Wes Studi to make Oscars history
NM resident first Native American to win award
LOS ANGELES — When Cherokee actor Wes Studi was thinking about moving to Los Angeles to take a shot at being an actor in the 1980s, he asked a friend if it was a good idea. The friend said, “Why not? There aren’t many Native American actors.”
Instead of a deterrent, Studi took that as a plus.
“I thought, ‘OK, so not a whole lot of competition, then,’” said Studi, 71. “I thought, ‘Why not take a leap?’ And I did. And things turned out well.”
Although there was no way he could have known it at the time, the Tulsa, Oklahoma, native came at the perfect time too. Hollywood had started to move beyond its deplorable past of casting white actors for indigenous roles and looking for more authenticity in casting. His early films included “Dances With Wolves,” ”The Last of the Mohicans” and “Geronimo: An
American Legend.”
This Sunday, Studi will make history as the first Native American Oscar recipient at the 11th annual Governors Awards, alongside fellow honorary Oscar recipients David Lynch and Lina Wertmüller.
“I feel very honored about it,” he said on a recent phone call from Santa Fe, where he has lived for 26 years.
Studi came to acting late in life. He went to agriculture school, served in the Oklahoma National Guard and even served in the Vietnam War before he stated dabbling in theater and local educational television.
“I had a life before getting into this business, a non-acting life,” Studi said. “And it turns out that life has served me well. I can connect with characters I play simply by referencing real life. It’s been very helpful over the years to have experienced life outside of entertainment.”
When he arrived in Los Angeles, a now-defunct organization called the American Indian Registry helped him get his start. The group promoted Native American actors and created opportunities for them to meet agents. It led to Studi’s securing representation and booking Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning “Dances With Wolves,” which then put him on Michael Mann’s radar for what would be his most memorable role to date: Magua in “The Last of the Mohicans.”
Mann would then go on to cast Studi again in “Heat” as an Los Angeles police detective — a somewhat rare opportunity for Studi to play a character who wasn’t primarily defined by his ethnicity.
“It can be frustrating,” Studi said. “I can understand the idea of wanting to get away from leathers and feathers. But it’s a double-edged sword in its own way. Westerns and/or period pieces in which Native Americans are portrayed have been the starting point and the bread and butter of Native American actors. Fortunately, I’ve been able to cross over in a few roles over the years.”