Adam Beach

Last updated
Adam Beach
Adam Beach by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Beach at the 2015 San Diego Comic Con
Born (1972-11-11) November 11, 1972 (age 51)
Ashern, Manitoba, Canada
OccupationActor
Years active1990–present
Spouses
Meredith Porter
(m. 1999;div. 2002)
Tara Mason
(m. 2003;div. 2007)
Summer Tiger
(m. 2015)
Children3

Adam Beach (born November 11, 1972) is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his roles as Victor Joseph in Smoke Signals ; Frank Fencepost in Dance Me Outside ; Tommy on Walker, Texas Ranger ; Kickin' Wing in Joe Dirt ; U.S. Marine Corporal Ira Hayes in Flags of Our Fathers ; Private Ben Yahzee in Windtalkers ; Dr. Charles Eastman (Ohiyesa) in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee ; NYPD Detective Chester Lake in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit ; and Officer Jim Chee in the film adaptations of Skinwalkers , Coyote Waits and A Thief of Time . He starred in the Canadian 2012–2014 series Arctic Air and played Slipknot in the 2016 film Suicide Squad . He also performed as Squanto in Disney's historical drama film Squanto: A Warrior's Tale . Most recently he has starred in Hostiles (2017) as Black Hawk and the Netflix original film Juanita (2019) as Jess Gardiner and Edward Nappo in Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog.

Contents

Early life

Adam Beach was born in Ashern, Manitoba. He is Saulteaux Anishinaabe and has some Icelandic roots through his great-grandmother. [1] Beach spent his early years with his parents and two brothers on the Lake Manitoba/Dog Creek First Nation Reserve at Lake Manitoba. When Beach was eight years old, his mother, Sally Beach, eight months pregnant with a baby girl, was killed by a drunk driver. [2] Eight weeks after his mother's death, the family discovered their father Dennis Beach had drowned near the community. It is unclear whether his death was an accident or suicide.

Adam and his two brothers initially lived with their grandmother; he was with her from age 8 to 12. Five years after their parents' deaths, the three brothers were taken to Winnipeg to live with an aunt and paternal uncle: Agnes and Chris Beach (his father's brother). Adam refers to his Uncle Chris as "Dad". [3]

Beach attended a drama class at Gordon Bell High School. He began performing in local theatre productions and eventually dropped out of school to take a lead role at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People. [4]

Career

Beach has a long list of diverse portrayals. He saw acting as a catharsis and turned to theater as a venue to express his feelings and tell his own personal stories. [5] At age 18, Beach won a small role in the miniseries Lost in the Barrens , based on the Farley Mowat novel. In the following years, he continued to work in local theatre and guest-starred on television shows such as Walker, Texas Ranger and Touched by an Angel . Shortly afterwards, Beach was cast as a regular on the television shows North of 60 and The Rez . After his performance in Dance Me Outside, he starred in Smoke Signals, which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. [2] He took a small role in Disney's Mystery, Alaska in 1999 and in 2000 accepted a role in the thriller, The Last Stop. Beach appeared in Helen Lee's The Art of Woo and the 2001 hit Joe Dirt as Kickin' Wing, a Native American fireworks salesman. The producers of Joe Dirt had originally wanted to hire Evan Adams for the parody of his character in Smoke Signals, but accidentally called Beach instead. [6]

In 2002, Windtalkers , starring Beach, was released in theatres; it was about Navajo codetalkers working with the US Marines during World War II. To prepare for this role, Beach spent six months learning the Navajo language. He used this language in his next project, Skinwalkers , based on a novel by Tony Hillerman and directed by Chris Eyre, who had given him his breakout role in Smoke Signals. Between large-scale projects, Beach made small television appearances on such shows as JAG and Third Watch . Also, in 2003, he returned to the character that he first portrayed in Skinwalkers in the movie Coyote Waits , also based on a Hillerman novel. He also made a guest appearance in the hit show The Dead Zone as a Native shaman (in the episode "Shaman").

In 2006, Beach portrayed Ira Hayes in Clint Eastwood's feature film Flags of Our Fathers . During the filming of this movie, both Beach's grandmother and his best friend died. Beach commented, "And if you add those up, there's a lot of emotion. When you're doing a movie, when you let go emotionally, there's nothing to grab onto," he said about the deaths. [7] About playing the part, Beach said, "For me, playing Ira was a meaningful relationship. I would call it – trying to find out how he was, or how he thought and felt". [7] The movie won two Academy Award nominations and Beach was nominated for multiple Best Supporting Actor honors.

