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American Indians Struggle to Find Parts in Hollywood

February 28, 2007 - Hollywood can be a tough town for just about any
aspiring actor. But for American Indians, it's not just tough, it's nearly
impossible.

"Berlin Blues" is a new play which features an all American Indian cast and
crew. They're one of many groups here in Southern California working to
change stereotypes about American Indians in the media.

From "The New World" to "Dances with Wolves," American Indians are most
often portrayed in movies and TV as barbaric and uncivilized.

"The image and perception of American Indians in the world and U.S. has
been destroyed. We're looked upon as savage warriors," Mark Reed, chairman
of American Indians in Film & TV, said.

It's an image American Indians are working hard to correct.

"We are doctors and lawyers and garbage collectors and everything else that
exists in America. But what's missing in TV is the fact that we're not
represented whatsoever. Unless we're in loincloth and feathers and riding a
horse," Sonny Skyhawk, the founder of American Indians in Film & TV, said.

A group called American Indians in Film and TV surveyed the four major TV
networks. They looked at primetime scripted programs from the fall of 2005
to fall of 2006 to see how many American Indians were working in front of
or behind the camera. The results were disturbing.

"Collectively the networks cast 8,000 guest starring roles. There was not
one American Indian playing a contemporary role," Reed said.

Their report card on the networks? Mostly F's.

ABC is taking steps to change that, sponsoring a recent mixer. It's all
about providing access to actors.

"This is a great opportunity for our casting directors to be exposed to
Native American talent," Tim McNeal, VP, Disney Talent Development &
Diversity, said.

"I couldn't turn around and say all these casting directors are the big bad
wolf and they're out to get us, because I don't believe that ... it just
happens that we're overlooked," Michael King, an actor, said.

"We don't have to be in buckskin and playing the period pieces, we are
contemporary people," Princess Lucaj, an actress, writer, and director,
said.

Two new short films "Pow Wow Dreams" and "He Can't be Caught" won a Script
to Screen competition sponsored by the Southern California Indian Center.

Everyone involved is American Indian.

"Because there are a lot of talented Native actors, writers, directors and
producers in Hollywood. They're just not getting opportunities or access to
opportunities," James Lujan, of the Southern California Indian Center,
said.

Opportunity is the first step, activists point out that even those "leather
and feather" roles are often filled by non-Native Americans.

Mexican-born Anthony Quinn often portrayed Native Americans.

Even in "The Outsider," a 1960s biopic of American Indian and Iwo Jima war
hero Ira Hayes, Tony Curtis of Hungarian descent, played the title role.

Last year's "Flags of Our Fathers" told the same story, but this time
movie-makers cast American Indian actor Adam Beach as the reluctant hero.

"Berlin Blues" is being performed at the Autry National Center in the Wells
Fargo Theater. It's located at 4700 Western Heritage Way in Los Angeles.

The show will be performed at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Fridays, and Saturdays
from March 1st through March 24th. The show will be performed at 2 p.m. on
Saturdays and Sundays from March 3rd to March 25th. Please note there is no
2 p.m. performance on Saturday March 24th. For ticket information please
call (323) 667-2000, ext. 354, or contact TicketWeb at 1-866-468-3399 or go
to www.ticketweb.com. Tickets are $25 or $15 for members.

Read the entire report on American Indians in Film and TV

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