Indigenous Actors
Actors of Native American/ First Nations/ Native descent, based on their biographies, work, and my perception.
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- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Meegwun was born in Toronto, Ontario Canada. From age two to thirteen, he lived up on many First Nations communities across Northern Ontario. Meegwun grew up hunting, fishing and enjoying the outdoors while taking part in many Ojibway cultural practices. Dancing, singing and art were always a part of his life. His other love: Movies. He was always taking his friends up the river by canoe and into the woods to act out all of the movies he had recently watched.
After leaving the First Nations communities, he completed high school in Kenora, Ontario before being accepted into the acting conservatory at York University in 2005. There he studied the acting craft and built upon his love of the art form. Since graduating he has worked on stage, film and television all over North America with the very Indigenous stars he looked up to as a young boy. His first big break was on APTN's "Mohawk Girls" as Butterhead and then as Daniel Aerov in Syfy's virus show "Helix."
Meegwun continues to work on his craft in writing, theatre, film and television while teaching arts based workshops to kids in Northern BC and Ontario Canada. He is also an Okichitaw Indigenous Martial Artist, Personal Trainer and Yoga teacher.
His directorial debut are two full length documentaries about the BC Salmon numbers and Okichitaw Martial Arts. His first short film called "Sweet Dreams" will be released in 2018.
See Meegwun next as Officer Owen Beckbie in CBC's "Burden of Truth," airing Jan.10/2018 at 8pm.- Kyle Nobess was born and raised in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada. A credited Film Actor and Screen Play Writer. He began his film and television training in 2005, attending local film schools throughout the city. Kyle has had various types of exposure to television, From supporting roles to becoming one of APTN'S top Television personalities.
- Allyson Pratt is a mixed race First Nations actress born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta. Her mother is of Plains Cree and French descent. Best known for her work on Teenagers (2014) and Mohawk Girls (2010), Allyson is also a trained vocalist and dancer, winning the RAPA Triple Threat Award in her graduation year at the high profile post-secondary school in Toronto. Allyson has a background in improvisational comedy, which she continues to study. Allyson also studies extensively in Meisner technique, with renowned Toronto acting coaches.
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Glen Gould is an acclaimed actor with a remarkable career in theater, television, and film. With his exceptional talent and versatility, he has garnered numerous awards and critical acclaim for his performances. From his recent roles in Marie Clements' "Bones of Crows" to his recurring role opposite Sylvester Stallone in Taylor Sheridan's "Tulsa King", and his guest starring role in Season 6 of "Outlander", Glen has consistently impressed audiences and critics alike.
Born and raised on the Membertou First Nation in Nova Scotia, Glen discovered his passion for acting at a young age. He honed his skills in theater, television, and film, laying the foundation for his successful career. With a rich background in theater, Glen Gould developed a commanding stage presence and an ability to bring characters to life.
Glen Gould's filmography is a testament to his talent and range as an actor. He has appeared in a wide variety of films, showcasing his ability to excel in different genres. One notable film is the indie feature "Girl," where he starred opposite Bella Thorne, captivating audiences with his compelling performance. Another remarkable film in his repertoire is the Hollywood blockbuster "Cold Pursuit," which further solidified his presence in the industry.
Glen Gould's outstanding portrayal in the LGBT action-thriller "North Mountain" earned him the prestigious Best Actor award at the 2015 RNCI Awards, showcasing his ability to tackle challenging and diverse roles. His exceptional performance in "Rhymes for Young Ghouls" also garnered critical acclaim, earning him a Best Actor win at the 2014 AIMPA's and a Best Actor Nomination at the 2014 and 2020 RNFCI Festival. Additionally, Glen Gould's role as Avery Paul in the award-winning feature film "Charlie Zone" earned him the esteemed David Renton Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor at the AIFF and the Best Actor at the Dreamspeakers Film Festival.
Glen's talent extends beyond the silver screen, as he has also made a significant impact in the television industry. One of his most notable roles is Detective Jerry Commanda in the hit CTV series "Cardinal." His portrayal of this complex character captivated audiences, further establishing his versatility and acting prowess. Another memorable television role is that of rancher John Eagle in "Cashing In," showcasing his ability to bring depth and authenticity to his characters.
In addition to these standout performances, Glen has made appearances in various other television shows. From "FBI Most Wanted" to "Tribal," "Mohawk Girls" to "The Strain," his talent has been recognized and celebrated across a wide range of TV series. He has also graced the screens in popular shows like "Blackstone," "Murdoch Mysteries," "DaVinci's City Hall," "DaVinci's Inquest," and "The 4400," among others.
While Glen has achieved remarkable success in film and television, his passion for theater remains unwavering. With his extensive background in theater, he has showcased his talent on stage, captivating audiences with his commanding presence
and exceptional performances. His rich voice has also made him a sought-after talent for voice-overs and narrations in various TV shows, documentaries, and animations.
Glen Gould's career is a testament to his exceptional talent, dedication, and versatility as an actor. From his captivating performances in film, television, and theater to his renowned voice-over work, he continues to leave an indelible mark on the industry. With his numerous accolades and critical acclaim, Glen Gould stands as one of the most accomplished and respected actors of his generation.- Eric Schweig was born on 19 June 1967 in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada. He is an actor, known for The Last of the Mohicans (1992), Big Eden (2000) and Skins (2002). He was previously married to Leah ?.
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Dakota was born in a small town in Northern Alberta, he now resides in Edmonton, Alberta. He has been acting from age eighteen and has worked with such people as Graham Greene, Tom Jackson, David Duchovny from X-Files and many others who Dakota credits for his learning and knowledge in the film industry. This young man has also traveled Canada extensively, doing workshops in acting and facilitating motivation, empowerment and self-esteem workshops as well as public appearances. Dakota has written one children's book called Dancers in the sky and is currently writing his second. He has just finished filming the 5th 'North of 60' movie that will be airing in the early months of 2004.- Actor
- Director
- Additional Crew
Gary Dale Farmer is a character actor with plenty of character. With over 100 Film and TV appearances attached to his resume, and plenty more in the pipeline, Gary has shown he can adapt easily to any genre when necessary. He was born in Ohsweken, Ontario, into the Cayuga nation and Wolf Clan, and studied photography and Film at both the Syracuse University and Ryerson Polytechnic University. He then began a successful career as an actor, first taking small roles in movies such as Police Academy (1984), the John Schlesinger film The Believers (1987) with Martin Sheen, the Matt Dillon vehicle, The Big Town (1987), and Renegades (1989) starring Kiefer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Phillips.
By the early 1990s, Gary was starring in more substantial roles. He portrayed Cowboy Dashee in the Robert Redford- produced thriller, The Dark Wind (1991) - again opposite Lou Diamond Phillips- and starred with Corey Feldman and
Jim Jarmusch re-prised Gary's role as the Native American spiritual guide - Nobody - for his next film, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), and Frank Oz cast him alongside Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro in The Score (2001). Gary continues to work steadily as an actor and has also moved behind the camera - he has directed a few projects, including an episode of the Forever Knight (1992) TV series, episode 'Father Figure' (1992).
Gary formed his own band: 'Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers'. They play the blues and have released two CDs.- 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.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Additional Crew
Ryan R Black is an Writer, Director, Actor and Producer from Winnipeg , Manitoba, Canada. He is of mixed descent with a Saulteaux (First Nations) mother whose Bloodline tracks to the Black River and Sakgeeng / Pine Falls First Nations. He is also directly blood related to several families of the Hollow Water First Nation. His father is a landed immigrant originally from Trinidad who came to Canada at the age of 15. He prides himself on the perspective his heritage brings to both his mainstream and grassroots work in film and television. He is an instructor for several youth programs in the film and media arts and a strong proponent of human capital and performance as core values in the execution of high quality storytelling.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Adam Beach was born in Ashern, Manitoba, the son of Sally and Dennis Beach, and was raised on the Dog Creek First Nations Reserve, with his two brothers. A troubled childhood saw his mother killed by a drunk driver, and his alcoholic father drowned only weeks afterward. The three brothers went to live with their grandmother and then with their uncle and aunt in Winnipeg, where Adam joined drama classes and began acting in local theatre productions.
