Wes Studi Movies and Career Information

Wesley "Wes" Studi (born December 17, 1947) is an American Cherokee actor, who has earned notability for his portrayals of Native Americans in film. He has appeared in well-received Academy Award-winning films, such as Kevin Costner's Dances with Wolves, Michael Mann's The Last of the Mohicans, the award-winning Geronimo: An American Legend and Academy Award-nominated The New World (2005). He most recently portrayed General Linus Abner (an analogue to the biblical Abner) in the NBC series Kings, and Eytukan in James Cameron's box office blockbuster Avatar. Studi was born Wesley Studie in Nofire Hollow, Oklahoma, the son of Maggie, a housekeeper, and Andy Studie, a ranch hand. Studi was schooled at Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in Northern Oklahoma. Until he attended grade school, he spoke only Cherokee. In 1967, he was drafted into the Army and served 18 months in Vietnam. After his discharge, Studi studied at Tulsa Junior College. Studi became an actor, best known for roles as both brave and ruthless Indians, such as the Pawnee warrior in Dances with Wolves, and Magua in The Last of the Mohicans (1992). A year later, he was cast with Eric Schweig for TNT's film The Broken