Michael Greyeyes (born June 4, 1967) (Muskeg Lake Cree Nation) is an Indigenous Canadian actor, dancer, choreographer, director, and educator.[1]
In 1996, Greyeyes portrayed Crazy Horse in the television film Crazy Horse.[2] In 2018, Greyeyes portrayed Sitting Bull in Woman Walks Ahead to critical acclaim.[3][4][5][6] He has also had TV roles on Fear the Walking Dead, True Detective and I Know This Much Is True. In 2021–2022, he had a main role in the Peacock sitcom Rutherford Falls. He had a recurring role in the first season of the Paramount+ western series 1923. He won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards in 2021, for his performance in the zombie film Blood Quantum.[7]
Life and career
Born in Saskatchewan, Greyeyes is Plains Cree from the Muskeg Lake First Nation. His father was from the Muskeg Lake First Nation and his mother was from the Sweetgrass First Nation, both located in Saskatchewan. Greyeyes started his performance career as a dancer. He is a graduate of The National Ballet School in 1984. He became an apprentice with The National Ballet of Canada before joining the company as a Corps de Ballet member in 1987.
After three years, he moved to New York City in 1990 to join the company of modern dance choreographer Eliot Feld. Greyeyes performed in many of Feld's seminal works, including Intermezzo, Skara Brae, and The Jig is Up. He performed in roles created for him in such ballets as Common Ground and Bloom's Wake. After years of also working as an actor, Greyeyes later completed his master's degree in Fine Arts at the School of Theatre and Dance at Kent State University and graduated in May 2003.
Greyeyes began his acting career in 1993, when he was cast as Juh in TNT's Geronimo. This role led to numerous television appearances, including guest-starring performances in Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Walker, Texas Ranger, Numb3rs, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and Millennium. In 1998 he starred in Stolen Women, Captured Hearts, with Janine Turner and Patrick Bergen. He is featured in the mini-series Klondike, Dreamkeeper, Rough Riders, Big Bear, and True Women.
His films include: Dance Me Outside,[1] Smoke Signals, Sunshine State, Skipped Parts, Skinwalkers (based on the book by Tony Hillerman), and Woman Walks Ahead (2017), in which he played Chief Sitting Bull opposite Jessica Chastain as a portrait painter.
Greyeyes also continued his dance research on the modern form of traditional dancing, Powwow. His journey of exploration was documented in He Who Dreams: Michael on the Powwow Trail for CBC Television by Adrienne Clarkson. He choreographed and performed in Rebecca Belmore's durational performance art work Gone Indian for Toronto's Nuit Blanche.
Greyeyes continues to act and dance regularly. His more recent works include The New World directed by Terrence Malick, Tecumseh's Vision, a PBS documentary/live action drama, and Passchendaele, which opened the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. Triptych (a short film broadcast nationally on Bravo! Television), and
Untitled #1535 is a site-specific dance work he choreographed for Dusk Dances. The Journey (Pimooteewin) is an opera he directed with music by Melissa Hui and libretto by Tomson Highway.
He did the voice of protagonist Tommy Tawodi in the 2006 action game Prey. He played a recurring role on Fear The Walking Dead (2017).[8][9]
In 2010, Greyeyes founded Signal Theatre, a company that explores intercultural and transdisciplinary live performance. As Artistic Director and choreographer, he has overseen the creation of three major works, including From thine eyes (Harbourfront Centre), Nôhkom (The Banff Centre), and A Soldier's Tale (Fleck Dance Theatre), a work examining the aftermath of war upon soldiers and their families. He has said that he "was not interested in staging ethnicity."[10] A Soldier's Tale was co-produced by The National Arts Centre and The Canada Dance Festival and opened the 2014 Canada Dance Festival in Ottawa at the NAC Theatre.[11] Signal Theater has also produced installations and performance art works, such as Winter Home, which premiered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Greyeyes won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards in 2021, for his performance in the zombie film Blood Quantum.[7] He has played the main role of Terry Thomas, CEO of a fictional tribe's casino on the Peacock TV series Rutherford Falls (2021-2022).