Since then he has appeared in over 60 films and television programs. His performance in the Academy Award-nominated Clint Eastwood-directed Flags of Our Fathers (2006) was phenomenal. He played Ira Hayes, a Pima Native American who was one of the six US Marines to raise the American flag on Iwo Jima and who found the resulting fame hard to handle, subsequently giving way to alcoholism. This alone would have been an emotional role for Adam to play; however, during filming, both his grandmother and best friend passed away. His role as Hayes is both realistic and heartbreaking, earning him two Best Supporting Actor Award Nominations. He stands out well above the rest of the cast.
Adam has been further nominated for three Awards for his role in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) including a Golden Globe. He has put in terrific performances in the comedy film Joe Dirt (2001) and the John Woo World War II war epic Windtalkers (2002) in which he co-starred with Nicolas Cage.
He headlined the cast in the Walt Disney production Squanto: A Warrior's Tale (1994), featured in John Singleton's Four Brothers (2005) and starred with Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig in the science fiction-western smash hit Cowboys & Aliens (2011). He had a starring recurring role in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) and Big Love (2006).
In 2016, he played Christopher Weiss / Slipknot in the supervillain film Suicide Squad (2016).
Adam hopes to be appointed leader of his Lake Manitoba First Nation.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Michael Greyeyes is an actor, director, scholar and founding artistic director of Signal Theatre. He is Nêhiyaw (Plains Cree) from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan, Canada. His film work includes the role of Traylor in "Blood Quantum," (Elevation Pictures/ Shudder Original), written and directed by Jeff Barnaby, Sitting Bull in "Woman Walks Ahead," (A24/ DirecTV) co-starring Jessica Chastain and directed by Susanna White. He also appeared in HBO's "True Detective" (Season 3) in the role of Brett Woodard and AMC Television's third season of "Fear the Walking Dead," playing Qaletaqa Walker. He has appeared in numerous feature films, including "The New World," directed by Terence Malick, "Skipped Parts," "Sunshine State," directed by John Sayles, "Passchendaele" directed by Paul Gross and "Dance Me Outside," a cult-classic directed by Bruce McDonald.
Most recently, he can be seen as Ralph Drinkwater in HBO's acclaimed mini-series "I Know This Much is True," written and directed by Derek Cianfrance and starring Mark Ruffalo, Apple TV+ "Home Before Dark," Disney+ "Togo," and "V-Wars" for Netflix. He has appeared in a wide range of roles, including "Law and Order: Criminal Intent," to the title role in "Crazy Horse" (TNT), and Tecumseh in "Tecumseh's Vision" (PBS) to mini-series such as "Klondike" (Discovery), "Saints and Strangers" (National Geographic), and "Dreamkeeper" (ABC). As a director, he has created numerous theatre works including "Bearing," a searing dance opera that premiered at the 2017 Luminato Festival in Toronto, "A Soldier's Tale" (National Arts Centre), "from thine eyes" (Harbourfront Centre), and wrote "Nôhkom" (directed by Yvette Nolan). He was nominated for a Dora award for his direction (with Cole Alvis) for "Two Odysseys: Pimooteewin / Gállábártnit," a full-length evening of Indigenous opera featuring 2 librettos in Cree and Sami.
He is represented by long-time manager Alan Mills (Mills Kaplan Entertainment) and talent agents MaryJane MacCallum (ARC) and Harry Gold (Talent Works).- Actor
- Producer
- Stunts
He is the son of former Yukon premier Anthony David John Penikett (Tony). A graduate of the Victoria Motion picture school, Tahmoh also studied at the Lyric School of Acting in Vancouver. Tahmoh and his family (his father, and his twin sisters Sarah and Stephanie) make their home in Vancouver, British Columbia.- 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.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Cody Lightning was born on 8 August 1986 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He is an actor and director, known for Four Sheets to the Wind (2007), Hey, Viktor! (2023) and Brick (2005).- 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.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Actress Tantoo Cardinal is a Member of the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest civilian honors. The order recognizes Cardinal for her contributions to the growth and development of Aboriginal performing arts in Canada.
Arguably the most widely recognized Native Actress of her generation, Cardinal has appeared in numerous plays, television programs, and films, including Legends of the Fall, Dances With Wolves, Black Robe, Loyalties, Luna, Spirit of the Whale, Unnatural & Accidental, Marie-Anne, Sioux City, Silent Tongue, Mothers & Daughters, and Smoke Signals. Recent work includes the films Eden, Maina, Shouting Secrets and From Above.
Her stirring performance in Loyalties earned her a Genie nomination, American Indian Film Festival Best Actress Award, the People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival, plus Best Actress Awards at International Film Festivals in Zimbabwe and Portugal.
Cardinal was recently honored with the 2015 ACTRA Award of Excellence; other honors include Best Actress - Elizabeth Sterling Award in Theatre for All My Relations, and First Americans in the Arts Totem Award for her portrayal of the character Katrina in Widows at the Forum Stage in Los Angeles. She won the American Indian Film Festival's Best Actress Award as well as the first Rudy Martin Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Native American in Film for Where the Rivers Flow North, a Gemini Award for North of 60, and a Leo Award for Blackstone.
Her television credits include recurring roles on the series: Blackstone, The Killing, Arctic Air, Strange Empire, The Guard, North of 60, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, The Lightening Field, Street Legal, The Campbell's, Gunsmoke, Tom Stone, Myth Quest, Lonesome Dove, and Renegade Press.com. MOW's include Full Flood, The Englishman's Boy, Dreamkeeper and the PBS documentary Nobody's Girls.
For her contributions to the Native Artistic community, Cardinal won the Eagle Spirit Award. She has also been honored with the MacLeans' magazine Honor Roll as Actress of the Year, the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Toronto Women in Film and Television, an International Women in Film Award for her lasting contribution to the arts, and induction to the CBC/Playback Hall of Fame.- Actor
- Producer
Simon R Baker virtually grew up in front of the camera with his first starring role at the age of 9 in the feature "Once in a Blue Moon"; he followed that with 3 seasons of the hit TV series, "North of Sixty". Some career highlights include a leading role in the Stephen Spielberg produced mini series, "Into the West", the lead in the Disney Channel feature "Buffalo Dreams", working 4 months opposite Tommy Lee Jones and Cate Blanchett in Ron Howard's "The Missing", the lead in the Independent Film "Buckaroo" and his compelling role of Randy in the award winning festival hit "On the Corner" which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Other projects include the MOW's "Journey to the Center of the Earth", "Dreamkeeper", the two North of Sixty MOW's "Dream Storm" and "Distant Drumming" plus the mini series "Big Bear".
His work in feature films includes Chris Eyre's "Smoke Signals" which earned Simon a First Americans in the Arts nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He also appeared in the Academy award nominated "The Sweet Hereafter" with Director Atom Egoyan
Other features include, "Now and Forever", "Shanghai Noon", "I Robot", "Spooky House", "Tribe of Joseph" and "Back to Turtle Island". His series work includes "Strange Empire", "The Crow", "Nothing to Good for a Cowboy", "Two" and "Hawkeye".
Simon graduated from the prestigious Canadian Film Centre's new Actors Conservatory. Only 8 were chosen to participate from across the country and instructors included Norman Jewison, Keifer Sutherland, Sarah Polley, Colm Feore, Martha Henry, Clement Virgo, Patricia Rozema, Lynne Stopkewich, Donald Petrie, to name just a few.
