Wes Studi

Wes Studi
Studi at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, December 7, 2008
Born	Wesley Studi (1947-12-17) December 17, 1947 Nofire Hollow, Oklahoma
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1988–present
Spouse(s)	Maura Dhu
Website	wesleystudi.com

Wesley "Wes" Studi (Cherokee: ᏪᏌ ᏍᏚᏗ) (born December 17, 1947) is a Cherokee actor and film producer from Nofire Hollow in Oklahoma. ^[1]

He has won critical acclaim and awards for his portrayal of Native Americans in film.^[2][3]

He has appeared in Academy Award-winning films, such as Dances with Wolves (1990) and The Last of the Mohicans (1992), and in the Academy Award-nominated films Geronimo: An American Legend (1993) and The New World (2005). He is also known for portraying Sagat in Street Fighter (1994). Other films he's appeared in are Heat, Mystery Men, Avatar, "A Million Ways to Die in the West", and the television series Penny Dreadful.

Early life and education

Studi was born Wesley Studi in a Cherokee family in Nofire Hollow, Oklahoma, a rural area in Tahlequah named after his mother's family.^[4] He is the son of Maggie Studie, a housekeeper, and Andy Studie, a ranch hand.^[5] Until he attended grade school, he spoke only Cherokee at home.^[6] He attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School for high school and graduated in 1964; his vocational major was in dry cleaning.^[7]

In 1967, Studi was drafted into the Army and served 18 months in Vietnam. After his discharge, Studi became politically active in American Indian activism. He participated in the Wounded Knee Incident at Pine Ridge Reservation in 1973.^[6]

He taught Cherokee language and syllabary and helped found a Cherokee-language newspaper. He went into ranching. After his marriage ended in divorce, Studi left ranching and started to study acting - a friend had recommended it as a place to meet women.^[3]

Career

Studi promoting healthy living among Native Americans in a CDC ad.

Studi appeared in his first film, The Trial of Standing Bear, in 1988.^[4] He is best known for his roles as ruthless Native American warriors, such as a Pawnee in Dances with Wolves (1990), and Magua in The Last of the Mohicans (1992).^[6][8]

A year later, he was cast with Eric Schweig for TNT's film The Broken Chain, about the historic Iroquois League that was based in the area of central and western present-day New York state. It was shot in Virginia. This was part of a group of productions shown over 14 months on TNT as its "Native American initiative", including three television movies and several documentaries. A six-hour history series was told from a Native American perspective.^[3]

In 1993 Studi had the lead in Geronimo: An American Legend.^[9] He showed a talent for comedy as the superhero Sphynx in the 1999 film Mystery Men. In 2002, Studi brought to life the character of Lt. Joe Leaphorn, for a series of PBS movies based on Tony Hillerman's novels set in the Southwest among the Navajo and Hopi. It was produced by Robert Redford.

In 2005, Studi portrayed a character based on chief Opechancanough, leader of the Powhatan Confederacy in Virginia, in the film The New World directed by Terrence Malick.

On April 20, 2009 Studi appeared as Major Ridge, a leader of the Cherokee before removal to Indian Territory, in Trail of Tears. This was the third of five episodes in the PBS series We Shall Remain, portraying critical episodes in Native American history after European encounter.^[10] The ground-breaking mini-series affirms Native history as an essential part of American history. It is part of the public television's acclaimed series American Experience. Studi spoke only his native Cherokee in his performance.

In 2009, Studi appeared in James Cameron's science fiction epic Avatar. He played Eytukan, the chieftain of a Na'vi tribe.

In Santa Fe, Studi serves as honorary chair of the national endowment campaign of the Indigenous Language Institute.^[4]

Personal life

After an early marriage and divorce, Studi married again. He and his wife Maura Dhu Studi moved their family to a farm near Santa Fe, New Mexico in the early 1990s.^[3] They have a son, Kholan. Studi has a daughter, Leah, and a son, Daniel, from his first marriage.^[11] Studi and his wife perform in the band "Firecat of Discord".

Honors

• 1994, Won a Western Heritage Award (shared with cast and crew) for Geronimo: An American Legend (1993).^[9]
• 1998, The Dreamspeakers Film and Festival honored Studi with its Career Achievement Award.^[4]
• 2000, Motion Picture and Television Fund's Golden Boot Award.^[4]
• 2000, Artist of the Decade at the First Americans in the Arts Awards.^[4]
• 2005, The New World was nominated for an Academy Award.
• 2013, Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers - Western Heritage Award, Oklahoma City, OK

Filmography

References

External links

• Wes Studi's official website
• Wes Studi at the Internet Movie Database
• "Wes Studi", Native Networks, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
• 2006 interview with Wes Studi (Interview with Jon Niccum)