A who’s who of Aboriginal film talent – including Dallas Goldtooth (reservation dog, echo), Amber Thunder (prey, Legion), Westie (hot, the last of the mohawks) and Graham Greene (dances with wolves, wind river) — will star in bravea new comedy from writer-director Steven Paul Judd (echo, dark wind), hollywood reporter Already learned.
The film is currently in pre-production and will begin principal photography next summer on the Choctaw Nation reservation in southeastern Oklahoma. It will be the first feature film shot on Choctaw land. The program was developed in close collaboration with the Choctaw Nation, the third largest Native American tribe in the United States.
brave It tells the story of Uncle Jack (Gold Teeth), a 15-year Army veteran with substance abuse issues who now works in an entertainment role at the local Native Casino. At his estranged brother’s funeral, Jack meets his young niece Gillian, now an orphan. Gillian was dying of liver cancer and her one wish was to find a suitable home for her dog Carl. She sees Uncle Jack as a potential caregiver, even though Jack can barely care for himself. A liver transplant would have saved Gillian’s life, and Jack was a match, but his years of alcoholism made him unsuitable.
“It’s a comedy,” said John Day, one of the film’s producers and co-writer with Judd and Ken Henderson. “It doesn’t end the way you think it will.”
Graham Greene will play Pops, Jack’s disgruntled father. Studi and Midthunder will play Ernie and Charlie, mismatched partners on the local police force. The role of Jillian is currently being cast.
“Then I got amber [her star turn in the Emmy-nominated Hulu film] preyfollowed by Dallas reservation dogit’s unbelievable,” Judd said. “And Wes Studi and Graham Greene, I grew up watching them on the screen.”
“Brave” writer-director Steven Paul Judd.
Greer Inez
Producers Day and Zachary Starnes of Chaotic Neutral Pictures gave the project to director and screenwriter Judd, who is of Choctaw and Kiowa descent, and Judd adapted the project to “more truly reflect my Growing up and my own life experiences” as an Aboriginal person. Judd previously served as writer and director of the AMC series dark wind and served as a screenwriter for the Marvel miniseries echo.
“It was important to me that this story had a real sense of authenticity to the Choctaw Reservation and the Choctaw community,” he said. “This story is universal though.”
brave It will be the first film to be shot on Choctaw land, and the tribe has been closely involved in the development and pre-production of the $7 million feature.
“This film represents a historic milestone for our tribe. It is a powerful step forward in our efforts to defend our sovereignty and ensure our own people tell our stories authentically. It also provides a platform for the Choctaw people to Giving them a platform to see themselves represented on screen fosters their pride and connection to their heritage,” said Chief Gary Patton of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. “This production will also bring economic opportunities to communities in southeastern Oklahoma, support local businesses and showcase the beauty of our land.”
“It’s very important to me that this program also provides training opportunities for local kids to get hands-on experience in filmmaking,” Judd said. “I know when I grow up and I don’t know how to get into this industry, I’m going to fight my ass off to make a movie like this.”
“The Brave” movie poster.
Chaotic Neutral Pictures
Jinya is best known for his starring performances reservation dogwhere he also serves as a writer. He recently appeared in the Marvel series echo and performed in “Peacock Comedy” Rutherford FallsNetflix movies Rezbauer and Amazon Prime’s fall out. He is the co-founder of the Native American sketch comedy group The 1491s and a well-known environmental activist. Gold Teeth is represented by Mosaic and Hirsch Wallerstein.
Midthunder won a Saturn Award for Breakthrough Performance for his performance in Dan Trachtenberg’s film preymost recently co-starred in the Paramount action comedy Novocaine Opposite Jack Quiid and filming A24 work Starring opposite Ayo Edbeli and John Malkovich. she also did hollywood reporterThe 2023 “Next Generation of Butt-Kicking Action Movie Stars” List. Other film credits include Netflix’s ice road Starring opposite Liam Neeson and Laurence Fishburne and independent films wheel Directed by director Steve Pink. On television, Midthunder is a series regular on Noah Hawley’s hit Marvel/FX series Legion. She is repped by CAA, Corner Booth Entertainment, Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Tratner Auerbach Hynick Jaime LeVine Sample and Klein, 2 p.m. sharp.
Green was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Kicking Bird in the Kevin Costner film dances with wolves and appeared in such green mile, wind river and ivory king. His many television credits include the exciting reservation dog, echo and HBO’s the last of us. He is represented by Greene Talent, Inc.
Studi has had a career spanning several decades, having performed in the following Oscar-winning films the last of the mohawks, Geronimo: An American Legend and new worldalso hot, mysterious man and Avatar. In 2019, he received an Honorary Academy Award, becoming the first Native American to win an Oscar. He is repped by Domain Talent and Michael Black Management.
Judd is repped by WME and Ronin Entertainment.