In 2006, Beach ran as a candidate to lead his Lake Manitoba First Nation; he was not successful but said he will try again. [8] In 2007, Beach starred in HBO Films' adaptation of Dee Brown's history, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. In the film, Beach portrays Charles Eastman (Dakota name Ohiyesa), a doctor, Sioux advocate and author. He explores and expresses the changing understanding of Aboriginal-US relations during the period leading up to the Wounded Knee Massacre.

Beach at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival Adam Beach at TIFF 2014.jpg
Beach at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival

In addition to starring in the Canadian television series Moose TV , Beach is executive-producing and starring in the movie Older Than America. The independent feature is filmed in Cloquet, Minnesota, mostly on the Fond du Lac Ojibwe reservation. He joined the cast of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Detective Chester Lake for the show's ninth season after guest-starring in season eight. [9] In April 2008, TV Guide announced that he would not return for the show's tenth season. [10] [11] He later stated he grew disillusioned with the strictly procedural nature of the show and opted to leave after the finish of the ninth season. [12]

Starting in 2009, Beach played a supporting role on the HBO series Big Love as a manager in an Indian casino with Bill Henrickson (Bill Paxton). On February 10, 2010, it was announced that Beach will portray Tommy Prince, the Canadian war hero, in an upcoming movie about his life. According to Bay Film Studios, the movie will be a "true account of Canada's most highly decorated First Nations soldier." Beach said he is honoured to portray Prince, calling him a positive role model for all First Nations. [13] In 2011, he starred in Cowboys & Aliens , an American science fiction Western film directed by Jon Favreau and starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde. The film is based on the 2006 graphic novel of the same name created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg. Also in 2011, Beach returned to Canada to star in the TV series Arctic Air , which premiered on January 12, 2012. In 2015, Beach appeared on several episodes of Backstrom as Sheriff Jesse Rocha. In 2017, he played Black Hawk in Hostiles , starring Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike and Wes Studi.

In 2022 Beach was selected as host of the Canadian chainsaw carving competition show A Cut Above . [14]

Personal life

Adam Beach has been married three times and has three children. He has two sons with his first wife, Meredith Porter (married 1999–2002). He did not have children with his second wife, Tara Mason (married 2003⁠–⁠2007). In 2008, his current wife, Summer Tiger, gave birth to a daughter.

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
1995 American Indian Film Festival Best Actor Dance Me Outside Won
First American in the Arts AwardsBest ActorMy Indian SummerWon
1998San Diego World Film FestivalBest Actor Smoke Signals Won
2006 Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor Flags of Our Fathers Nominated
Satellite Awards Best Supporting ActorNominated
2007 American Indian Film Festival Best ActorLuna: Spirit of the WhaleNominated
2008 Golden Globe Award Best Actor — Mini-Series or Television Film Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Nominated
Image Awards Outstanding ActorNominated
2015 Canadian Screen Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role Arctic Air Nominated