Simon was the host of CTV's "First Story"; a show that featured Arts, Culture and happenings in the Native community across Canada. Simon lives in Vancouver, his father is of the Squamish and Haida nations and his Mother is Cree. Simon is an avid Lacrosse player. He is also accomplished in martial arts and has a background in Pow Wow and Haida dancing.
Simon is touring the world as the Host of the show "Native Planet", a series that travels to Indigenous cultures around the world and highlights their land, culture and the universal story of all indigenous people on the planet. Currently wrapping his third three season of the show.- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
John Trudell was born in Omaha, Nebraska, to a Santee Sioux father and Mexican Indian mother. After a stint in the Navy (and Vietnam) from 1963 to 1969, he became involved with the American Indian Movement, becoming National Chairman in 1973. He held that position until 1979; it was then that his wife Tina, mother-in-law, and three children ages one, three, & five, were burned to death in a "fire of suspicious origin" on their Nevada reservation which was nonetheless never investigated. Beginning in the early 1980's, Trudell began to channel his anger and emotion through poetry, music, and acting.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Christian Kane was born in Dallas, Texas. Christian and his family moved around a lot throughout the South before settling down in Norman, Oklahoma. Christian attended the University of Oklahoma where he had plans to major in Art History. However, Christian wanted to try out acting, so he took his truck and his life savings of a few hundred dollars and headed to Hollywood. Christian had many jobs, including mail-room clerk for a talent agency. His big break came when he played Ryan "Flyboy" Legget, the male lead, in a new show called Fame L.A. (1997) based on the hit movie and 80s TV show. Christian's next role was on the short-lived Aaron Spelling's Rescue 77 (1999), where he played Wick Lobo a.k.a. "Cowboy" because of his radical application of "gutter" medicine. In 1999 he played the duplicitous role of Lindsey McDonald, in the popular Horror/Fantasy series Angel (1999). Christian was soon cast as a production assistant in Edtv (1999) starring Woody Harrelson as well as a made-for-TV Western called Crossfire Trail (2001) with Tom Selleck.
Kane's TV resume also includes a leading role on Leverage (2008)(2008-2012) as Eliot Spencer. He also appeared in the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced, CBS series Close to Home (2005) (2005-2007) and a featured slot in the Stephen Spielberg/TNT miniseries Into the West (2005). In addition, Kane made his mark in big-screen films that include Life or Something Like It (2002); Secondhand Lions (2003) in which he was honored to play a young Robert Duvall;Just Married (2003) where he starred with Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy ; and Friday Night Lights (2006).
Kane starred in 50 to 1 (2014), along side Skeet Ulrich and William Devane. Kane starred in The Librarians (2014) on TNT, which was produced by Dean Devlin who also produced Leverage (2008). His portrayal of Jake Stone earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor on Television with the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. Christian collaborated with his friend Clayne Crawford on Tinker' (2017) which won him Best Supporting Actor at the Sutter Creek Intl Film Festival. He's also an avid supporter of the Clayne Crawford Foundation.
Christian is well-known for performing his own stunts on most of his shows! Continuing his collaboration with Dean Devlin, he stars as former DEA agent Alex Walker on Almost Paradise (2020) on WGN America and the Leverage: Redemption (2021) reboot for IMDB TV!- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Graham Greene was born on 22 June 1952 in Six Nations Reserve, Ontario, Canada. He is an actor and writer, known for The Green Mile (1999), Wind River (2017) and Dances with Wolves (1990). He has been married to Hilary Blackmore since 20 December 1990. They have two children.- 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.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Floyd 'Red Crow' Westerman was born on 17 August 1936 in Lake Traverse Indian Reservation, Roberts County, South Dakota, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Dances with Wolves (1990), Hidalgo (2004) and Dharma & Greg (1997). He was married to Rosie. He died on 13 December 2007 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
- Music Department
Born in Chamberlain, South Dakota and residing in Montana, Spears has five brothers, one sister, and is Lakota Sioux Tribe. His first role was in the film "Dances With Wolves" as Otter. Michael went on to appear in "Skins", "Into The West", "Yellow Rock", Cyril Morin's "The Activist", and had a guest role on "Longmire". He has an American Photographic Artists (APA) Award for best subject matter in a film. He co-hosted the American Indian Film Institute Awards in 2013.- Eddie Spears was born on 29 November 1982 in Chamberlain, South Dakota, USA. He is an actor, known for DreamKeeper (2003), Hell on Wheels (2011) and Bone Tomahawk (2015).
- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
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.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
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.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Gerald Auger is a First Nations actor, producer, writer, entrepreneur and motivational speaker from Wabasca, Alberta. He is of Woodland Cree descent. He graduated from Grande Prairie Regional College in 1995 with a Marketing Management diploma and a Small Business Management certificate. In 1996 and 1997 Auger was awarded the National Native Role Model by the Governor General of Canada and spent the next two years visiting more than thirteen communities across Canada, inspiring his aboriginal peers, relating stories about his experiences and bonding with locals through cultural events and ceremonies.- Actor
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Mo Brings Plenty is an enrolled Lakota who hails from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. His traditional name -- given to him as a young boy -- is Ta Sunke Wospapi ("catches his horse"); it befits a man who spends more time on his horses than anywhere else. As a Makes Room on his mother's side and a Brings Plenty on his father's, he is the stock of his grandfathers who fought at the Battle at Little Big Horn. Those familiar with the battle will know the strengths of those names and understand why Mo sees the world through the lens of the forces and sacrifices his family and ancestors made so that he could be here today. His relatives long passed are an intrinsic part of everything he does: every decision he makes and everywhere he goes.
As an actor, Mo is best known in his self-titled role as "Mo Brings Plenty," Chief Thomas Rainwater's enforcer on the Taylor Sheridan/ViacomCBS record-breaking juggernaut series Yellowstone. Moviegoers can now catch him playing "Shep Wauneka" in the newly released Jurassic World Dominion (2022) and as "Ottawa Jones" in Showtime's Peabody award-winning limited series The Good Lord Bird (2021). He has played "Crazy Horse," "Sitting Bull," and many other historical Indian notables who have solidified their place in this Country's history. And he has spent a fair amount of time in the biopic world twice portraying Charlie Soap -- the husband of the first woman elected Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the late Wilma Mankiller-- in The Cherokee Word for Water and Gloria Steinem's The Glorias, respectively.
Mo Brings Plenty is an actor, horse stunt rider, rancher, and American Indian storyline consultant. But above all, he is a man who wholeheartedly believes in human kindness, and he trusts the good in humanity still exists and feels it just needs to be dusted off a bit. Out of respect and honor for those who have come before us, Mo knows we have a profound obligation to leave a livable planet for those who will follow after we are gone, and he starts and ends every day, with thoughts of how he and we can make the world a better place while we are here.
When Mo isn't working as an actor, he can be found ranching or seeking ways to give back to his Lakota communities and Indian Country -- ways that include preserving culture, tradition and seeking cultural truth in diversity.- Actor
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One of Canada's most popular actors and country folk singers, Jackson is also well known as an entrepreneur. He was born to Rose, a Cree mother and Marshall, an English father on the One Arrow Reserve in Saskatchewan, Canada. His family moved to Namao, Alberta when he was seven years old. He moved with his family to Winnipeg, Manitoba at age fourteen. A year later, Jackson dropped out of high school taking a life on the streets for seven years. From these humble beginnings, he rose to become one of Canada's favorite and most honoured First Nations performers. Jackson founded the annual Huron Carole fund-raising concerts in 1987 in order to support the Salvation Army. His most notable television appearances were on Shining Time Station (1989) as Billy Twofeathers and North of 60 (1992) as Peter Kenidi. In January 2000, he was named to the Order of Canada, that country's highest civilian award. Jackson was the Chancellor of Trent University from 2009 to 2013.- Actor
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A Canadian actor of Cree and Stoney descent, Gordon Tootosis made his film debut in the western film Alien Thunder (1974) with Donald Sutherland and Chief Dan George. Tootoosis provided memorable performances in television and movies, including the role of 'One Stab' in Legends of the Fall (1994), the role of 'Growling Bear' in the Steven Spielberg produced miniseries Into the West (2005) and the role of 'Chief Red Cloud' in the HBO film Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007). His television credits include guest appearances on Friday the 13th: The Series (1987), MacGyver (1985), Northern Exposure (1990), The X-Files (1993), The Magnificent Seven (1998) and Smallville (2001). Tootoosis provided the voice of 'Kekata' in Disney's animated feature Pocahontas (1995) and Sheriff Gordy in Open Season (2006).- Actress
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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.- Actress
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Michelle Thrush is a Canadian actress and First Nations activist for Aboriginal Canadians and the other Indigenous peoples of the Americas.
