle, Hemlock Grove for Netflix, and the CBC legal drama Diggstown. Feature film credits include Immortals, On the Road, Death Wish and The Hummingbird Project opposite Alexander Skarsgård. Tiio received critical acclaim as Oak in the 2017 action/thriller Mohawk, directed by Ted Geoghegan. Tiio earned a Gemini Award nomination in 2009 for her portrayal of Angel in the APTN MOW Moccasin Flats: Redemption, as well in 2010 and 2011 as part of the ensemble cast of CBC's 18 to Life. In 2018 she launched the podcast Coffee With My Ma, sharing the adventures and experiences of of her activist mother, Kahentinetha. Most recently, Tiio co-hosted the 2019 Indspire Awards on CBC, recognizing the outstanding achievements of individuals within Canada's Indigenous community.Iroquois (Mohawk) Nation- Kindall is an Nlaka'pamux First Nation Originating from Merritt B.C. He hitch hiked to Vancouver and lived in the Covenant House (Youth Shelter) to pursue his dream of being an actor. Kindall first started his off as a background performer and has been gaining experience since 2009. He has played multiple leads and supporting roles in film such as Sammy on Amir Aghelnegiad's A Safe Place (2016), and First Indian in Thomas Arlsan's German western feature film "Gold" premiered in the Berlinale film festival 2013. More recently 2016, Kindall just came back from filming in Budapest for Carnival Productions. The road to success has it hardships, but his journey pursuing his dreams is a greatest joy anyone can find! Kindall resides in Vancouver B.C, where he completed a two-year degree in film and television at New Image College of Fine Arts in 2013.Nlaka'pamux Nation
- Composer
- Actress
- Writer
Kinnie Starr was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She is known for Thirteen (2003), Hip Hop Pills 1.Z (2015) and Edge of the Knife (2018).Iroquois (Mohawk) Nation- Actor
- Producer
Kiowa Gordon was born on March 25, 1990 in Berlin, Germany as Kiowa Joseph Gordon. Moved to the States shortly after to live on the Hualapai Indian Reservation in Peach Springs, AZ and moved around quite a bit growing up until settling down in Phoenix, AZ where he landed the role of Embry Call in The Twilight Saga. He recently won best supporting actor at the 2013 American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco for his role in the indie film, The Lesser Blessed. Ki was also a series regular on a Sundance original series called The Red Road, starring Jason Momoa, Julianne Nicholson and Martin Henderson. Starting in 2021, became a series regular on AMC's hit drama, Dark Winds, an adaptation of Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn and Chee novels. Kiowa's mother, Camille, is from the Hualapai Nation and his father, Tom, is Scottish, Jewish and Choctaw. He has 7 siblings; Cheyenne, Josh, Lakota, MacGregor, Aaron, Sean and Sariah.Hualapai Nation- Actress
- Composer
- Music Department
Lila Downs, born in Oaxaca, Mexico, is the daughter of Mixtec singer Anita Sanchez and Allen Downs, a Scottish-American art professor and filmmaker. She grew up in Oaxaca, California, and Minnesota, where she graduated from the University of Minnesota in voice and anthropology. Her musical vision is anthropological in nature, as varied as the ancient and earthy cultures that continue to nurture and inspire her. Downs is usually accompanied on her musical journey by her longtime band, La Misteriosa, multi-cultural multi-instrumentalists who include Paul Cohen, her collaborator, producer, and husband.
The topic of her music is often political and social justice, immigration, and transformation, all rooted in the human condition. She strives to make a meaningful connection with her diverse audiences through her music and performances.
For over a decade, Lila Downs has traversed the planet, bringing her dramatic and highly unique reinvention of traditional Mexican music and original compositions fused with blues, jazz, soul, African root, and even klezmer music, all supporting her soaring voice. Some would classify Lila as a Mexican artist, but there is no real way to categorize her music except to say that it is a unique and exciting fusion of international sounds. A musical journey with Lila Downs is always a fascinating one, simultaneously edgy and powerful, yet sumptuous and graceful.