Filmography

Films

YearTitleRoleTribeNotes
1993 Cadillac Girls Will
1994 Squanto: A Warrior's Tale Squanto Patuxet
A Boy Called Hate Billy Little Plume
1995 Dance Me Outside Frank Fencepost Ojibwe (related to Beach's actual Saulteaux heritage)
1996Coyote SummerRafe Acuna
1997 Song of Hiawatha Chibiabos Ojibwe (related to Beach's actual Saulteaux heritage)
1998 Smoke Signals Victor Joseph Coeur d'Alene
1999 Mystery, Alaska Galin Winetka
2000The Last StopJason
2001 Joe Dirt Kickin' Wing
Now & Forever John Myron Cree
The Art of Woo Ben Crowchild
2002 Windtalkers Private Ben Yazzie Navajo
Skinwalkers Officer Jim Chee Navajo
Posers Sinclair
2003Cowboys and Indians: The J.J. Harper Story John Joseph Harper Oji-Cree
The Big Empty Randy
2004SawtoothJim
2005 Four Brothers ChiefUncredited
2006 Flags of Our Fathers Ira Hayes Pima
2007 Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Charles Eastman (Ohiyesa) Sioux
Luna: Spirit of the WhaleMike Maquinna Mowachaht-Muchalaht
2008 Turok: Son of Stone Turok Voice role
Older than America Johnny Ojibwe
HelpMax
2010 The Stranger Mason
The StepsonJosh AndersonMain role
2011 A Warrior's Heart Sgt. Major Duke Wayne
Cowboys & Aliens Nat ColoradoSupporting role
Tommy Prince: Prince of the Devils Tommy Prince
Combat Hospital Joe / Snake Eater
2013CrookBryce
Ice Soldiers TC Cardinal
Into the Grizzly Maze Johnny Cadillac
2014 A Fighting Man Fast Eddie
2015 Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser Kickin' WingCameo
Diablo Nakoma
2016 Suicide Squad Christopher Weiss / Slipknot [15]
2017Juliana & the Medicine FishMike Reid
Hostiles Black Hawk Cheyenne
2019 Juanita Jess
2020 Monkey Beach Uncle Mick
The New Mutants William Lonestar Cheyenne
Percy Alton Kelly
2021 The Unhealer Sheriff Adler
The Power of the Dog Edward Nappo
Swan Song Dalton
2022 Exile Ted Evans
American/IndianCarlPre-production
2023 Hey, Viktor! Adam
TBATerra InfirmaMax WindrunnerPre-production
Coyote HowlsJames HunterPre-production
HitmanThe HitmanPre-production

Television

YearTitleRoleTribeNotes
1990 Lost in the Barrens Hunting Party MemberTelevision film
1993Spirit RiderPaul LeBlancTelevision film
1993–1995 North of 60 Nevada4 episodes
1995 Walker, Texas Ranger Tommy Bright HawkEpisode: "On Sacred Ground"
CBS Schoolbreak Special BenEpisode: "My Indian Summer"
1996 Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years Red Crow Lakota Episode: "Medicine"
Touched by an Angel Dillon New EagleEpisode: "Written in Dust"
The Rez Charlie Ojibwe
1997 Dead Man's Gun Tom Nez Perce Episode: "Medicine Man"
2001 Higher Ground Aaron ReifelEpisode: "What Remains"
2002 Bliss AngelEpisode: "Valentine's Day in Jail"
The Dead Zone ShamanEpisode: "Shaman"
2003 Coyote Waits Officer Jim Chee Navajo Television film
Everwood Mr. Grey CloudEpisode: "Unhappy Holidays"
Third Watch Christian2 episodes
2004 A Thief of Time Officer Jim Chee Navajo
JAG Marcus TillcoEpisode: "Whole New Ball Game"
2005 Johnny Tootall Johnny Tootall Nuu-chah-nulth
2007 Moose TV George Keeshig Cree
2007–2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Det. Chester Lake Mohawk Main role, 21 episodes
2008 Comanche Moon Blue Duck Comanche
Wapos Bay HimselfVoice role
2010 Big Love Tommy Flute Blackfoot
Hawaii Five-0 Navy Seal GrahamEpisode: "Ho'apono"
2012–2014 Arctic Air Bobby MartinMain role, 35 episodes
2013 Hell on Wheels Red Bear Kiowa
2015 Backstrom Cooch County Captain Jesse Rocha3 episodes
2017Monsters of GodSees Two MoonsTelevision film
2019 Drunk History Richard OakesEpisode: "National Parks"
Supernatural Sheriff MasonEpisode: "Don't Go in the Woods"
2019–2020 Nancy Drew Chief E.O. McGinnis7 episodes
2020 The Good Doctor Billy CarrSeason 4 episode 4: "Not the Same"
2022-present A Cut Above Host [14]
2023 Found Kai WagonSeason 1 episode 7: "Missing While Indigenous"

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graham Greene (actor)</span> American Indian actor (born 1952)

Graham Greene CM is a First Nations (Oneida) actor who has worked on stage and in film and television productions in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He has achieved international fame for appearing in Kevin Costner's Dances with Wolves (1990), which earned him an Academy Award nomination. Other notable films include Thunderheart (1992), Maverick (1994), Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), The Green Mile (1999), Skins (2002), Transamerica (2005), Casino Jack (2010), Winter's Tale (2014), The Shack (2017), Wind River (2017) and Shadow Wolves (2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Winnipeg</span> Large glacial lake in Manitoba, Canada

