List of Native American actors

This is a list of Native American actors in the United States, including Alaskan Natives.

While Native American identity can be complex, it is rooted in political sovereignty that predates the creation of colonial nation states like the United States, Canada, and Mexico and persists into the 21st century recognized under international law by treaty. The Bureau of Indian Affairs defines Native American as having American Indian or Alaska Native ancestry. Legally, being Native American is defined as being enrolled in a federally recognized tribe, including Alaskan villages. Ethnologically, factors such as culture, history, language, religion, and familial kinships can influence Native American identity.^[1] All individuals on this list should have confirmed Native American ancestry. Historical figures might predate tribal enrollment practices and would be included based on ethnological tribal membership, while any contemporary individuals should either be enrolled members of federally recognized tribes or have cited Native American ancestry and be recognized as being Native American by their respective tribes(s). Contemporary unenrolled individuals should only be listed as being of descent from a tribe if they have confirmed heritage.

A

Victor Aaron (1956–1996), Yaqui descent
Apesanahkwat, Menominee Nation

B

Dewey Beard a.k.a. Iron Hail, Lakota, Miniconjou
Irene Bedard, Inupiat
Chief John Big Tree, Seneca
Moses Brings Plenty, Oglala Lakota^[2]
Cole Brings Plenty, nephew of Moses

C

Tonantzin Carmelo, Tongva/Kumeyaay descent^[3]
Alaqua Cox, Menominee/Mohican^[4]

D

Cody Deal (born 1986), Osage Nation^[5]

E

Chris Eyre, Southern Cheyenne director and producer

F

Abel Fernandez (1930–2016), Yaqui descent

G

Forrest Goodluck, Navajo
Kiowa Gordon, Hualapai Tribe
Rodney A. Grant, Omaha^[6]
Saginaw Grant, member of Sac and Fox Nation^[7]
Graham Greene, [[First Nations (tribe)[Oneida]]^[8]
Kimberly Norris Guerrero, Colville (enrolled), Salish-Kootenai, and Cherokee^[9]

H

Charlie Hill, Oneida, Mohawk, Cree
Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse, Lakota
Jack Hoxie, Nez Perce^[10]
Miko Hughes, Chickasaw
Blu Hunt - American actress, Oglala Lakota

I

Iron Hail, a.k.a. Dewey Beard, Lakota, Miniconjou

J

Ben Johnson,^[11]^[12] Cherokee, grew up on an Osage reservation

K

L

Eddie Little Sky, Oglala Lakota
Phil Lucas, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma filmmaker, actor, writer, producer, director, and editor
Lily Gladstone, Blackfeet Nation descent actress

M

Randolph Mantooth, Seminole^[14]
Robin Maxkii, Stockbridge-Munsee, actress
Zahn McClarnon, Hunkpapa Lakota, actor^[15]
Russell Means, Oglala Lakota, activist, actor^[16]
Tatanka Means, Navajo, Lakota^[17]
Amber Midthunder (Fort Peck Sioux)^[18]

Q

R

Arthur Redcloud, Navajo
Red Shirt (Oglala), Lakota
Red Wing, (Lillian St. Cyr), Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
Steve Reevis, Blackfeet^[19]
Branscombe Richmond, Aleut^[20]
Pernell Roberts, film and television actor, Muscogee^[21]
Will Rogers (1879–1935), Cherokee, film and vaudeville actor, movie producer^[22]
Ned Romero, film and television actor, Chitimacha^[23]
Lois Red Elk enrolled member of the Ft. Peck Sioux in Montana.

S

Frank Salsedo, Wappo
Will Sampson, Muscogee (Creek) Nation^[24]
Larry Sellers, Osage, Cherokee, Lakota^[25]
Martin Sensmeier, Tlingit, Koyukon Athabascan
Sitting Bull, Lakota, Hunkpapa
John Sitting Bull, Lakota, Hunkpapa
William Sitting Bull, Lakota, Hunkpapa
Charles Soldani, Osage and Kaw actor
Eddie Spears, Brulé^[26]
Michael Spears, Brulé
Chaske Spencer, Sioux-Nez Perce-Cherokee-Muscogee Creek-French-Dutch^[27]
Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Lakota author and actor
Wes Studi, Cherokee Nation^[28]

T

U

Misty Upham, Blackfeet Tribe^[30]