Sometimes the sound feels like a heat fueled road trip from Oaxaca to New Orleans. But then Downs is not afraid to shake things up with a cumbia rock, beat-poet style rap, or even the chirps of an iguana, taking the music to its own enigmatic world. The path can also unexpectedly lead to ancient worlds, when Lila taps into the native Mesoamerican music and language of the Mixtec, Zapotec, Maya and Nahuatl cultures. Few artists can successfully navigate the terrain of such seemingly disparate music. But Lila Downs y La Misteriosa go to the core of it, make it their own, and bring the audience along for an emotional and memorable ride.
Lila Downs has long been recognized by the music industry, receiving a Latin Grammy for the 2004 release "Una Sangre" and a Grammy nomination for 2008's "Shake Away," which was also named one of the top ten albums by WOMEX, the leading world music organization. In addition to headlining venues all over the world, she has appeared at major festival and events including Carnegie Hall, the Sacred Music Festival at the Hollywood Bowl - appearing with such luminaries as the Dalai Lama; WOMAD Festival; and the Latino Inaugural Ball for President Barack Obama.
Hollywood also took notice when Lila played a role in the Salma Hayek film "Frida" and then performed with Caetano Veloso the Oscar-nominated soundtrack song "Burn It Blue" on the Academy Awards telecast. Her music has been included in several other feature films such as "Tortilla Soup," "Real Women Have Curves," and "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada." She also played the role of Sophia in the film "Mariachi Gringo" from SPEAK Productions.Mixtec Nation- Actress
- Casting Department
- Writer
Born in Montana, Gladstone was raised on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and later near Seattle, WA. She graduated with high honors from the University of Montana in 2008 with a BFA in Acting/Directing, and a minor in Native American Studies.
Gladstone was introduced to audiences in Alex and Andrew Smith's adaptation of Winter in the Blood, a NYT best seller and seminal novel by Blackfeet/Gros Ventre author James Welch. Her breakout role came in 2016 from Kelly Reichardt's Certain Women, a performance which earned her the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress, Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as nominations for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female and Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor.
In 2017 Gladstone joined the Oregon Shakespeare Festival acting company, and in 2020 she stared in the Yale Repertory Theater production of Mary Kathryn Nagle's Manahatta.
In 2019 Gladstone reunited with Reichardt for First Cow. The film won Best Film at the 2020 New York Film Critics Circle Awards, and was named one of the ten best films of 2020 by the National Board of Review.Blackfeet Nation- Actor
- Casting Department
- Producer
Bound by blood to the Chuska Mountains in the great southwest, Loren Anthony earned his position as a true modern day warrior for his people. Helping communities near and far, with his positive paying it forward mindset. This multi-talented artist/actor began his journey during his childhood, performing heavy metal music for the masses, touring nationally with his founding award winning band "Bloodline". Years of living the infamous sex, drugs and rock n roll, a series of moments lead to series of losses and victories with sobriety. With the loss of his father, brought realization that life is short and precious, and there is more potential to our existence. Loren Anthony has been working effortless for over 9 years to provide free loads of firewood for the elderly, motivational speaking events and promoting health education. Loren working closely with at risk youth and adults living with addictions, it was the love that fuels his fire. Returning to the stage by way for stand-up comedy and intimate acoustic sets, it was with the support of close friends, family and mentors that film put back into his veins. Loren's extrovert personality is undoubtedly contagious among those around him. Present day, with over 18 films under his belt, Loren continues to stand for what's right and follow his heart. The passion for acting is as strong as the passion for helping others. The road ahead is always unknown and Loren loves all challenges, he prevails with a smile on his face and laughter in his heart.Navajo Nation- Maika Harper is known for Flashback (2020), Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent (2024) and Kim's Convenience (2016).Inuit Nation