Lake Winnipeg is a very large, relatively shallow 24,514-square-kilometre (9,465 sq mi) lake in North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada. Its southern end is about 55 kilometres (34 mi) north of the city of Winnipeg. Lake Winnipeg is Canada's sixth-largest freshwater lake and the third-largest freshwater lake contained entirely within Canada, but it is relatively shallow excluding a narrow 36 m (118 ft) deep channel between the northern and southern basins. It is the eleventh-largest freshwater lake on Earth. The lake's east side has pristine boreal forests and rivers that were in 2018 inscribed as Pimachiowin Aki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lake is 416 km (258 mi) from north to south, with remote sandy beaches, large limestone cliffs, and many bat caves in some areas. Manitoba Hydro uses the lake as one of the largest reservoirs in the world. There are many islands, most of them undeveloped.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saulteaux</span> Westernmost branch of the Anishinaabe people

The Saulteaux, otherwise known as the Plains Ojibwe, are a First Nations band government in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Canada. They are a branch of the Ojibwe who pushed west. They formed a mixed culture of woodlands and plains Indigenous customs and traditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Doer</span> Premier of Manitoba from 1999 to 2009 and Canadian diplomat

Gary Albert Doer is a former Canadian politician and diplomat from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He served as Canada's ambassador to the United States from 19 October 2009, to 3 March 2016. Doer previously served as the 20th premier of Manitoba from 1999 to 2009, leading a New Democratic Party government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Hillerman</span> American writer (1925–2008)

Anthony Grove Hillerman was an American author of detective novels and nonfiction works, best known for his mystery novels featuring Navajo Nation Police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. Several of his works have been adapted as theatrical and television movies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Len Cariou</span> Canadian actor and stage director (born 1939)

Leonard Joseph Cariou is a Canadian actor and stage director. He gained prominence for his portrayal of Sweeney Todd in the original cast of Stephen Sondheim's musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979) alongside Angela Lansbury for which he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He also received Tony nominations for his roles in the Betty Comden and Adolph Green musical Applause (1970), and the Sondheim A Little Night Music (1973).

Jim Chee is one of two Navajo Tribal Police detectives in a series of mystery novels by Tony Hillerman. Unlike his superior Joe Leaphorn, the "Legendary Lieutenant", Chee is a staunch believer in traditional Navajo culture; indeed, he is studying to be a traditional healer at the same time that he is a police officer.

<i>Windtalkers</i> 2002 American war film on Navajo radio operators in WW II by John Woo

Windtalkers is a 2002 American war film directed and co-produced by John Woo, starring Nicolas Cage, Adam Beach, Peter Stormare, Noah Emmerich, Mark Ruffalo, and Christian Slater. It is based on the real story of code talkers from the Navajo nation during World War II. The film was theatrically released in the United States on June 14, 2002, receiving mixed reviews and grossing just $77.6 million worldwide against a production budget of $115 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Jackson (actor)</span> Canadian singer and actor

Thomas Dale Jackson, is a Canadian actor and singer. He created and starred in an annual series of Christmas concerts called the Huron Carole for 18 years. He was the Chancellor of Trent University from 2009 until 2013. He played Billy Twofeathers on Shining Time Station and Peter Kenidi on North of 60.

Ashern is a local urban district located in the Municipality of West Interlake in Manitoba's Interlake Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wes Studi</span> Cherokee actor and film producer (born 1947)

Wesley Studi is a Native American actor and film producer. He has garnered critical acclaim and awards throughout his career, particularly for his portrayal of Native Americans in film. In 2019, he received an Academy Honorary Award, becoming the first Native American as well as the first Indigenous person from North America to be honored by the academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whiteshell Provincial Park</span> Provincial park in Manitoba, Canada

Whiteshell Provincial Park is a provincial park in southeast Manitoba, approximately 120 kilometres (75 mi) east of the city of Winnipeg. The park is considered to be a Class II protected area under the IUCN protected area management categories. It is 275,210 hectares in size.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Eyre</span> American film director

Chris Eyre, an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, is an American film director and producer who as of 2012 is chairman of the film department at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nopiming Provincial Park</span> Provincial park in Manitoba, Canada

Nopiming Provincial Park is a natural provincial park in Manitoba, Canada, located on the southeast side of the province, along the boundary with Ontario.

