Tatanka Wanbli Sapa Xila Sabe Means (born February 19, 1985) is a Native American activist, actor, boxer, comedian, and entrepreneur of
Oglala Lakota
The Oglala (pronounced , meaning "to scatter one's own" in Lakota language) are one of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people who, along with the Dakota people, Dakota, make up the Sioux, Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Seven Council Fires). A majority ...
,
Omaha
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest city ...
,
Yankton Dakota and
Diné descent.
He is best known for his roles in ''
Saints & Strangers'' and ''
Tiger Eyes
''Tiger Eyes'' is a young adult novel written by Judy Blume in 1981 about a 15-year-old girl attempting to cope with the unexpected death of her father. In 2012, the novel was adapted into a film of the same name, directed by Judy's son, Lawren ...
''.
Acting career
Means' first screen role was in 2004 playing lead stunt double in the film ''
Black Cloud
''Black Cloud'' is a 2004 American drama film which was directed and written by Rick Schroder and starred Eddie Spears, Russel Means, Julia Jones, Schroder and Tim McGraw, in his film acting debut.
Plot
Black Cloud, a young Navajo man, must take ...
'',
which was shot in the same gym where he had previously trained as a boxer.
He has since had major roles in several films and TV series. In the miniseries ''
Into the West'' (2005) he played
Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse ( lkt, Tȟašúŋke Witkó, italic=no, , ; 1840 – September 5, 1877) was a Lakota war leader of the Oglala band in the 19th century. He took up arms against the United States federal government to fight against encroachment by wh ...
.
In ''
More Than Frybread'' (2012), he played Buddy Begay, a "hip-hop Navajo fry-bread rock star" who sells fry-bread from a truck on the reservation.
A reviewer who described it as the "showiest part" in the film said, "Means .. overdoes it a little ... but that's part of Buddy's personality."
In ''Tiger Eyes'' (2012), based on the novel by
Judy Blume, he played Wolf Ortiz,
a Native American boy who shows the main character his ancestral lands and introduces her to his culture.
Critics have applauded Means' casting and performance in ''Tiger Eyes''. One described him as "quietly affecting";
another said that he "could have come off as a holy-native cliche, but instead seems entirely real";
and another wrote that he was "superbly cast ...
itha voice that can quickly disarm and charm a newcomer ... it's clear that we're seeing something almost never seen in a contemporary feature film, which is an utterly authentic representation of a New Mexican." Another review said he is "New Mexican down to his body language and the expression in his eyes .. a thrill to behold on screen."
Other major roles include
Hobbamock Hobbamock was a Pokanoket '' pniese'' who came to live with the Plymouth Colony settlers during the first year of their settlement in North America in 1620. His name was variously spelled in 17th century documents and today is generally simplified ...
, an elite
Pokanoket warrior, in ''Saints & Strangers'' (2015),
Delvin in ''
Neither Wolf Nor Dog'' (2016),
and Charges the Enemy in ''
The Son''.
Means has also appeared in ''
The Burrowers
''The Burrowers'' is a 2008 Western horror film written and directed by J. T. Petty. The film is based on an original short film, ''Blood Red Earth'' directed by Petty.
Plot
The year is 1879, and beyond the fringes of civilization a handful ...
'' (2008) as 'Tall Ute',
''
Sedona'' (2011) as Chuck,
''
The Host'' (2013), ''
Banshee'' (2014) as 'Hoyt Rivers',
''
A Million Ways to Die in the West
''A Million Ways to Die in the West'' is a 2014 American Western dark comedy film directed by Seth MacFarlane and written by MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild. The film features an ensemble cast including MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Am ...
'' (2014),
''
The Night Shift'' (2014-2015),
''
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials'' (2015),
and ''
Graves'' (2016).
In 2019, he appears in ''Once Upon a River'' as Bernard Crane, in ''Montford: The Chickasaw Rancher'' as Rising Wolf, and in ''The Dust Monologues'' as The Jackrabbit.