- Anishinabe (Ojibway) Nation
- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Morningstar Angeline (she, they), born as Morningstar Angeline Wilson-Chippewa, is a queer Navajo, Chippewa, Blackfeet, Shoshone, and Latinx actor and filmmaker. She was born in Santa Fe, NM, to Rita Rose Wilson and Ethan Shawn Chippewa. They were later adopted by Daniel Harold Freeland and raised in Gallup, NM and Los Angeles, CA. Morningstar is a 2018 Sundance Indigenous Lab, 2020 Native American Feature Writers Lab, and a 2021 ImagineNative Directors Lab Fellow and serves on the Board of Directors of the mixed-media company Tse'Nato'.Shoshoni, Nez Perce, Blackfoot, & Chippewa Cree Nations- Nakotah LaRance was born on 23 August 1989 in Barrow, Alaska, USA (now Utqiagvik, Alaska, USA). He was an actor, known for Into the West (2005), Expiration Date (2006) and Longmire (2012). He died on 12 July 2020 in near Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, New Mexico, USA.Hopi, Tewa, Assiniboine, & Navajo Nations
- Music Department
- Actor
Phillip Blanchett is known for A Hitman's Solitude Before the Shot (2014), True Detective (2014) and Life Below Zero: First Alaskans (2022).Inuit Nation- Music Department
- Composer
- Actress
Raye Zaragoza is known for Resident Alien (2021), 1 Dead Party (2013) and Hollywood, je t'aime (2009).Pima Nation- Actress
- Director
Reneltta Arluk is known for (exp)lore (2020), Messiah/Complex (2020) and The Embargo Project (2015).Inuvialuit, Gwich'in & Chipewyan-Cree Nations- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Director
Rulan Tangen is an internationally accomplished dance artist and choreographer. She is the Founding Artistic Director and Choreographer of Dancing Earth, noted in Dance Magazine as "One of the Top 25 To Watch", and winner of the National Dance Project Production and Touring Grant, as well as the National Museum of American Indian's Expressive Arts award. Rulan has been awarded the 2016 A Blade of Grass Fellowship for Socially Engaged Art , 2016-17 Santa Fe Art Institute's Water themed artists residency, 2016 Catalyst Initiative from Center for Performance and Social Practice , 2015 Arts & Social Change Award from Arts and Healing network, Costo Medal for Education, Research and Service by UC Riverside's Chair of Native Affairs, the first Dance Fellowship for Artistic Innovation by the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation , New Mexico School for the Arts Community Leadership Award and was honored as a top ten finalist across all disciplines for Nathan Cummings Fellowship for Social Change .
Rulan's work values movement as an expression of indigenous worldview, including the honoring of matriarchal leadership, dance as functional ritual for transformation and healing, the process of decolonizing the body, and the animistic energetic connection with all forms of life on earth. She has recruited and nurtured a new generation of Indigenous contemporary dancers and holds the belief that "to dance is to live, to live is to dance". She believes in this form of dance as continuing the link of culture - from ancient to futuristic - and culminates in her vision for Dancing Earth -Indigenous Contemporary Dance Creations.
Devoted towards developing the innovative field of Indigenous contemporary dance, Rulan has taught extensively in Native communities throughout the hemisphere, including youth and community projects under the auspices of the Native Wellness Institute and the National Dance Institute. In Fall 2009, Rulan's choreography was appointed as Visiting Distinguished Scholar at Washington University. In 2010, she was invited by Stanford University's Institute of Diversity in the Arts to lead a semester project titled "Race And Environment."
Rulan has also been featured in lead roles with most of the major Native productions including Raoul Trujillo's 'Tribe', Daystar Dance/Dance, Minigoowezewin at the Banff Centre for the Arts Aboriginal Dance Program, C.A.M.A. Awards, Aboriginal Achievement Awards, Robert Mirabal's "Music from a Painted Cave" PBS television special and subsequent 80 city tour, and assistant to the Directors of 'Bones: Aboriginal Dance Opera'. She also has been featured as an actress in the PBS series " We Shall Remain", "The New World", and "Ancestor Eyes" for which she was nominated for Best Actress by the Action On Film Awards.