In 2021 Greyeyes was signed to a first look deal with Blumhouse Productions.[12] Greyeyes appears as John Rainbird in the 2022 film Firestarter, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name.[13]
In 2023 he participated as one of the panelists in Canada Reads, championing Emily St. John Mandel's novel Station Eleven.[14]
Personal life
Greyeyes is an associate professor of theatre at York University. He is married to Nancy Latoszewski. They have two daughters, Lilia and Eva, born in 2002 and 2004.[1]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Dance Me Outside | Gooch | |
| 1995 | Rude | Spirit Dancer | |
| 1996 | A Nation Is Coming | Ghost Dancer | Short |
| 1998 | Firestorm | Andy | |
| Smoke Signals | Junior Polatkin | ||
| The Minion | Grey Eagle | ||
| A League of Old Men | Red Cloud | ||
| 2000 | Skipped Parts | Hank Elkrunner | |
| 2002 | ZigZag | Dale | |
| Sunshine State | Billy Trucks | ||
| 2004 | The Reawakening | Robert Doctor | |
| 2005 | The New World | Rupwew | |
| 2007 | Cosmic Radio | - | |
| 2008 | Passchendaele | Highway | |
| The Dreaming | Spirit | Short | |
| 2009 | Kissed by Lightning | Jessie Lightning | |
| 2013 | Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian | Allan | |
| 2017 | Woman Walks Ahead | Sitting Bull | |
| 2019 | Blood Quantum | Traylor | |
| Togo | Amituk | ||
| 2021 | Wild Indian | Makwa ("Michael Peterson") | |
| Wildhood | Smokey | ||
| 2022 | Firestarter | John Rainbird | |
| 2023 | The King Tide | Marlon | |
| TBA | 40 Acres | Galen |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Geronimo | Juh | TV movie |
| 1995 | Are You Afraid of the Dark? | The Shaman | Episode: "The Tale of the Manaha" |
| 1996 | Crazy Horse | Crazy Horse | TV movie |
| 1997 | Stolen Women, Captured Hearts | Tokalah | TV movie |
| Promised Land | Rod | Episode: "The Outrage" | |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Walks In The Night | Episode: "Moment of Truth Part 1 & 2" | |
| True Women | Tarantula | Main cast | |
| Rough Riders | Delchaney (Apache) | Episode: "Episode #1.1 & #1.2" | |
| Millennium | Joe Reynard | Episode: "A Single Blade of Grass" | |
| 1998 | The Magnificent Seven | Imala | Episode: "Ghosts of the Confederacy" |
| Big Bear | Wandering Spirit | Episode: "Episode #1.1 & #1.2" | |
| 1999 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Brian Falcon | Episode: "Team Cherokee: Part 1 & 2" |
| 2000 | Harsh Realm | The Brave | Episode: "Cincinnati" |
| Race Against Time | Johnny Black Eagle | TV movie | |
| The Lost Child | Eddie | TV movie | |
| 2001 | Sam's Circus | Chief | TV movie |
| 2001 | Charmed | Bo Lightfeather | Episode: "The Good, the Bad and the Cursed" |
| MythQuest | Strong Bear | Episode: "Red Wolf's Daughter" | |
| 2002 | Body & Soul | Detective Cornstalk | Episode: "Graveyard Shift" |
| Skinwalkers: The Navajo Mysteries | Dr. Stone | Episode: "Skinwalkers" | |
| Skinwalkers | Dr. Stone | TV movie | |
| 2003 | Dreamkeeper | Thunder Spirit | TV movie |
| 2004 | The Jury | Ty Sawyer | Episode: "Lamentation on the Reservation" |
| 2005 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Sonny Brightbill | Episode: "Gone" |
| Numb3rs | Thomas Morris | Episode: "Bones of Contention" | |
| 2007 | Dancing with Spirit | Lead Dancer | Episode: "Triptych" |
| 2009 | American Experience | Tecumseh | Episode: "We Shall Remain Part II: Tecumseh's Vision" |
| 2014 | Klondike | Cheyeho | Recurring cast |
| 2015 | Saints & Strangers | Canonicus | Episode: "Episode #1.1 & #1.2" |
| 2017 | Fear the Walking Dead | Qaletaqa Walker | Recurring cast (season 3) |
| American Gods | Pit Boss | Episode: "Git Gone" | |