Thrush, who is Cree, was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, by parents she admits were chronic alcoholics. She recalls being called "Squaw" at Bowness High School and bullied because of her parents' illness. In grade nine she changed schools and attended Calgary's Plains Indian Cultural Survival School. There she felt accepted for the first time. She learned about herself, her language, culture, singing and drumming. She remembers: "They filled in a lot of the voids that my soul was just begging for." Her childhood hardships affected her profoundly. Though she acted in her first film at 17 with a role of Sally Littlefeathers in Isaac Littlefeathers (1984), it did not occur to her it could be a career. She planned to become a social worker and help children. She met Gordon Tootoosis, a First Nations actor, who told her: "If [acting] is what your heart wants, you need to follow it and be true." At this point her parents were sober. With no other ties to Calgary, at age 20 she moved to Vancouver and found an agent.
Thrush has said it's been only the last 20 years that Indigenous people have been able to tell their truth through their own stories, though she credits such luminaries as Tantoo Cardinal and Graham Greene for kicking down the doors for Indigenous people in the industry.
Thrush has had a prolific career since its beginning in the 1980s. She began her acting career in film while attending high school. She got her first theatre job when she moved to Vancouver at age 20. She had a small part in the play The Ecstasy of Rita Joe. She portrayed numerous recurring and guest roles in the television series Madison (1993), Northern Exposure (1990), North of 60 (1992), Highlander (1992), Forever Knight (1992), Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy (1998), Moccasin Flats (2003) and Mixed Blessings (2007).
She has starred in many notable films throughout her career, particularly in films that deal with issues about Indigenous peoples of the Americas, ranging from Canadian Aboriginals to Native Americans/American Indians (U.S.). These include Isaac Littlefeathers (1984), Unnatural & Accidental (2006), Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007), Skins (2002), Dead Man (1995), DreamKeeper (2003) and Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian (2013).
Thrush has also won numerous awards and special recognition, including multiple Awards for her role of Gail Stoney on the dramatic series Blackstone, such as Best Performance by an Alberta Actress 2015 Rosie Awards for the role in Deeper & Deeper (2014), Best performance by an Alberta Actress at the 2014 AMPIA Awards for the role in Never Gonna Stop (2013), and Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role in 2011 CSA (Gemini) Awards for the role in Suffer the Children (2011) and Best Guest Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series at the 2011 Leo Awards in Vancouver for the role in Arctic Air (2012).
In 2011, Thrush wrote the one-woman play Find Your Own Inner Elder. She has performed the show, most often under the title Inner Elder, across Canada. It premiered at One Yellow Rabbit's High Performance Rodeo in Calgary in 2018 and has since been performed with Nightwood Theatre and Native Earth Performing Arts in Toronto (2019). Inner Elder is a structured monologue which recounts Thrush's personal life and experiences.
Despite the credits and the awards, her desire to help children has never faded. In fact, she says acting has opened the door to helping in a way that social work could not. For the past 10 years, Thrush has traveled to aboriginal communities and shelters across Canada to perform as Majica, a therapeutic healing clown. Majica performs for young kids and teenagers, and also has a show for parents. "Beyond film, my passion in life is working with our families and helping to defragment the damage that was done through residential schools to our families," she says. "You cannot disconnect the child from the parent without huge damage being done. When it happens generation after generation, it destroys the family system."- Actor
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2019 Nathaniel featured in the CBS Television show FBI: Americas Most Wanted as Clinton Skye. Nathaniel is a highly respected actor. He got his start, starring in a few smaller roles for local independent filmmakers, Nathaniel's big break came when he auditioned for the role of William MacNeil in the hit CBC TV series North of 60. This role landed him guest appearances in other such popular television shows as Due South, Incredible Story Studio, Caitlin's Way, Shoebox Zoo and Smallville. Nathaniel found himself co-starring with the likes of Luke Perry and Malcolm Jamal-Warner (Jeremiah), as well as with veteran actor Nicholas Campbell (DaVinci's City Hall, DaVinci's Inquest). He even had the chance to work with his son Griffin Powell-Arcand in Hallmark Entertainment's 2-part TV mini-series, Dreamkeeper. One of his most memorable roles was the role of Tonto in the television movie The Lone Ranger.
Aside from his first major film role as Ned White Bear in the 1999 film Grey Owl, his other notable film credits include Two Indians Talking, Every Emotion Costs, Unnatural and Accidental, Elektra, Black Cloud, Ginger Snaps Back, American Outlaws and 20th Century Fox's Paththfnder.
Nathaniel won the award for Best Supporting Actor in Shirley Cheechoo's film Johnny Tootall, which screened at the 2005 American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, and he was also the recipient of the Performing Arts Award at the 2006 Aboriginal Role Models of Alberta Awards. In addition to CBC's mini-series Northern Town, Nathaniel also starred in the APTN Pilot Clean Fight as the lead role of Trevor, a kick boxer struggling with diabetes. Other TV appearances include the Nora Roberts' movie of the week Montana Sky (Lifetime Network), and Showcase's Moose TV (as Clifford). Nathaniel also returns as Scott Cardinal in Heartland (CBC), as Bruce Ward in Arctic Air (2013) (CBC), and as Victor Merasty in APTN's award-winning series Blackstone (2011), Makya "Mack" Begally in Bull (2017) and Derek Swan in Supernatural (2017).- 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. - 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. - Actress
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
- Make-Up Department
Casey Camp-Horinek is known for Barking Water (2009), Behind the Door of a Secret Girl (2014) and DreamKeeper (2003).- Actor
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Saginaw is the Hereditary Chief and a respected member of the Sac and Fox, Iowa and Otoe-Missouria Nations.
In 1936, Saginaw Morgan Grant was born to Sarah and Austin Grant Sr. at Pawnee Indian Hospital in Pawnee, Oklahoma. He was raised on a farm in Cushing, Oklahoma with two brothers and one sister. Having a traditional upbringing by both parents, Saginaw was especially influenced by his grandparents. His grandfather Kirvin was a strong medicine man and his other grandfather Saginaw (whom he is named after) was also a very spiritual man. They taught Saginaw their customs, culture, and traditions and the importance of their way of life. As a result, Saginaw witnessed many special ceremonies and events taught to very few.
As a young adult, Saginaw experienced all situations, both good and bad, which every young person faces in today's society, yet he overcame the obstacles that challenged him, and with that he found the courage to become the man he is today.
During his life in Oklahoma he took on employment in various industries such as dry cleaning, also gaining a better understanding of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and other vocations in which he enjoyed interacting with people. This gave him the opportunity to learn about different philosophies, beliefs and religions.
He resides in the Southern California area. Where he is called upon for counseling, lectures, and family events, while also pursuing his acting career.
He adopted Actress and Activist Mariana Tosca to be his daughter and a member of the Sac and Fox, Iowa and Otoe-Missouria tribes.- Justin Rain was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He is an actor, known for Resident Alien (2021), Lean on Pete (2017) and Fear the Walking Dead (2015).
