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American Indians Struggle to Find Parts in Hollywood

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

February 28, 2007 (KABC) -- 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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