<i>Skinwalkers</i> (novel) 1986 novel by Tony Hillerman

Skinwalkers is a crime novel by American writer Tony Hillerman, the seventh in the Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee Navajo Tribal Police series, published in 1986. The film version, Skinwalkers, was adapted for television for the PBS Mystery! series in 2002.

<i>Skinwalkers</i> (2002 film) 2002 American mystery television film

Skinwalkers is a 2002 mystery television film based on the novel of the same name by Tony Hillerman, one of his series of mysteries set against contemporary Navajo life in the Southwest. It features an all-Native cast, with Adam Beach and Wes Studi playing officers Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn. It was produced as part of the PBS Mystery! series, filmed on the Navajo reservation and directed by Chris Eyre.

Jackson Beardy was an Indigenous Oji-Cree Anishinaabe artist born in Canada. His works are characterized by scenes from Ojibwe and Cree oral history and many focus on the relationship between humans and nature. He belonged to the Woodland School of Art and was a prominent member of the Indian Group of Seven. His work has contributed to the recognition of Indigenous contemporary art within Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Greyeyes</span> Canadian actor

Michael Greyeyes is an Indigenous Canadian actor, dancer, choreographer, director, and educator.

<i>Reel Injun</i> 2009 Canadian documentary directed by Neil Diamond

Reel Injun is a 2009 Canadian documentary film directed by Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond, Catherine Bainbridge, and Jeremiah Hayes that explores the portrayal of Native Americans in film. Reel Injun is illustrated with excerpts from classic and contemporary portrayals of Native people in Hollywood movies and interviews with filmmakers, actors and film historians, while director Diamond travels across the United States to visit iconic locations in motion picture as well as American Indian history.

Rod Bushie was a Canadian Anishinaabe elder who served as the Grand Chief of Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, the largest First Nations organization in Manitoba, from 1997 to 2000.

References

  1. Bernardi, Daniel; Green, Michael, eds. (2017). Race in American Film: Voices and Visions that Shaped a Nation [3 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 71. ISBN   9780313398407. An Anishinaabe member of the Ojibwa nation, with some Icelandic roots through his great-grandmother, Beach was born in Ashern, (Canada)
  2. 1 2 Solmes, Catherine (2007). "Adam Beach – Biography". NorthernStars.ca. Retrieved March 14, 2007.
  3. MacGregor, Roy (June 10, 2008). "Actor sees a way to break out of his people's drama". The Globe and Mail . Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  4. Hall, Jamie (2011-03-10). "Mar 2011: Life's a Beach for Adam and that's good". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
  5. Aleiss, Angela (2022), Hollywood's Native Americans: Stories of Identity and Resistance, Santa Barbara CA: Praeger, p. 128, ISBN   978-1-4408-7156-6
  6. "Adam Beach Is on Board for 'Joe Dirt 2'. But Why Was He in the Original?", Indian Country Today Media Network
  7. 1 2 "Interview: Adam Beach" Archived December 5, 2006, at the Wayback Machine MovieHole.net (accessed March 14, 2007)
  8. Adam Beach enjoying his fast Hollywood ride Archived February 1, 2009, at the Wayback Machine , CTV.ca, February 12, 2007
  9. Breaking News – Film Stars Adam Beach and Kal Penn Guest Star on NBC's 'LAW & ORDER: SVU', Tuesday, January 16, (10 P.M. ET/PT) | TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 13, 2008.
  10. Ausiello Scoop: Mystery Surrounding Dourdan and Neal's Exits Deepens – Ausiello Report | TVGuide.com Archived May 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved May 13, 2008.
  11. Out of Order: Adam Beach Bids SVU Adieu – Today's News: Our Take | TVGuide.com Archived May 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved May 13, 2008.
  12. Oswald, Brad (January 7, 2011). "Beach grabbed right boarding pass". winnipegfreepress.com. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  13. Adam Beach to star as Sgt. Tommy Prince in movie about the hero, Digital Journal, 11 February 2010
  14. 1 2 David, Greg (July 24, 2022). "Discovery reveals the 12 carvers competing in the all-new series A Cut Above, beginning August 8". TV, eh. Retrieved July 29, 2022 via Bell Media.
  15. Woods, John (April 9, 2015). "Adam Beach to play DC Comics villain Slipknot in new film". Winnipeg Free Press.