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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.- Actress
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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.- Actress
- 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".- Actor
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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.- Alexandria Rice is biologically a Mohawk Aboriginal Canadian through her parents. She continues to be an active and proud member of the Kahnawake First Nation throughout her career. Though Rice was born in Quebec, she spend the majority of her childhood in Brooklyn, New York among a community of Mohawk iron workers, where she trained to become a professional dancer. Little did she know that her life would change forever when she landed a part in an educational video produced at her grammar school. She discovered her true passion-acting. Since then, Rice has successfully worked in the world of entertainment where she is best known for the role of Janet Pete. In addition to mainstream television credits for guest-starring-roles, Alex has also starred in several critically acclaimed independent features. Special honors and awards include the Motion Pictures Award presented by the American Indian Film Institute for Best Actress (2003) for her reprisal of Janet Pete in Coyote Waits and the First American Award (2005) for her work in A Thief In Time, presented by the First Americans in the Arts Committee.
- 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.
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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.- Actor
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Russell Means was born an Oglala/Lakota Sioux Indian. He was the first national director of the American Indian Movement (AIM) in which role he became prominent during the 1973 standoff with the U.S. government at Wounded Knee. In 1987, he joined the U.S. Libertarian Party and announced his candidacy for the party's presidential nomination. (He lost the nomination to Congressman Ron Paul). Since 1992, Means has appeared in The Last of the Mohicans (1992), Natural Born Killers (1994) and other movies. He has championed the rights of indigenous peoples in other countries as well as the U.S. In a televised speech to the 2000 Libertarian Party National Convention, Means said that he prefers the label "Indian" to the more politically-correct "Native American". "Everyone who is born in America is a native American", he said.- 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).
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Sera-Lys McArthur is a screen and stage actor, producer, model, martial artist, horseback riding enthusiast, and a musical theatre nerd. A prairie girl with big city dreams, Sera-Lys is a proud member of the Nakota/ Assiniboine Nation who was raised by her German-Canadian single mother in southern Saskatchewan.
Despite being raised in a remote region, she managed to become a working actor at age 13. She later moved to New York City to study musical theatre, and then went on to gain an MA in Acting from East 15 Acting School, the University of Essex, UK. Sera-Lys has experienced success on both sides of the border, gaining Canadian household recognition with recurring roles on such series as: Arctic Air, Hard Rock Medical, Burden of Truth, and Pretty Hard Cases. She had an unforgettable guest appearance on the hit Starz series Outlander, as Mohawk healer Johiehon on episode 412 "Providence." She also had a comedic turn on opposite Cobie Smulders on episode 203 of Netflix's Friends From College. She is the female lead in independent feature films Robbery, Don't Say Its Name, and The First Encounter, and a key supporting role in the award-winning film adaptation of Monkey Beach. She is also an emerging producer, with several finished short films under her belt, including: kwêskosîw (She Whistles), Pharmalarm, Magic Madeleines and The Wolf of Waubamik Woods, with more projects in development.
When she isn't busy helping develop new plays and feature films, or participating in theatrical residencies, Sera-Lys spends her time teaching online ESL to children overseas, developing a palate for delicious New York cuisine, hanging out in Central Park with her canine sidekick, and seeing tons of theatre.- Actor
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Winner of Best Performance, Animation at the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards as Corner Gas Animated (2018)'s Sergeant Davis Quinton. Lorne is well-known for his portrayal of this beloved character in the Corner Gas comedy franchise - now in 60 countries worldwide - including the animated series and 6 seasons of the original International Emmy-nominated live-action comedy series Corner Gas (2004) and feature Corner Gas: The Movie (2014).
Lorne has the rare honor of having a theatre space named after him in the rebuilt Roxy Theatre in Edmonton Alberta. The Lorne Cardinal Theatre is scheduled to open November 2021.
A classically trained actor, Lorne has also performed in, and directed, a diverse range of theatre productions such as King Lear, on Canada's premiere A-house stage at the National Arts Centre, and Black Elk Speaks at the Denver Center.
His work includes executive producing and directing, and he's received numerous nominations and distinguished awards for his body of work and is the recipient of an honorary PhD from Thompson Rivers University.
Additionally, he's a sought after voice actor for clients like Penguin Randomhouse, Canada's Museum of Civilization and projects such as The Great Northern Candy Drop (2017), Open Season: Scared Silly (2015) and Peabody award-winner Molly of Denali (2019).- August Schellenberg was born on 25 July 1936 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He was an actor, known for Black Robe (1991), The New World (2005) and Free Willy (1993). He was married to Joan Karasevich. He died on 15 August 2013 in Dallas, Texas, USA.
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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.- Viola Lynn Collins was born in Houston, Texas, to Patricia Lynn (Campbell) and Phillip Dean Collins. She attended the Juilliard School for Drama and had a great deal of Shakespearean training before being cast as "Portia" in "The Merchant of Venice". She also played "Ophelia" in a production of "Hamlet" in New York, and was "Juliet" in Peter Hall's "Romeo and Juliet" at the Ahmanson theatre in Los Angeles.
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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.- Actor
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Zahn Tokiya-ku McClarnon is an American actor known for his performances in the Western crime drama series Longmire, the second season of Fargo, and the second season of Westworld. In 2022 he plays the lead role in the AMC series Dark Winds. He also features in the 2021 FX on Hulu series Reservation Dogs, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe series Hawkeye (2021), and Echo (2023).
McClarnon was born in Denver, Colorado, the son of a Hunkpapa Lakota mother and a father of Irish ancestry. He grew up near Browning, Montana, where his father worked at Glacier National Park for the National Park Service. He would often visit the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, where his mother grew up, and often stayed with his maternal grandparents on weekends and for longer visits. His mother lived on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. When his father was relocated to Omaha, Nebraska, for work, the family lived in the Joslyn Castle and Dundee neighborhoods. McClarnon has a fraternal twin brother.- Samuel is from Frog Lake First Nation's, the Land of Princes, a Plains Cree & Nakota Stoney descent born in Edmonton Alberta, Samuel is the youngest child, with two older brothers, and one sister. At age 12 Samuel made his entrance in the film industry as an extra on Blackstone's TV series. It didn't take Samuel to long to land a supporting role, Ishani, opposite Scott Eastwood, on Diablo in 2014. Samuel recently filmed with Netflix TV series Godless, this would be Samuel's first diverse principle role as Truckee. Samuel's priority? Is his education, and film.
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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.- 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.
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Sarah Podemski is an award winning Anishinaabe/Ashkenazi multidisciplinary artist from Toronto. She is passionate about recreating the Indigenous narrative that has been misrepresented since the beginning of cinema. She can be seen pulling double duty on television. She stars in the critically acclaimed award-winning series "Reservation Dogs" on FX. Co-created and executive produced by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, Sarah plays Bear's mother 'Rita,' who is on a journey to discover herself and her role as a mom. In the Syfy comedy "Resident Alien" Sarah portrays 'Kayla,' cousin to 'Asta' (Sara Tomko). Kayla is a Lawyer, and Asta's best friend/support system who is in a period of self-reflection while balancing the responsibilities of motherhood.
Sarah began in the performing arts at the tender age of six years old. She booked her first role in the German TV series "Blue Hawk" at 11 and went on to appear in the iconic series "Goosebumps". Sarah's long career also includes roles in CBS' "Bull," Amazon's "Tin Star" and CBC's "The Coroner." Her feature film work includes winning 'Best Supporting Actress' at the American Indian Film Festival for the TIFF Official Selection "Mekko", written and directed by Sterlin Harjo.