| 2019 | True Detective | Brett Woodard | Recurring cast (season 3) |
| V Wars | Jimmy Saint | Main cast | |
| 2020 | I Know This Much Is True | Ralph Drinkwater | Main cast |
| 2020–21 | Home Before Dark | Sam Gillis | Recurring cast (season 1), guest (season 2) |
| 2021 | Star Trek: Discovery | Felix | Episode: "The Examples" |
| 2021–22 | Rutherford Falls | Terry Thomas | Main cast |
| 2022–present | 1923 | Hank | Episode: "Ghost of Zebrina", “One Ocean Closer to Destiny”, “The Rule of Five Hundred”, “Nothing Left to Lose” |
| TBA | The Abandons | TBA | Recurring cast |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Prey | Domasi Tawodi (Tommy)/Hiders #1/Abducted #2/Radio Caller #1 |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Awards | Category | Recipient | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Saturn Awards | Saturn Award for Best Guest Performance in a Television Series | Fear the Walking Dead | Nominated |
References
- ^ a b c Johnson, Falen (19 February 2021). "From ballet dancer to zombie slayer: Cree actor Michael Greyeyes on his prolific career". Unreserved. CBC Radio. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- ^ Critic, Hal Boedeker, Sentinel Television (1996-07-07). "TNT'S 'CRAZY HORSE' IS A DUD OF A TRIBUTE". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Review: A 'Woman Walks Ahead,' and Sitting Bull Stands Up". mobile.nytimes.com.
- ^ "Review". www.rogerebert.com.
- ^ "Jessica Chastain plays the artist who painted Sitting Bull in the inert history lesson 'Woman Walks Ahead'". www.latimes.com.
- ^ ""Woman Walks Ahead" Finds Jessica Chastain and Sitting Bull Lost on the Plains". www.villagevoice.com.
- ^ a b Zach Harper, "'Schitt's Creek' and 'Kim's Convenience' win big at 2021 Canadian Screen Awards". Hello! Canada, May 21, 2021.
- ^ Schilling, Vincent (2017-08-14). "An Extensive Interview With 'Fear The Walking Dead' Star Michael Greyeyes". Indian Country Media Network. Archived from the original on 2018-01-30. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ amc (Director). Fear the Walking Dead: 'Michael Greyeyes on Representation' Comic-Con 2017 Panel. Event occurs at 136 seconds. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ Citron, Paula (2011-09-20). "Michael Greyeyes: 'I'm not interested in staging ethnicity'". The Globe and Mail (Online ed.). Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ Crabb, Michael (2014-02-19). "A Soldier's Tale hybrid approach to a harsh wartime tale". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (2021-08-26). "'Firestarter's Michael Greyeyes Signs First-Look Deal With Blumhouse". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
- ^ Leydon, Joe (29 April 2022). "First Look: Michael Greyeyes in Firestarter". Cowboys & Indians. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ^ "Meet the Canada Reads 2023 contenders". CBC Books, January 25, 2023.
External links
- "Ethnic and Cultural IV: Decolonizing movement: emerging paradigms & reconstruction". Brock University. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- Stewart, Amy (2016-03-08). "Performing Indigeneity: Michael Greyeyes directs interdisciplinary Theatre @ York production of THE BIRDS" (Post secondary institution website). York Media Relations. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- Greyeyes, Michael (2008). "He Who Dreams: Reflections on an Indigenous Life in Film". Theatre Research in Canada. 29 (1). doi:10.3138/tric.29.1.110. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- Michael Greyeyes at IMDb
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