Rulan's three decades of performance credits include ballet and modern dance companies in New York (Michael Mao Dance and Peridance), Vancouver (Karen Jamieson Dance), Santa Fe (Moving People, Dancing One Soul) and California (Marin Ballet and Redwood Empire Ballet), and appearances with the One Railroad Circus, as well as extensive yoga training, and powwow trail experiences as a Northern Plains Traditional Women's dancer. Her choreography has been commissioned by venues including the Heard Museum AZ, Society for Dance Historians conferences in Canada and USA, Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics NY, Teatro Nunes in Brasil, Centro Cultural de Recoleto of Buenos Aires Argentino, in New Mexico for Santa Fe Art Institute, Native Roots and Rhythms Festival, Santa Fe Dance Festival, Native Cinema Showcase at the Center for Contemporary Arts, in California for the Idyllwild Arts Program, Festival, Aqua Caliente Cultural Museum CA; in Canada for the International Aboriginal Choreographers Workshop, McMichaels Gallery, Peterborough Art Gallery, Living Rituals World Indigenous Dance Festival, Toronto Harbourfront's Roots Remix, and Planet IndigenUs Festival; and including films Apocalypto (director Mel Gibson) and The New World (director Terrence Malick).Blackfeet & Metis Nations- Actor
- Music Department
Before becoming an actor Shaun earned a BA in International Relations as a Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Delaware. He surprised his professors by continuing his studies in acting at RADA, the NY Public Theater, and Ron Burrus at the Art of Acting. Shaun can be seen as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet at Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum. The play, set in East Jerusalem, opens on June 4th and runs through October 2nd. Visit Theatricum.com for tickets! He recently toured as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys, performing at LA's Pantages Theater in October, 2014. He played the role of Sonny in the hit Broadway musical In the Heights, and was also seen in that role when the show played the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles in 2010. Before that, Shaun played himself on the hit kids TV series Hi-5 (Discovery Kids/TLC), and played the role of Juan in Altar Boys Off-Broadway in NY. In addition to living and acting in LA, Shaun is also continuing work on his Native American-inspired musical, Distant Thunder, shooting for a Broadway run within the next few years.Blackfeet Nation- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Sheila Chalakee is known for Real Housewives of the Magic Kingdom (2010), Chasing Robert (2007) and Holla If You Hear Me (2006).Muscogee Creek Nation- Actress
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Shyla Lefner is an actress and writer, known for Woo (1998), A Starbucks Story (2005) and Whatever It Takes (2000). She is married to David Wayne Lefner.Choctaw Nation- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Stefany was born and raised in North Vancouver BC. She is the only daughter of Squamish Nation hereditary Chief Joe Mathias and Janice Antoine, the principal of the Coldwater School in Merritt, BC.
Her love of the arts was ignited in her as a young child because her mom brought her to the theatre for children and her dad to see movies of all kinds. Not only did they both encourage her acting they also supported her love of singing, dance, and writing.
Stefany graduated from the University of British Columbia theatre program and continued in Theater until she was noticed by Chris Haddock who cast her in his acclaimed TV series "DaVinci's Inquest," where she played a recurring role. She then went on to appear in "Da Vinci City Hall", "The Collector" and several independent feature-length and short films.
She also attended the Vancouver Film School for film production and directing.
Stefany splits her time between Los Angeles and British Columbia.Squamish Nation- Actress
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tamara Podemski is a multi-disciplinary artist born and raised in Toronto to an Ojibway mother from Treaty 4 Territory in Saskatchewan and an Ashkenazi father from Israel. She is a graduate of the Claude Watson School for the Performing Arts where she studied theatre, dance and music throughout its 10-year program.
Though she is best known as a screen actress, Tamara's stage career has spanned over 25 years as an actress, singer, dancer and choreographer, most notably starring on Broadway in the musical RENT. She also has independent recording career, having wrote and released 3 albums [2 in Anishinaabemowin and 1 in English under her own record label, Mukwa Music].
Tamara made her biggest mark in Sterlin Harjo's film "Four Sheets to the Wind" when she won the Special Jury Prize for Acting at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, followed by an IFC Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 2008. After returning to the stage, she earned a Jessie Theatre Award nomination for her role in Marie Clements' play "The Edward Curtis Project" and, under the direction of Jani Lauzon, Tamara starred in Colleen Wagner's Governor General's Award-Winning Play "The Monument," which was hailed as one of the "10 Best Theatre Productions of 2018" by the Globe & Mail. Recently, she joined the all-Indigenous cast of Keith Barker's "This is How We Got Here" which won a 2020 Dora Award for Outstanding New Play. Behind the camera, Tamara is the writer and story producer of the documentary TV series Future History (directed and produced by her sister, Jennifer Podemski) and was nominated for Best Writing in a Factual Series at the 2020 Canadian Screen Awards. Tamara recently won an 2021 ACTRA Award for "Outstanding Female Performance" and a 2021 Canadian Screen Award for "Best Supporting Actress - Drama" for her role as Alison Trent in CBC's "Coroner."