Throughout her career, Sarah has been passionate about raising awareness and elevating Indigenous and Jewish narratives in the entertainment industry. In addition to her on-camera presence, she writes and produces alongside her husband James Gadon. They are in the works on a 6-episode "road trip" documentary series that took place during the pandemic in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Included in the documentary are local business owners, visual artists and Indigenous activists who provided a sense of community while the region navigated many Covid-19 related challenges. The series also includes an episode highlighting the first Residential School in Canada.
Beyond her work in film and television, Sarah runs 'Totem Designs', where she makes handmade dream-catchers with a modern twist. In 2019, she was a featured artist at the One of a Kind Show in Toronto and her products have been included in various markets across North America, as well as the 2019 HGTV holiday gift guide.- 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.- From Supernatural to Masters of Horror and Thisbe in A Midsummer Night's Dream on stage, Clint is, Clint did, Clint is in the now.
He loved his two year full time studies at Gastown Actor's Studio in Vancouver, BC. receiving teachings and guidance from teachers/actors Bart Anderson, Andrew Johnston and Mel Tuck.
Clint can be found downhill mountain biking in Whistler's Bike Park each season, he also enjoys a good game of poker and fishing with good friends.
Clint Eastwood I want to meet you/work with you. - 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.- Actor
- Music Department
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Wayne W. Johnson is an actor based in Syracuse, NY as well as the singer / guitarist for CAROLINE BLUE-a Melodic Hard Rock Band. Wayne started out performing in school plays during 5th-7th grade. For his 11th grade Spanish class, Wayne filmed a few commercials and a music video. It was during this time he had a choice between the path of acting or music. Wayne chose music and, during his college years, gained a Bachelor's Degree in Music (Graduating Magna Cum Laude) as well as an Associates Degree in Humanities. Starting out in a number of CNY bands, Wayne eventually formed his own band with CAROLINE BLUE. CB has, to date, released two CDs ("Slave to the Hourglass" and "Not For The Innocent"). CB's songs have been on several CD compilations, music videos and indie movies. Their STTH CD was nominated for a SAMMY (Syracuse Area Music Award) in 2006 and CB won the "Rock & Roll Original Band" award in the First Annual Upper State Independent Awards in 2007...After years of focusing primarily on the path of music, Wayne shifted that focus in 2011 towards the path of acting. He is best known for his roles as Cornelius in "Night of Something Strange" (Hurricane Bridge Entertainment ), Dracula in "Tales of Dracula" (Wolfbain Productions) and Ensign Walking Bear (Episodes "Mind-Sifter" and "The Holiest Thing") with Star Trek New Voyages.- Shayla Stonechild is Plains Cree from the Muskowpetung reserve. However, she resides in Vancouver, BC and is an artist in residence at 'Skwachays Lodge'. She has been acting, dancing and modeling since the age of six. From growing up around her mother's performing arts company, and continuing on to graduate from 'Vancouver Academy of Dramatic Arts.' She has always been active within her community - she has received the titles of 'Metis Youth Ambassador of Alberta', 'Sogo Active Community Host', 'Youth Director of Sunworks Arts & Cultural Society' and was a finalist for 'Miss Teen Canada' - representing her hometown, Medicine Hat.
She wrapped up hosting Season 1 of APTN's 'Red Earth Uncovered' alongside her costar, Tom Jackson. When Shayla isn't filming, she can be found facilitating youth led workshops that focus on suicide prevention and raising kids self esteem through healing of the arts - acting, dancing, modeling and public speaking. Shayla is studying at the 'Vancouver School of Yoga' all while expanding her performing arts portfolio and resume. - Actor
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- Art Director
- Editorial Department
- Actor
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- Stunts
David Midthunder is an enrolled tribal member at the Fort Peck Indian reservation in Montana. Midthunder graduated from Stewart Indian School in Nevada and went on to pursue a degree in Cultural Anthropology at the University of Utah. He is best known for playing the leading role of "Famous Shoes" in Larry McMurtry's Comanche Moon, and for playing "David Ridges", Longmire's nemesis on seasons 2 and 3 of Longmire. Outside of acting, Midthunder is known for his love of solo sports such as surfing, skateboarding, dirt biking, and horse riding.- Actress
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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.- 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.- Actress
- Composer
Nive Nielsen launched her career as the frontwoman of the Greenlandic group Nive and The Deer Children. While touring across the world, her namesake band was bestowed numerous awards including the Danish Crown Prince Couple's Stardust Award, Independent Music Award, and even a nomination for the Nordic Music Prize. Nive isn't just another indie rock sensation, though; she has also followed her passion to a career in film and TV.
Her adventurous soul led Nive to pursue education far from her beloved Greenland, spending a year abroad in Spain before attending Red Cross Nordic United World College in Norway to participate in its international baccalaureate program. Nive eventually obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and then went on to attain her Master of Arts in Visual Anthropology from Goldsmiths College in the UK.
While studying in Ottawa, Nive's friend and future bandmate Jan de Vroede encouraged her to assuage her boredom by playing the ukulele and writing some songs. Despite never having written or sung before, Nive took it as challenge and came back to Jan after a few weeks to play the song "Room," which later became one of the first songs produced by Nive and The Deer Children. Fronted by Nive, the group debuted with its self-released album Nive Sings! in 2009. The album was a huge success and would go on to achieve gold status in Greenland - where one in 10 people there own it.
The band then toured extensively around the world, beginning with two incredible performances for dignitaries in the Selvstyre, Greenland's self-government, followed by another for the Queen of Denmark. They would then go on to become the first Greenlandic band to participate at the South By Southwest festival, Iceland Airwaves, Eurosonic, and Green Man. Due to the overwhelming success of Nive Sings!, the band landed a deal with Glitterhouse Records for a European release in 2012. Nive and The Deer Children soon returned with its second album, Feet First, originally released in 2016 and followed by extensive tours throughout Europe, North America, Japan, and South Korea. After completing her studies abroad, Nive returned home to work for Greenland National TV and radio as a researcher, segment producer, and, eventually, host. This experience led to roles on several locally produced shows and documentaries, as well as a small part in 2004's The New World starring Colin Farrell. Her music has since been included in several films, most notably Nuummioq, which was featured at Sundance International Film Festival.
Nive's adventurous nature stemmed from her earliest childhood experiences growing up in Greenland. She spent most of her youth in her tiny, snowy hometown of Nuuk. Solace was to be found in old music and worn-out books, being drawn into diaries about arctic exploration, contemporary art, and fishing. She would lose herself in the pages of Reif Larson, Calvin & Hobbs, Jim Harrison, and novels about infinite universes, time, space, and everything in between. Her passion for music was self-nurtured, built off a foundation of whatever records were in her reach. Having consumed music as diverse as her reading, Nive devoured albums by Michael Hurley, Jonathan Richman, Giant Sand, Bill Callahan, and Betty Lavette.
Nive will soon return to the studio with the band to begin work on the follow-up album to Feet First.- Johnny Issaluk is known for Indian Horse (2017), The Terror (2018) and Two Lovers and a Bear (2016).
- Vinnie Karetak is known for Two Lovers and a Bear (2016), The Terror (2018) and The Grizzlies (2018).
- Will Strongheart is known for Indian Horse (2017), The American West (2016) and Falls Around Her (2018).
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Gail Maurice is a fluent Cree/Michif speaking actor and an award-winning filmmaker. She created her own company Assini Productions to tell stories that highlight strong Indigenous female leads. She translates and speaks her language whenever she can on the big and little screen.
She translated and played the role of Ida, in Night Raiders. She translated/co-wrote and played the role of Meetos, in Quebexit and won Best Screenplay at the Whistler Film Festival 2020.
