50 Most Famous Native American Actors

American actor Will Sampson, whose birth name was William Sampson Jr., was also a talented painter and rodeo performer. Will started his acting career in which he made a portrayal in the movie “Crazy Mama,” and another television movie “Relentless.” Moreover, William, a Creek Nation Native American actor, received his “big break” when he costarred with Jack Nicholson in the iconic role of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in 1975.

The American actor Russell Means served as the American Indian Movement’s (AIM) first national director, a position that made him rise to prominence in this position during the 1973 standoff with the American authorities at Wounded Knee. Moreover, Russell also made appearances in several movies, such as “Natural Born Killers,” which was released in 1994, “The Last of the Mohicans” in 1992, and others.

Listed in "The Marquis Who's Who in America' several years and for several fields. Native American Jim Thorpe was a professional football and baseball player who later pursued an acting career. In his sports career, he won the decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Olympics, but he was disqualified for breaking the amateur eligibility requirements and had his gold medals taken away.

An athlete and actor of American and Canadian descent, Jay Silverheels is best known for his work as Tonto in the television series “The Lone Ranger,” which is what people most often recognize him for. Given that Silverheels was raised in a Native American family, Tonto, who was also a Native American, was portrayed to perfection by him.

Born Espera Oscar De Corti, the Italian-American actor Iron Eyes Cody is well-known for playing Native Americans in Hollywood feature films, most notably in Bob Hope’s 1948 film “The Paleface.” In one of the most well-known TV public service ads in the country, “Keep America Beautiful,” he also played a Native American.

Espera Oscar De Corti, professionally known by his stage name “Iron Eyes Code,” was born in Kaplan, Louisiana, United States.

Canadian Indigenous actor Graham Greene is famously known for his portrayal in the movies, “Dances with Wolves” which was released In 1990, “The Green Mile” in 1999, and the movie “Wind River” in 2017. In 2005, the actor played James Clearwater on the television program “Numb3rs,” and in 2009, Graham played Harry Clearwater in the popular film series “Twilight: New Moon.”

Floyd “Red Crow” Westerman is a Dakota Sioux Indian who works as an actor, singer, composer, and Native American rights activist. Floyd debuted on the big screen in “Renegades” in 1989 but is most known for his role as Ten Bear, an elder, and leader, in “Dances with Wolves” in 1990. The artist’s works, such as “Custer Died For Your Sins” and “BIA Blues,” have helped the American Indian Movement’s message spread throughout the world.

Chief Dan George is one of those versatile actors in Hollywood; other than his acting career, he is also an author and musician. At the age of 65, the actor began his film career. Based on his portrayal in the series and his experience portraying the same role in “Smith! In Little Big Man” in 1969, a Disney version of one of the series’ episodes based on “Breaking Smith’s Quarterhorse,” a novella by Paul St. Pierre, and starring Glenn Ford, he was chosen to portray “Old Lodge Skins” in 1970.

The native American artist Rodney A. Grant, whose full name is Rodney Arnold Grant, is famously known for “Wind In His Hair” in the “Dances with Wolves” movie from 1990. Over time, Rodney has made appearances on television as well as in excellent film movies. One, in particular, is the 1997 CBS film “Stolen Women, Captured Hearts,” starring Michael Greyeyes and Janine Turner.

Victor Daniels is an American actor better known by his stage name Chief Thundercloud. He is very well-known for his character of devoted sidekick “Tonto” in the 1938 television series “The Lone Ranger,” and its 1959 sequel, “The Lone Ranger Rides Again,” is undoubtedly Chief Thundercloud’s most well-known creation. The actor was given the stage name “Chief Thundercloud” by Hollywood in 1935, and at that time, he was taking on acting parts, many of which went unnoticed.

Native American artist Saginaw Grant, also known by his birth name Morgan Saginaw Grant, whose known for playing roles in the movie “The World’s Fastest Indian,” “The Lone Ranger,” “Breaking Bad,” and “Community.” Saginaw is also a musician.

