Actors and Ancestors

The legendary Wes Studi joins Joel for an exchange about his sweeping career from "The Last of the Mohicans" to "Reservation Dogs" and everything in between. Wes is a Tsalagi (Cherokee) screen veteran and the first Indigenous actor to receive an Academy Award for his lifetime achievements. Wes tells Joel about a chance error that led to choosing his showbiz name, his first time wearing tights, his experience as a young soldier in Viet Nam before he got involved in the American Indian Movement (AIM), and his recollection of a mountaintop fight scene with his late friend and fellow trailblazing Indigenous actor, Russell Means.

Wes lets you in on his thoughts about acting as a business as well as an art and shares his advice for aspiring actors: looks will only get you so far – acting is hard work and you still have to deliver! Wes and Joel discuss National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the meaning of apologies, and what has happened with the phrase "telling our own stories" over the last 15 years. 

[Actors and Ancestors is sharing this episode in partnership with CBC Unreserved.] The "Sixties Scoop" was a time when Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and communities and sent to live with white families in 1960's Canada. It’s estimated that over 20,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children were removed during the Scoop. It was a traumatic assimilation policy resulting in broken community connections and lasting pain through many generations. The award-winning, Indigenous-produced and -directed TV series, Little Bird, chronicles this period in time that many still don't know about.

"Four of the Indigenous women behind the series take us behind the scenes. Producer/Creator Jennifer Podemski is Saulteaux/Ojibway and Jewish and says it is not “any one person's story” but is reflective of many Sixties Scoop stories. Directors/Writers, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (Blackfoot and Sámi) and Zoe Leigh Hopkins (Heiltsuk and Mohawk) were more like Aunties, taking great care on the set of the series to make sure everyone felt safe to tell this story. Darla Contois is the star of Little Bird in the role of Esther/Bezhig. The Cree-Saulteaux actor from Misipawistik Cree Nation says she brought her own family's experience with the Scoop to inform her role." - CBC Unreserved

Twice the medicine, twice the bannock, no spirit animals! Welcome to Season 2 of Actors & Ancestors, an Indigenous Film & TV podcast.

---

Actors & Ancestors is created, produced and hosted by Joel D. Montgrand. Audio editing and production support from Daniella Barreto.

Thank you to the Indigenous Screen Office for their support!

---

All music provided by https://slip.stream

Track: "Spaghetti Standoff", Flint Eastgood

Download / Stream: https://get.slip.stream/8fnuPn

Track: "Fiery Thunder"

Download / Stream: https://slip.stream/tracks/337b9163-74f2-435a-a7a5-e88eb1b418a0?utm_source=attribution

Track: "Ricochet Western 01"

Download / Stream: https://slip.stream/tracks/6e154b9a-34d6-4fb0-8417-f052fbb6b031?utm_source=attribution

Track: "Get Some Edge"

Music provided by https://slip.stream

Download / Stream: https://get.slip.stream/HEZLrT

Track: "Hawk Call Squawk 03"

Download / Stream: https://slip.stream/tracks/c5a537cb-944f-4492-a8de-194bec2fa24b?utm_source=attribution

Dr. Evan Adams is an accomplished actor-turned-doctor from Tla’amin Nation. His iconic portrayal of Thomas Builds-the-Fire in the 1998 movie “Smoke Signals” cemented him in Indigenous film history. Dr. Adams laughs with JD about just how many doctor roles he has played, explains how his traditional upbringing prepared him for the world of academia, and reveals how his acting life and the medical world can sometimes painfully clash. Join us in this exciting season finale with one of the most recognizable faces on the Indigenous acting scene!

A huge thank you to the Indigenous Screen Office for their support of the show.