ROSIE is her debut feature film.- Actress
- Producer
Lisa Cromarty (Anishinaabe) is a First Nations actor born and raised in Northern Ontario. She is a member of the Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve located on Manitoulin Island. She has trained at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre and Canada's National Voice Intensive. In addition to acting, she also has trained at the Stratford Theatre Festival to become a voice coach.- Michael Lawrenchuk was born on 14 August 1956 in Gillam, Manitoba, Canada. He is an actor, known for Indian Horse (2017), Cashing In (2009) and Blauvogel (1994). He is married to Rachel Eni. They have two children.
- Tristen Marty-Pahtaykan was born on 23 January 1997 in Frog Lake, Alberta, Canada. He is an actor, known for Indian Horse (2017) and Heartland (2007).
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Vance Banzo is known for TallBoyz (2019), Indian Horse (2017) and The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw (2019).- Actor
- Art Department
- Additional Crew
Thomas-Dylan Cook is a multi-talented Ojibway artist and actor hailing from Batchewana First Nation, Ontario. With a diverse background in the film industry, Dylan's passion for the arts has led him down a variety of creative paths, including visual art and aircraft painting.
Dylan's strong work ethic and commitment to his craft have been instilled in him from a young age, growing up in a hard-working family that emphasized the importance of respect and dedication. These values have carried over into his professional career, where he has made a name for himself as a versatile and talented actor.
You may recognize Dylan from his recurring role as Slash on the hit Canadian series Letterkenny, or from his performances in films such as Indian Horse(Stephen Campanelli, Clint Eastwood) Door Mouse(Avan Jogia)and the upcoming Cafe Daughter(Shelley Niro) and Warrior Strong(Shane Belcourt) and Seeds(Kaniehtiio Horn)
With his unwavering commitment to his craft, Thomas-Dylan Cook is a rising talent in the Canadian film and television industry.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Wayne Baker, member of the Squamish Nation, raven clan. Grew up on the north shore, in West Vancouver BC , and now resides in Akwesasne Quebec, along the Canada and US. border. Besides being an actor on both the big screen and tv. Wayne also hosted his own show "Closer to Home" which ran on APTN for 3 Seasons., Wayne is life time Lacrosse player, with many championships under his belt including 4 Presidents cup Rings. Married to Marlana Thompson Baker, Mohawk Nation and father to 7 children.- Actor
- Producer
Roger Willie was born in 1964 in New Mexico, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Windtalkers (2002), Adaptation. (2002) and Lost Stallions: The Journey Home (2008).- 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.- Cory Osceola was born on 15 January 1893 in Florida, USA. He was an actor, known for Wind Across the Everglades (1958). He died on 28 October 1978 in Naples, Florida, USA.
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Dave Bald Eagle was born on 8 April 1919 in Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation, South Dakota, USA. He was an actor, known for Imprint (2007), Neither Wolf Nor Dog (2016) and River of Fundament (2014). He was married to Josee Kesteman and Penny Rathburn. He died on 22 July 2016 in Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, South Dakota, USA.- Actor
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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).- Actor
- Stunts
- Producer
Highly recognizable Native American actor, stuntman and singer who is equally capable of portraying cold-hearted villains on the one hand and warm-hearted, open "good guys" on the other, as evidenced by his huge grin and hearty laugh.
The solidly built 6' 3" Richmond has regularly played the bad guy on-screen. He's been on the receiving end of the fists of Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando (1985), gotten pummeled by Carl Weathers in Action Jackson (1988) and tangled with Steven Seagal in Hard to Kill (1990).
Richmond is the son of movie stuntman Leo C. Richmond and first broke into film and TV in the early 1970s with minor roles in shows such as The Bionic Woman (1976), The Rockford Files (1974) and Magnum, P.I. (1980). From there he quickly picked up work in numerous made-for-TV movies and was kept busy throughout the 1980s and 1990s with appearances in such A-grade productions as Licence to Kill (1989), Best Seller (1987) and Batman Returns (1992). He even found himself in the children's film Curly Sue (1991). In early 1991 Richmond scored the key role of "Bobby Six Killer" in the bounty hunter-themed TV series Renegade (1992) starring alongside Lorenzo Lamas and Kathleen Kinmont. The series was quite successful and ran from 1992 to 1997, turning out over 100 episodes! Additionally, Richmond has starred in plenty of B-movie action films and has become quite a cult figure of the genre.
Since the late 1990s, Richmond has remained busy on several fronts. He's continued acting in Hollywood, is the official spokesman for Indian Motorcycles and is the lead singer for the band "Branscombe Richmond and the Renegade Posse". He's also notched up numerous awards, including being voted "Native American Entertainer of the Year" and "Mr Showman" of the year by the Las Vegas Review Journal.- Actress
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Joanelle Romero is an actress, award-winning director, producer and distributor of independent film. Joanelle is the first Native Indigenous filmmaker to be short-listed for an Academy Award in the Documentary Short Branch for her film American Holocaust: When Its All Over I'll Still Be Indian. At age 18, Joanelle was cast in her first leading role in the CBS television movie The Girl Called Hatter Fox (1977). That film marked the first time a Native actress carried a leading role in a contemporary movie. She went on to study at Lee Strasberg Actors Studio in Hollywood. She is CEO, founder, president of Red Nation Celebration Institute, Red Nation International Film Festival, Native Women in Film & Television on All Media, Red Nation Television Network. She is a member of The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences and was one the first Native women to be invited (2016).
Joanelle is born of Apache and SpanishSephardic. A relative of Pawnee, Dine, Paiute, Pojoaque, Southern Ute, Haudenosaunee and kinship to Lakota and Jicarilla Apache. Joanelle's father was born on the Jicarilla Reservation and her great-grandma from her mother's father side was born on the Mescalero Reservation. She has two adult children, graduates of Yale University and Berklee College of Music.
Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the first of three children, mother Rita Rogers and father Robert Romero. Joanelle grew up in to the entertainment industry. At age 3, she acted with her mother and grandfather in plays in New Mexico. In the 60's, Joanelle's mother was signed to Universal Studios and was in nine Elvis Presley films. At age 9, Joanelle used to go to the set on MGM Lot with her mother and hang out with Elvis and Nancy Sinatra, where she learned her love for filmmaking. As a young girl at age 12, Dennis Hopper became her 'legal guardian' in order for her to live at the Mable Dodge Luhan home, which Dennis Hopper owned at the time, Joanelle continued living with him throughout her teen years. Joanelle and Leonard Cohen (poet) began dating in her early 20's and later lived together. Leonard went on to produce Joanelle's first recordings at A & M Records. Joanelle was the first artist that Leonard Cohen produced.- 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.- Actor
- Composer
George Leach was born in Lillooet, British Columbia, Canada. He is known for Into the West (2005), DreamKeeper (2003) and Distant Drumming: A North of 60 Mystery (2005).- Brandon A. Oakes is an US/ Canadian actor. Kanienkehaka (Mohawk) from Akwesasne which straddles the U.S. / Canadian border. He started his career as a dancer. He has performed and toured extensively throughout North America with several Indigenous and Non indigenous dance Companies. Oakes is most noted for his role in the film Through Black Spruce, for which he received a Canadian Screen Award (CSA) nomination for Best Actor in a drama. Also nominated for a CSA for Best supporting actor in a dramatic series for Diggstown in 2020.
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- Additional Crew
- Producer
Jon Proudstar was born on 3 January 1967 in Tucson, Arizona, USA. Jon is an actor and producer, known for So Close to Perfect (2009), Young Guns II (1990) and Wastelander (2018).- 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.
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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.- Avu is an Inupiaq Eskimo from Fairbanks, Alaska, USA. She and her youngest son, moved to New Mexico, USA so she could attend the Institute of American Indian Arts college in Santa Fe. This was where she began her studies in theatre and performing arts. She transferred to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque to continue studies in theatre and graduated in 2011.