Daniel Simmons, a famous Native American actor, better known by his stage name Chief Yowlachie, was a member of the Yakama tribe in the state of Washington. The Native American actor is most known for his work in a number of films in minor roles and supporting roles. Among his most prominent role is that of Two Jaw Quo, Nadine Groot’s cook, in the legendary 1948 “Western Red River.”

Canadian actor and director Ryan Cunningham is best known for his portrayal in the movie “Dracula,” “Downtown” in 2003, and “The River You Step In,” which was released on the year 2019. He played himself in a documentary called “Chasing Lear,” one of his creations. Some of his works are “Black Stone,” “Playing the Murder,” “Mixed Blessings,” and “Blue Murder.”

Native American actor Forrest Goodluck makes his feature film debut alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Domnhall Gleeson, Tom Hardy, and Will Poulter in Alejandro González Iárritu’s epic drama “The Revenant,” which airs on FOX. Forrest is a gifted young filmmaker who has won awards for his projects at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, the Taos Shortz Film Festival, the LA Skins Festival, and the Taos Shortz Film Festival.

Marquis Who's Who America - 2023 Inductee for his scientific and technical achievements towards the betterment of man in his role as a scientist/engineer for the Department of Defense. 2018 Emmy Nominee + Winner. Actor. Director. Producer. Dr. Alex K. Rojas (Alex Kruz, SAG-AFTRA name) His ancestry is of primarily of Quechua, Nahua, and Mayan indigenous roots. Was adopted into the Mescalero Apache Tribe by Native American Martial Arts Hall of Famer Robert Redfeather after completing his instructor certification for military and law enforcement in manhunting, tracking, and hand-to-hand combat. Originally a consultant on several tv shows on military and intelligence tactics was thrown into the scenes and started acting in the scenes with the actors to make it believable. Later on played several bad boyfriends on TV and film due to his dark edge - "I'd Kill for You", "The Garden Left Behind", "Tom in America", and several other TV series.
His theatrical work includes playing the Zorro character for Zorro Productions (owners of the brand) for live performances in Los Angeles involving sword and horsemanship after Antonio Banderas left the role and playing a Native American construction worker opposite Bruce Willis in "God Steeling" for theatrical productions by Creative Artist Agency before he retired. Currently working on his new series "The Multidimensionals" 2025.

Native American actor Noah Watts is famously known for his portrayal role in “Ringer” in 2011, “Assassin’s Creed III” in 2012, and “Assassin’s Creed III: The Tyranny of King Washington,” which was released in just two years after a third movie was released 2012. In addition to providing the motion and visual representation for “Ratonhnhaké:ton,” Native American actor Noah Watts also performed the voiceover.

Native American Larry Sellers, other than his acting career, the actor is also a stuntman. Larry rose to fame in 1993 for his recurring role as Cloud Dancing in the hit CBS television series “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Additionally, he served as the show’s technical advisor, particularly with regard to language matters.

Native American descent Rudy Youngblood is one of the versatile actors in the entertainment industry. Rudy isn’t only just an actor, but he is also a musician, dancer, and artist. Rudy began his acting career in Peter Buffett’s “Spirit: The Seventh Fire.” The most major movie of his career, “Apocalypto,” which Mel Gibson directed the year after, features him as Jaguar Paw.

The native American actor belongs to and is part of the Comanche, Cree, and Yaqui tribes. His birthplace was in Belton, Texas, USA. His father was absent from his childhood; thus, the actor’s mother raised him and his two younger sisters by herself.

Rudy saw a family member die from issues associated with AIDS and felt the need to “give back and make a difference.” One of the most well-known AIDS activists in the Native American community, the actor Rudy, has drawn attention to the high HIV infection rate among Native Americans by participating in AIDS rallies, speaking in front of HIV-positive children in hospitals, and more.