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January
2005
 Actor
Adam Beach (Saulteaux) is
widely recognized, in both the Native community and Hollywood,
for his work in film and television. Through more than 30 roles,
Beach has brought to life many popular characters, including Victor
Joseph in Smoke Signals, Private Ben Yahzee in Windtalkers
and Frank Fencepost in Dance Me Outside. He currently plays
Officer Jim Chee in the television movie adaptations of the best-selling
Tony Hillerman novels produced for WGBH's Mystery! Series.
In 1995 Beach won the First Americans in the Arts Best Actor Award
for his role in My Indian Summer. Beach was raised in Manitoba
on the Dog Creek Indian Reserve, and in Winnipeg. Before making
the transition to work on-screen, he acted in his high school's
drama club and at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People. A father
of two young sons, Beach aims to be a positive role model for
them and Native youth everywhere. He often visits high schools,
speaking about his experiences growing up and about issues affecting
Native Americans. He currently lives in Los Angeles.
"I find myself searching for the right characters and the
right stories. I think Native cinema right now is booming. We
are taking control of our voice and the image of who we are, which
is important. The world needs to see us in the image of the way
we see ourselves. I have been over the years trying to do roles
that show us as people in society and not just a Hollywood Indian,
a romanticized Indian."
Quote from interview with Charmaine Jackson-John, NMAI
Screened by NMAI
Image credit:
Adam Beach - photograph by Tim Warner
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