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- Sound Department
Myrton Running Wolf received his Ph.D. in Theater and Performance Studies from Stanford University, his M.F.A. in film production from the University of Southern California, and his M.A. in Performance Studies from NYU-Tisch School of the Arts. Professionally, he worked behind-the-scenes in Production Management for Walt Disney Studio's ABC Television Group on prime time series "LOST", "Grey's Anatomy", "Private Practice", "Brothers and Sisters", and "Criminal Minds" as well as a Creative Producer for The CW and NBC network television affiliates. He is also a multi-award winning writer, director, and producer with film and theater productions playing across the nation. As a performer, Myrton held numerous lead roles in stage productions in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area as well as supporting roles in feature films like Academy Award winners "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "The New World" as well as Steven Spielberg's "Into the West" along with several other network television roles.
As a "Race and Media" practice-based scholar, his current work at The University of Nevada, Reno's Reynolds School of Journalism focuses on increasing the inclusion and participation of racial minorities and other marginalized groups in mainstream media production. Using his award-winning teaching style, Myrton taught courses at Stanford University, lectured at Vassar College and Santa Clara University, and led workshops at numerous tribal and junior colleges where his work specializes in cultural diversity, cross-cultural and interdisciplinary collaboration (using Stanford's signature "Design Thinking" methodology), the economics and politics of corporate mainstream media, identity politics, and mainstream film/television/theater production.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Tokala Black Elk was born in 1984 in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, USA. He is an actor, known for 1883 (2021), Yellowstone (2018) and Grey's Anatomy (2005).- Actor
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- Location Management
When millions of people see actor Duane Howard play 'Elk Dog', the lead native warrior in 20th Century Fox's mammoth film The Revenant, chances are that they will marvel at how such a riveting actor came out of nowhere. But Duane did not come out of nowhere; he came from the streets.
Duane Howard is a First Nation born in the Nuu-chah-nulth (meaning "along the mountains and sea") territory located on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. The Howard family left the territory when Duane was only 3 to live in the nearby town Port Alberni. By the time he moved to Vancouver with his older sister at the age of 14 following his parents' separation, Duane had already been using drugs and alcohol for four years.
Duane lived on the streets from the age of 14 to 18 years old and had many close calls. Many times during this unimaginable period Duane considered not going on.
After 13 years at the age of 23 Duane realized that he did not want his son to follow in his footsteps and so he simply got up and walked away from his dark life. Duane not only accomplished the enormous feat of becoming clean and sober, he went on to get his grade twelve education and in 1988 he received his diploma in Substance Abuse Counseling. Duane used his experience and his new education to work the rougher parts of Vancouver and towns across Canada making a difference in the lives of troubled youth and their families.
In the early 1990s Duane realized that he wanted to make another change in his life when he discovered a passion for acting. Duane began as a background performer and then worked his way up to acquiring a stunt credit on the feature film The Scarlett Letter. Duane's credits grew from stunts to stunt acting to acting roles on shows such as the TV movies Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee and Goodnight for Justice: Queen of Hearts along with the popular TV series Arctic Air and more. Duane recently completed a starring role in a film titled The Sun at Midnight wherein, ironically, he fights to survive a bear attack.
That Duane ended up with the lead native role on The Revenant is nearly as miraculous as his survival on the streets. The actor had decided to take a break from the business a year before the audition call for the part of 'Elk Dog' came out, and it was upon hearing of the role from his former agent, that Duane returned to acting after initially accepting a stunt position on the film. Upon hearing of the film's frustration over finding the right actor for the integral role, the stunt coordinator who had hired Duane suggested that they take a look at him, as he knew what a strong actor Duane was. Unbeknownst to him, Duane's agent was working with Canadian casting director Michelle Allen to get him seen. Duane received a call the next day which was a Sunday, went in to read on the Monday and on Wednesday flew to Calgary and auditioned in private for the three time Oscar winner, Alejandro González Iñárritu. The director immediately took Duane down to the production facility and had him repeat his audition in front of the entire crew. After months of searching all of North America they'd found their Elk Dog and Duane had landed the biggest role of his life in the span of 4 days.
Duane is very matter-of-fact that it took all of this, the childhood addictions, his near deaths on the street, his recovery, education and training, all of it to perform the role of 'Elk Dog' in The Revenant.
Today Duane is at peace and very grateful for all that he has including his three children.
Duane wishes to include a special mention of his immense gratitude for the Canadian Casting Director on The Revenant, Michelle Allen and his lifelong agent and friend Linda Carter for their unparalleled support of him.- Actress
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Renae Morriseau was born in 1965 on the Peguis First Nations Reserve in Manitoba, Canada. She is familiar as the character Ellen Kenidi (Peter's wife) in Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's television series North of 60 (1992), but her accomplishments in broadcasting extend far beyond this visible role. In her determination to ensure that First Nations voices are heard and stories told, Renae's career over the recent dozen years has spanned acting, filmmaking, writing, and producing. Renae was introduced to television broadcasting when working at the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre in Winnipeg at age thirty-six. Her Within the Circle programs, which were shown on the local community cable station, became teaching tools for the center. Renae went on to co-host, write, and produce segments for First Nations, a nationally broadcast Aboriginal news magazine program. In 1991, she created the Coyote Collective, a group of First Nations producers, directors, technicians, and writers from across Canada who are dedicated to advancing First Nations issues through broadcast television. Her documentaries have won critical acclaim. In both 1994 and 1995, her work was honored as best documentary by the Native American Journalists Association. In 1996, the Native American Film Festival awarded her a Best Public Service plaque for her documentary, "Echoes of the Sister", about First Nations women and breast cancer, and an organization that showcases excellence in Canadian television, CANPRO, awarded her a Silver Medal Award for The Medicine Wheel. Renae works with young people in leadership workshops and television training. She believes that this generation must take an active role in their communities.- Actor
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Representing the Buckskin, Black Horse family of the Weasel People, Julian Black Antelope aka "JBA" is a Canadian actor of First Nations/Central American and Irish descent. JBA's performing career first began in the Canadian music scene before transitioning to acting in film and television in the early 2000's. As a self-taught actor, JBA built the foundation of his career with an amalgamation of day player roles, stunts and working various crew positions on a steady stream of projects in southern Alberta including DreamWorks/TNT's epic six-part mini-series Into the West (2005). JBA"s breakout role in a television series would come on the gritty and critically acclaimed Blackstone (2009). Four seasons of Black Antelope's portrayal of Darrien Tailfeathers earned him several accolades including a Canadian Screen Award nomination.
In 2014 JBA was cast as "Mr. Kidd" in John Logan's Penny Dreadful (2014) which took him overseas to Ireland and has since worked consistently nationally and internationally on Film and TV projects such as Dominion Creek (2015), Condor (2018), Dark Justice (2018), Hold the Dark (2018), Debris (2021), The Flash (2014), Prey (2022), Grendel.
An actor with a strong sense of physicality, Black Antelope often plays characters that combine stunt action with a larger-than-life or menacing presence, however his natural comedic sensibility has also been recognized in recent years with television roles in Jann (2019) including his own TV series that he created, wrote, directed and produced The Secret History of: The Wild West (2021) With his Secret History TM series Julian Black Antelope realized a 10 year dream of producing and creating entertaining, historical programming through the lens of Canadian First Nations. This very personal series in addition to his several producing credits on independent feature film projects like Empyrean (2016) and True Fiction (2019) has cemented JBA to continue writing, directing and producing his own work as his Acting career continues to grow.
Never one to pull the ladder up behind him, JBA has also dedicated his time and energy to training and mentoring the next generation of First Nations creatives, most recently as founder of the Counting Coup Indigenous Film Academy launching summer of 2022 in partnership with Old Sun College on the Siksika nation. Crediting his sanity, strength and foundation to the practice of his culture's belief systems and traditions he is forever grateful for the unwavering belief and support he receives from and his loving wife Tracy and their three beautiful daughters Sparrow, Emiko and Romin.