Also in 2019, he is cast in a film version of
Alex Kershaw's book ''The Liberator'', as Private Thomas Otaktay, a Lakota soldier fighting with the
157th Field Artillery Regiment
The 157th Field Artillery Regiment (First Colorado) is a United States Army Regimental System field artillery parent regiment of the United States Army National Guard, represented in the Colorado Army National Guard by the 3rd Battalion, 157th F ...
during
World War II.
Means takes pride in portraying Native men as modern, complex people rather than the racist or stereotypical characters sometimes found in Hollywood films.
Acting awards
For his role as Wolf in ''Tiger Eyes'', Means received the award of Best Supporting Actor in the
American Indian Film Festival
The American Indian Film Festival is an annual non-profit film festival in San Francisco, California, United States. It is the world's oldest venue dedicated solely to Native American/First Nations films and prepared the way for the 1979 formati ...
, Best Actor in a Motion Picture at the
Red Nation Film Festival, and Tamalewood Award at the
Santa Fe Independent Film Festival.
He has also won Best Actor at the
Nevada Film Festival
The Nevada International Film Festival (NIFF) is an international film festival granting film awards to independent films in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. In 2011, '' Life! Camera Action...'' directed by Rohit Gupta received the Platinum R ...
for his role as Jim Sundell in ''Derby Kings'' (2012) and Best Male Actor at the Dreamspeakers Film Festival,
Edmonton, Alberta, for the same film.
Comedy career
As a comedian, Means performs with the group 49 Laughs Comedy.
Other members include Pax Harvey,
James Junes,
Ernie Tsosie ii,
and Adrianne Chalepah.
His standup routines have strong ties back to his Native heritage.
In one popular standup, he discusses how Native people tease each other ruthlessly and always solve any awkwardness with the phrase “Aaaayyyyeeee". In another, as he tries to explain email, his grandfather is horrified that he would throw spam into the trash.
Entrepreneur
Means was awarded the American Indian Business Leaders (AIBL) Entrepreneur of the year award in 2011. He created an original clothing line called “Tatanka Clothing”,
which is intended to create cultural awareness for Native people and Native business people.
In 2006, he appeared in a 21st Century Skins Native American Men's Calendar,
which he also helped market.
Personal life
Tatanka Means is one of ten children of activist
Russell Means (
Oglala Lakota
The Oglala (pronounced , meaning "to scatter one's own" in Lakota language) are one of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people who, along with the Dakota people, Dakota, make up the Sioux, Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Seven Council Fires). A majority ...
) and his wife. His father as a young man was one of the leaders of the
American Indian Movement in 1970 and later, which conducted large protests to raise awareness and educate mainstream Americans about Native American issues, civil rights issues, and demand for enforcement of treaties and gains in sovereignty by federally recognized tribes.
The elder Means later performed as an actor. Russell Means appeared in ''Tiger Eyes'', playing the terminally ill screen father of Tatanka's character.
He died soon after filming ended.
Tatanka Means carried his father's urn during the funeral.
Means' full Lakota name, ''Tatanka Wanbli Sapa Xila Sabe'', means Black Buffalo Eagle.
Originally growing up with his mother in
Chinle, Arizona
Chinle ( nv, ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Apache County, Arizona, United States. The name in Navajo means "flowing out" and is a reference to the location where the water flows out of the Canyon de Chelly. The population was 4,518 at ...
, on the
Navajo Nation,
Means now lives with his own family in
Rio Rancho, New Mexico.
His wife Christine Means is a yoga instructor. The couple has one daughter. Means is an advocate for sobriety and not using alcohol or drugs.
Filmography
Film
Television
Video games
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Means, Tatanka
1985 births
Living people
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
American male film actors
American male television actors
American male voice actors
Native American male actors
Native American actors
People from Apache County, Arizona
Actors from Arizona
Native American people from Arizona