Wes Studi
This often intimidating but charismatic and ruggedly handsome actor of full-blooded Cherokee heritage enhanced several thoughtful Hollywood Westerns of the 1990s by thoroughly embodying roles that would have once been mere stereotypes and imbuing them with depth and dignity. The intense and muscular Studi first gained attention playing the "toughest" of the Pawnees in Kevin Costner's ambitious and well-meaning revisionist work "Dances With Wolves" (1990). He also lent his powerful presence to Oliver Stone's "The Doors" (1991), as the silent Indian in the desert, before coming into his own as a film and TV character player. The Oklahoma-born performer's native language is Cherokee, which he spoke until he started primary school at age five. Returning from serving in the Vietnam War, Studi became seriously involved with Native American politics. He joined the American Indian Movement and participated in their 1973 occupation of Wounded Knee, South Dakota. Studi subsequently attended college and helped start a Cherokee newspaper. He also began teaching the Cherokee language professionally before shifting to running his own horse ranch. The late 70s found Studi divorced and bereft of his ranch. Thinking it would be a good way to meet women, he decided to start taking acting lessons. Studi gained substantial stage experience in many productions with the American Indian Theatre Company and in a touring one-man show, "Coyote Chews His Own Tale." He consolidated his standing in films with a searing performance as the fiercely angry Magua in Michael Mann's stirring adaptation of "The Last of the Mohicans" (1992). Studi finally entered the limelight via his gritty yet noble interpretation of the title role of Walter Hill's classically elegant $35 million biopic "Geronimo: An American Legend" (1993). The commercial failure of that project sent him back to more fully clothed character roles in the forgettable Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle "Street Fighter" (1994) and the high profile crime film "Heat" (1995). The latter project reunited him with "Last of the Mohicans" writer-director Mann and cast him as a L.A. cop aiding Al Pacino in his pursuit of professional thief Robert De Niro and his gang. Studi's distinctive bass voice can often be heard on TV documentaries about the Native American experience. He has also appeared in several historical TV-movies, series and miniseries. Wes Studi received an Honorary oscar at the 2nd Annual Academy Awards in 2020.
Photos
Wes Studi
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Terra Infirma | Unknown (Character) | - | 2024 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Roof | Unknown (Character) | - | 2023 |
77% |
|
Mending the Line | Harrison (Character) | $377.9K | 2022 |
95% |
|
A Love Song | Lito (Character) | $278.6K | 2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bonnie | Self | - | 2022 |
95% |
|
Soul | Counselor (Voice) | $870.6K | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rolling Thunder | Wes (Character) | - | 2019 |
50% |
|
Badland | Harlan Red (Character) | - | 2019 |
59% |
|
A Dog's Way Home | Captain Mica (Character) | $42.0M | 2019 |
70% |
|
Hostiles | Chief Yellow Hawk (Character) | $29.8M | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | From Ashes to Immortality | Warrior (Character) | - | 2016 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Condemned 2 | Cyrus Merrick (Character) | - | 2015 |
44% |
|
Planes: Fire & Rescue | Windlifter (Voice) | $59.2M | 2014 |
54% |
|
Road to Paloma | Numay (Character) | - | 2014 |
33% |
|
A Million Ways to Die in the West | Cochise (Character) | $42.6M | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Samoloty 2 | Unknown (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Pie Lady of Pie Town | Narrator | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet |
|
Sugar | Bishop (Character) | - | 2013 |
No Score Yet |
|
Battledogs | Captain Falcons (Character) | - | 2013 |
49% |
|
Being Flynn | Captain (Character) | $526.3K | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dome of Heaven | DeWayne Moses (Character) | - | 2011 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Canes of Power | Narrator | - | 2010 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Undying | Lt. Wascoe (Character) | - | 2009 |
81% |
|
Avatar | Eytucan (Voice) | $23.5M | 2009 |
No Score Yet |
|
Call of the Wild | Hatcher (Character) | - | 2009 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Only Good Indian | Sam (Character) | - | 2009 |
No Score Yet |
|
21 and a Wakeup | Unknown (Character) | - | 2009 |
No Score Yet |
|
El Camino | Dave (Character) | - | 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Three Priests | Ben (Character) | - | 2008 |
No Score Yet |
|
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee |
Wovoka/ |
- | 2007 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Cosmic Radio | Sherriff Mike Nighthorse (Character) | - | 2007 |
No Score Yet |
|
Miracle at Sage Creek | Chief Thomas (Character) | - | 2005 |
No Score Yet |
|
Animal | Creeper (Character) | - | 2005 |
No Score Yet |
|
A Thief of Time | Joe Leaphorn (Character) | - | 2004 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Ugly One: Thor's Revenge | Father Mike (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
On the Edge | Cuch (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
Coyote Waits | Joe Leaphorn (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Lone Ranger | Kulakinah (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
Skinwalkers | Lt. Joe Leaphorn (Character) | - | 2002 |
No Score Yet |
|
Superfire | Joe Nighttrail (Character) | - | 2002 |
49% |
|
Undisputed | Mingo Pace (Character) | - | 2002 |
No Score Yet |
|
Road to Redemption | Frank Lightfoot (Character) | $248.9K | 2001 |
69% |
|
Christmas in the Clouds | Bingo Caller (Character) | $78.3K | 2001 |
No Score Yet |
|
Wind River | Pocatello (Character) | - | 1999 |
60% |
|
Mystery Men | The Sphinx (Character) | $29.8M | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
Soundman | Terry Leonard (Character) | - | 1998 |
36% |
|
Deep Rising | Hanover (Character) | $11.2M | 1998 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Killing Jar | Cameron (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet |
|
Crazy Horse | Red Cloud (Character) | - | 1996 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Lone Justice 3 | One Horse (Character) | - | 1996 |
83% |
|
Heat | Detective Casals (Character) | $66.2M | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Lone Justice II | One Horse (Character) | - | 1995 |
11% |
|
Street Fighter | Victor Sagat (Character) | $33.2M | 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Wolfridge | Unknown (Character) | - | 1994 |
50% |
|
Geronimo: An American Legend | Geronimo (Character) | $18.4M | 1993 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Broken Chain |
Seth/ |
- | 1993 |
88% |
|
The Last of the Mohicans | Magua (Character) | $72.2M | 1992 |
87% |
|
Dances With Wolves | Toughest Pawnee (Character) | $184.0M | 1990 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Finding Your Roots | Guest | 2024 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | American Veteran | Host | 2021 |
91% | 90% | Penny Dreadful | Kaetenay (Character) | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | In Plain Sight | Chief Pierce (Guest Star) | 2012 |
73% | 90% | Hell on Wheels | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2011-2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | La Plaza -- Maria Hinojosa: One-on-One | Guest | 2011 |
No Score Yet | 90% | The Mentalist | Joseph Silverwing (Guest Star) | 2010 |
No Score Yet | 100% | Kings | Gen. Linus Abner (Character) | 2009 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Comanche Moon | Unknown (Character) | 2008 |
20% | No Score Yet | UC: Undercover | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2002 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Promised Land | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1997 |