W

Y

James Young Deer, Nanticoke, 1876–1946
Chief Yowlachie, Yakama

Notes

^ "IV. Our Nation’s American Indian and Alaska Native Citizens." US Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
^ [1] "Moses Brings Plenty is a Lakota born at Pine Ridge reservation. Young spiritual leader, he carries within him the voices of his ancestors and particularly Crazy Horse."
^ Martindale, David (July 15, 2003). "Meet Tonantzin Carmelo". Tnt.tv. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
^ Vaisvillas, Frank (20 December 2021). "Menominee actresses Alaqua Cox and Darnell Besaw star in the new Marvel 'Hawkeye' series on Disney+". Green Bay Press Gazette. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
^ Polacca, Benny. "Osage actor stars in cable TV movie this year." Archived 2013-05-21 at the Wayback Machine Osage News. 7 March 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
^ [2] "Rodney A. Grant is a well-known celebrity in the Native Community. A Native American actor who is in support of Native American issues and is always willing to speak for the Native American people."
^ Breslauer, Jan (February 20, 1996). "The Spirit Moves Him in New and Traditional Ways". Los Angeles Times.
^ "Graham Greene (Actor)".
^ "Kimberly Norris Guerrero jumps into romantic comedy with both feet - Indian Country News". Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
^ "Jack Hoxie". Archived from the original on 2006-06-18. Retrieved 2006-05-20. "in an interview with LeRoy Sebastian in 1963, he said "Pastor, I am an Indian, and therefore I have lived these many years believing in the Red Man's God..."
^ Thurman, Tom. - Ben Johnson: Third Cowboy on the Right.
^ Erickson, Hal. "Ben Johnson". Allmovie.
^ "Untitled Document". Archived from the original on 2006-05-09. Retrieved 2006-05-19. "Stephanie Kramer also intends to resume her music career, preparing a new album. Meanwhile, she devotes herself to Indian children. "I'm half Cherokee. I'd like so much for these children, who are a bit mine, to continue their studies. Life is hard In their land ravaged by extreme poverty. Thanks to an official organization, we can help them." The good-hearted actress has even taken a little girl from the Hopi tribe under her wing and she contributes a lot of money."
^ [3] "...Randy, whose father is a Seminole Indian, "Got to make some comments I've been waiting all my life to say in a powerful picture."
^ "ICT [2003/07/07] Zahn McClarnon, more than just Indian and Irish". Archived from the original on 2005-04-16. Retrieved 2006-05-19. "Over the past 12 years Zahn McClarnon (Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux) has made dozens of appearances on TV, cable network movies and feature films."
^ [4] "The L.A. Times has described him as the most famous American Indian since Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse."
^ "Tatanka Means Rises to Next Level with 'Tiger Eyes' - ICTMN.com". Archived from the original on 2014-05-05. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
^ Sarner, Lauren (14 June 2018). "Father/daughter duo are among rare Native American actors in Hollywood". New York Post. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
^ "Steve Reevis - NativeCelebs profiles".
^ "Branscombe Richmond's Acting Bio". Archived from the original on 2006-04-03. Retrieved 2006-04-03. "Of Aleut Indian descent, Branscombe has said, "I am a Native American first, last and always.""
^ Facebook https://m.facebook.com/nt/screen/?params=%7B%22note_id%22%3A845315976297591%7D&path=%2Fnotes%2Fnote%2F&refsrc=deprecated&_rdr. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help) Richard Thornton / The People Of One Fire - Oct 9, 2018 . Retrieved 01 August 2022.
^ Carter, Joseph H. "Father and Cherokee Tradition Molded Will Rogers." Archived 2012-10-26 at the Wayback Machine Will Rogers Memorial Museum. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
^ "Ned Romero-The Definitive Native American Actor". Wildestwesterns.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2009. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
^ "Will Sampson". Archived from the original on 2006-04-26. Retrieved 2006-05-19. "Will was a Muscogee Creek Indian born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, in 1934."
^ [5] "He drew on his heritage as an Osage/Cherokee/Lakota Indian to also become an educator, historian and historical consultant."
^ [6] "Best Actor Native Voice Film Festival 2005 for the lead role in Black Cloud"
^ "Interview with a New Moon Werewolf". BettyConfidential.com.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
^ "Meeting Magua: A Wes Studi Interview". Mohicanpress.com. May 8, 1999. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
^ Jim Thorpe Goes to Hollywood: 1931-1950, Signature, April 20, 2011
^ Schmidt, Rob. " Blackfeet Actress Misty Upham On Filming 'Jimmy P.' with Benicio Del Toro." Archived 2014-10-15 at the Wayback Machine Indian Country Today Media Network. 30 Sept 2013. Accessed 1 Feb 2014.
^ "Native American Authors: Floyd Westerman". Ipl.org. Retrieved January 29, 2011.

[1] "IV. Our Nation’s American Indian and Alaska Native Citizens." US Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs. Retrieved 8 July 2012.

[2] [1] "Moses Brings Plenty is a Lakota born at Pine Ridge reservation. Young spiritual leader, he carries within him the voices of his ancestors and particularly Crazy Horse."

[3] Martindale, David (July 15, 2003). "Meet Tonantzin Carmelo". Tnt.tv. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved January 29, 2011.