As a community worker, she has travelled the globe sharing her cultural and creative experiences through workshops, keynotes and panel discussions. Having grandparents who are both Holocaust survivors and Residential School survivors, she speaks openly about issues of intergenerational trauma, reconciliation, inherited legacies and the importance of creating safe spaces for dialogue, education and collaboration.Anishinabe (Saulteaux) Nation- Tanaya Beatty was born on 12 February 1991 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She is an actress, known for Yellowstone (2018), Through Black Spruce (2018) and Hostiles (2017).Da'naxda'xw Nation
- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Tatanka Means was born on 19 February 1985 in Rapid City, South Dakota, USA. He is an actor, known for Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015) and The Host (2013).Lakota, Navajo, & Omaha Nations- Actress
- Location Management
Taysha Fuller was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and grew up on Six Nations Reservation. Taysha is a North American Native. Taysha's mother is Cayuga Nation Wolf Clan, and her father is Mohawk Nation, Turtle Clan. Taysha attended Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts College in Toronto, Ontario. Taysha started in the performing arts at a young age taking Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, & HipHop. She competed for several years winning many National Dance Championships in the U.S.A. & Canada. Taysha has trained with Acting Coaches in Toronto & Los Angeles. Taysha made her first film at age eight. She has appeared in Television, Films & Radio. Taysha has appeared on Degrassi the Next Generation in Season 10 & 11 as Jessica Martello. She has had two Films in Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. In 2015.."Songs My Brothers Taught Me" & in 2004, "Prayer For A Good Day". In 2015 Taysha's Film she had a Principal Role in "Songs My Brothers Taught Me" also made it in the Cannes Film Festival.Iroquois (Mohawk & Cayuga) Nation- Tennille Day Chief was born in Alberta, Canada. Tennille as many who know her has always wanted to act and spent time reenacting many shows on TV and movies she watched as a younger child. Tennille has achieved early success and 2015 has seemed to be a pretty good year for her as she was named Youth Citizen of the Year and had an opportunity to sing at Teen Fest and was named Jr Teen Central Alberta. Tennille believes Life is what you make of it and to have fun and work hard at everything you do.Blackfoot Nation
- Terri Poahway is a proud enrolled member of the Kiowa tribe of Oklahoma. She is currently a sophomore at Cameron University (Lawton, Oklahoma) and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications with double minors in Theatre and Health and Physical education. Her future aspirations are to achieve her PhD. in communications and become a speech professor. Her film debut was in an independent film, shot in Norman Oklahoma in 2002, which is entitled, American Indian Graffiti: This Thing Life (2003). Attending her very first acting audition, Terri achieved one of the 4 leading roles of this film: she portrayed the character "Stephanie". The film was entered in the Bare Bones Film Festival and achieved numerous awards including "Best Family Film". The film has been screened all over Oklahoma and all across the nation and has received raving reviews and plenty of positive press coverage. A few of Terri's other accomplishments include the following: Jr. Miss Indian Oklahoma 1997, Miss Lawton 2001 (preliminary to the Miss America competition) where she was awarded Miss Photogenic and allowed to compete for Miss Oklahoma, where she received a talent scholarship.
Terri was also President of the Cameron American Indian Students Association (CAISA) in the fall of 2003 and still maintains her membership today. Currently, Terri is a member of the Beta Sigma Phi National sorority and she is a Cameron University Cheerleader. Acting is something Terri sort of fell in to, but she has been credited as being a "natural" and enjoys acting very much, especially improvisation. She has aspirations of furthering her acting career and portraying her native people in a positive image.Kiowa Nation