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Native American actors and actresses have been represented in the motion picture industry since the early days of Hollywood. For years, Native Americans have been portrayed in Westerns, albeit in largely stereotypical parts. As time has progressed, they have been given more opportunities to play complex individuals in critically acclaimed films.
These Native actors have gone on to become Oscar and Golden Globe nominees and winners. This list of famous Native Americans captures the career highlights of ten famous Native American celebrities.
Have a look at some of the famous Native American actors that are well known.
Starting his life, he worked as a carpenter, a rock music roadie, a welder, band manager, and a recording studio owner.
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Graham Greene began acting in the mid-1970s, where he performed in several theatrical productions in Toronto.
His TV debut was in an episode of The Great Detective in 1979. In 1983, he landed a significant role in the film Running Brave, where he played Eddie Mills' role.
Throughout the 1980s, he appeared in other various films and tv shows. He gained more fame when he was awarded an Oscar nod for best supporting actor for his work in Dances with Wolves (1990).
Some of his recent notable films and TV shows include
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Adam Beach is the son of Sally and Dennis Beach. He was raised in Dog Creek First Nation Reserve with his two brothers.
A drunk driver killed his mother while his dad drowned weeks after his mother's death. Adam is best known for his role as Victor in Smoke Signals and Tommy in Walker, Texas Ranger.
He started his career by attending drama class at Gordon Bell High School, which inspired him to perform at the local theatre, and then dropping out of school to pursue his acting career in full force.
Concerning his private life, the actor has been married three times and has three children. He has two sons, Noah, born 1996 and Luke, born 1998 and a daughter, Phoenix.
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Some of the recent films and tv shows he has appeared in include:
Adam is considered to be one of the famous Native American actors male gender that has done great in the Hollywood industry.
Russell Means became a political activist in 1960 and eventually emerged as the first national director of the American Indian Movement(AIM).
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Later on, he turned into acting and made his career film debut in 1992's Last of the Mohicans, starring as chief Chingachgook.
Before his death, he appeared in numerous TV-series and several films. He also published his autobiography, Why White Men Fear to Tread, in 1995.
Some of his famous films and shows include:
He recorded a CD entitled Electric Warrior in 1993, which had several songs like Une Gentle Indio and Hey You. He also released his first album, The Radical album in 2007.
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Means was also a married man married five times; four of his marriages ended in divorce. He had a total of ten children, seven biological and three adopted.
He later died on October 22, 2012, as a result of esophageal cancer.
Who is the most famous Native American actor? Saginaw Grant is one of most famous Native actors that has been in the acting industry for a while now.
He is the chief of Sac and Fox Nation. Grant has appeared in numerous films and TV shows which include:
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Grants is the adoptive father of the actress and social activist Mariana Tosca.
Before Jay Silverheels became a famous actor, he was an excellent athlete. He played for various teams in Toronto alongside his brothers and cousins.
He began his acting in 1937, working in motion pictures as an extra and stunt man. In 1944 he was cast in a short film, I Am an American.
Since his debut, he appeared in other films and TV shows, playing major roles. Some of his major movies and shows are:
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Concerning his personal life, he was a father of six, two boys and four girls. He died on March 5, 1980, from complications of a stroke.
Have a look at some of the young Native American actresses that have amassed themselves in the Hollywood industry.
Tantoo Cardinal started acting in part to change the public perceptions of the Native Americans.
She is best known for her roles in films such as Dances With Wolves (1990), Legends of the Fall (1994), and Smoke Signals (1998), as well as the television shows like Dr. Quinn and Medicine Woman.
Cardinal continues her political activism today. In August 2011, she and actress Margot Kidder were arrested during an environmental protest at the White House.
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Ned Luke’s biography: age, net worth, movies, death rumours
The actress has been married three times, two of her marriages ending in divorce. She is a mother of three kids, two sons and a daughter.
Irene Bedard began her acting career in theatre. She made her film debut in the cable TV film Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee (1994), for which she received critical acclaim.
During the same period, Bedard appeared in the Disney film Squanto: A Warrior's Tale (1994).
In recent years, Bedard has made more headlines for her personal life than for her acting after accusing former husband Denny Wilson of emotional and domestic abuse and asking for the public's support in her legal battles with Wilson.
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Julia Jones is a Native American actress known for playing Leah Clearwater in The Twilight Saga.
She began working in the commercial and local theatre when she was eight. The actress has appeared in various films and tv shows, playing different roles. They include:
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Kimberly Gurrero is a famous American actress, director and writer who is well known for playing Isabel Lighfather in The Good, the Bad and the Cursed.
She has also made appearances in various films and television projects.
They include:
Concerning her personal life, she is married to Johnny Guerrero, who is a composer and actor.
Alex Rice's first job was working behind the scenes at the Judge Judy show. In 2001 she made her career debut in the film industry, playing a role in The Doe Boy an independent film.
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She is best known for her recurring role as Janet Petw in the films, Skinwalker, Dreamkeeper and Thief of Time. She has appeared in various films and television series such as Spin City, CSI, Strong Medicine and The Sopranos.
She is married to Matthew Deer, and together they are blessed with two children, Bella and Julian.
These Native American actors and actresses have been in the Hollywood industry for a long duration now, playing different roles in various films and TV shows. They are a great inspiration to many people.
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