[4] Vaisvillas, Frank (20 December 2021). "Menominee actresses Alaqua Cox and Darnell Besaw star in the new Marvel 'Hawkeye' series on Disney+". Green Bay Press Gazette. Retrieved 27 March 2022.

[5] Polacca, Benny. "Osage actor stars in cable TV movie this year." Archived 2013-05-21 at the Wayback Machine Osage News. 7 March 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2013.

[6] [2] "Rodney A. Grant is a well-known celebrity in the Native Community. A Native American actor who is in support of Native American issues and is always willing to speak for the Native American people."

[7] Breslauer, Jan (February 20, 1996). "The Spirit Moves Him in New and Traditional Ways". Los Angeles Times.

[8] "Graham Greene (Actor)".

[9] "Kimberly Norris Guerrero jumps into romantic comedy with both feet - Indian Country News". Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-21.

[10] "Jack Hoxie". Archived from the original on 2006-06-18. Retrieved 2006-05-20. "in an interview with LeRoy Sebastian in 1963, he said "Pastor, I am an Indian, and therefore I have lived these many years believing in the Red Man's God..."

[11] Thurman, Tom. - Ben Johnson: Third Cowboy on the Right.

[12] Erickson, Hal. "Ben Johnson". Allmovie.

[13] "Untitled Document". Archived from the original on 2006-05-09. Retrieved 2006-05-19. "Stephanie Kramer also intends to resume her music career, preparing a new album. Meanwhile, she devotes herself to Indian children. "I'm half Cherokee. I'd like so much for these children, who are a bit mine, to continue their studies. Life is hard In their land ravaged by extreme poverty. Thanks to an official organization, we can help them." The good-hearted actress has even taken a little girl from the Hopi tribe under her wing and she contributes a lot of money."

[14] [3] "...Randy, whose father is a Seminole Indian, "Got to make some comments I've been waiting all my life to say in a powerful picture."

[15] "ICT [2003/07/07] Zahn McClarnon, more than just Indian and Irish". Archived from the original on 2005-04-16. Retrieved 2006-05-19. "Over the past 12 years Zahn McClarnon (Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux) has made dozens of appearances on TV, cable network movies and feature films."

[16] [4] "The L.A. Times has described him as the most famous American Indian since Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse."

[17] "Tatanka Means Rises to Next Level with 'Tiger Eyes' - ICTMN.com". Archived from the original on 2014-05-05. Retrieved 2015-12-21.

[18] Sarner, Lauren (14 June 2018). "Father/daughter duo are among rare Native American actors in Hollywood". New York Post. Retrieved 1 March 2022.

[19] "Steve Reevis - NativeCelebs profiles".

[20] "Branscombe Richmond's Acting Bio". Archived from the original on 2006-04-03. Retrieved 2006-04-03. "Of Aleut Indian descent, Branscombe has said, "I am a Native American first, last and always.""

[21] Facebook https://m.facebook.com/nt/screen/?params=%7B%22note_id%22%3A845315976297591%7D&path=%2Fnotes%2Fnote%2F&refsrc=deprecated&_rdr. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help) Richard Thornton / The People Of One Fire - Oct 9, 2018 . Retrieved 01 August 2022.

[22] Carter, Joseph H. "Father and Cherokee Tradition Molded Will Rogers." Archived 2012-10-26 at the Wayback Machine Will Rogers Memorial Museum. Retrieved 30 June 2013.

[23] "Ned Romero-The Definitive Native American Actor". Wildestwesterns.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2009. Retrieved January 29, 2011.

[24] "Will Sampson". Archived from the original on 2006-04-26. Retrieved 2006-05-19. "Will was a Muscogee Creek Indian born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, in 1934."

[25] [5] "He drew on his heritage as an Osage/Cherokee/Lakota Indian to also become an educator, historian and historical consultant."

[26] [6] "Best Actor Native Voice Film Festival 2005 for the lead role in Black Cloud"

[27] "Interview with a New Moon Werewolf". BettyConfidential.com.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved January 29, 2011.

[28] "Meeting Magua: A Wes Studi Interview". Mohicanpress.com. May 8, 1999. Retrieved January 29, 2011.

[29] Jim Thorpe Goes to Hollywood: 1931-1950, Signature, April 20, 2011

[ict-30] Schmidt, Rob. " Blackfeet Actress Misty Upham On Filming 'Jimmy P.' with Benicio Del Toro." Archived 2014-10-15 at the Wayback Machine Indian Country Today Media Network. 30 Sept 2013. Accessed 1 Feb 2014.

[31] "Native American Authors: Floyd Westerman". Ipl.org. Retrieved January 29, 2011.

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List of Native American actors

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

Q

R

S

T

U

W

Y

See also

Notes