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Adam Beach (born November 11, 1972) is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his roles as Victor Joseph in Smoke Signals; Frank Fencepost in Dance Me Outside; Tommy on Walker, Texas Ranger; Kickin' Wing in Joe Dirt; US Marine Corporal Ira Hayes in Flags of Our Fathers; Private Ben Yahzee in Windtalkers; Dr. Charles Eastman (Ohiyesa) in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee; NYPD Detective in ; and Jim Chee in the film adaptations of Skinwalkers, Coyote Waits and A Thief of Time. He starred in the Canadian 2012–2014 series Arctic Air and played Slipknot in the 2016 film Suicide Squad. He also performed as Squanto in Disney's historical drama film . Most recently he has starred in Hostiles (2017) as Black Hawk and the Netflix original film Juanita (2019) as Jess Gardiner and Edward Nappo in Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog.
Adam and his two brothers initially lived with their grandmother; he was with her from age 8 to 12. Five years after their parents' deaths, the three brothers were taken to Winnipeg to live with an aunt and paternal uncle: Agnes and Chris Beach (his father's brother). Adam refers to his Uncle Chris as "Dad".
Beach attended a drama class at Gordon Bell High School. He began performing in local theatre productions and eventually dropped out of school to take a lead role at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People.
In 2002, Windtalkers, starring Beach, was released in theatres; it was about Navajo codetalkers working with the US Marines during World War II. To prepare for this role, Beach spent six months learning the Navajo language. He used this language in his next project, Skinwalkers, based on a novel by Tony Hillerman and directed by Chris Eyre, who had given him his break-out role in Smoke Signals. Between large-scale projects, Beach made small television appearances on such shows as JAG and Third Watch. Also, in 2003, he returned to the character that he first portrayed in Skinwalkers in the movie Coyote Waits, also based on a Hillerman novel. He also made a guest appearance in the hit show The Dead Zone as a Native shaman (in the episode "Shaman").
In 2006, Beach portrayed Ira Hayes in Clint Eastwood's feature film Flags of Our Fathers. During the filming of this movie, both Beach's grandmother and his best friend died. Beach commented, "And if you add those up, there's a lot of emotion. When you're doing a movie, when you let go emotionally, there's nothing to grab onto," he said about the deaths. "Interview: Adam Beach" MovieHole.net (accessed March 14, 2007) About playing the part, Beach said, "For me, playing Ira was a meaningful relationship. I would call it – trying to find out how he was, or how he thought and felt". The movie won two Academy Award nominations and Beach was nominated for multiple Best Supporting Actor honours.
In 2006, Beach ran as a candidate to lead his Lake Manitoba First Nation; he was not successful but said he will try again. Adam Beach enjoying his fast Hollywood ride , CTV.ca, February 12, 2007 In 2007, Beach starred in HBO Films' adaptation of Dee Brown's history, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. In the film, Beach portrays Charles Eastman (Dakota language name Ohiyesa), a doctor, Sioux advocate and author. He explores and expresses the changing understanding of Aboriginal-US relations during the period leading up to the Wounded Knee Massacre.
In addition to starring in the Canadian television series Moose TV, Beach is executive-producing and starring in the movie Older Than America. The independent feature is filmed in Cloquet, Minnesota, mostly on the Fond du Lac Ojibwe reservation. He joined the cast of as Detective Chester Lake for the show's ninth season after guest-starring in season eight. Breaking News – Film Stars Adam Beach and Kal Penn Guest Star on NBC's 'LAW & ORDER: SVU', Tuesday, January 16, (10 P.M. ET/PT) | TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 13, 2008. In April 2008, TV Guide announced that he would not return for the show's tenth season. Ausiello Scoop: Mystery Surrounding Dourdan and Neal's Exits Deepens – Ausiello Report | TVGuide.com . Retrieved May 13, 2008. Out of Order: Adam Beach Bids SVU Adieu – Today's News: Our Take | TVGuide.com . Retrieved May 13, 2008. He later stated he grew disillusioned with the strictly procedural nature of the show and opted to leave after the finish of the ninth season.
Starting in 2009, Beach played a supporting role on the HBO series Big Love as a manager in an Indian casino with Bill Henrickson (Bill Paxton). On February 10, 2010, it was announced that Beach will portray Tommy Prince, the Canadian war hero, in an upcoming movie about his life. According to Bay Film Studios, the movie will be a "true account of Canada's most highly decorated First Nations soldier." Beach said he is honoured to portray Prince, calling him a positive role model for all First Nations. Adam Beach to star as Sgt. Tommy Prince in movie about the hero , Digital Journal, February 11, 2010 In 2011, he starred in Cowboys & Aliens, an American science fiction Western film directed by Jon Favreau and starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde. The film is based on the 2006 graphic novel of the same name created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg. Also in 2011, Beach returned to Canada to star in the TV series Arctic Air, which premiered on January 12, 2012. In 2015, Beach appeared on several episodes of Backstrom as Sheriff Jesse Rocha. In 2017, he played Black Hawk in Hostiles, starring Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike and Wes Studi.
In 2022 Beach was selected as host of the Canadian chainsaw carving competition show A Cut Above.
| 1994 | ||||
| 2001 | ||||
| 2002 | ||||
| 2003 | ||||
| Uncredited | ||||
| 2008 | Voice role | |||
| 2010 | ||||
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| 2011 | ||||
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| 2013 | ||||
| 2015 | Cameo | |||
| 2017 | ||||
| 2020 | ||||
| 2021 | ||||
| Pre-production | ||||
| 2023 | Hey, Viktor! | Adam | ||
| 2024 | The Birds Who Fear Death | Adam | ||
| Pre-production | ||||
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| Pre-production |
| Television film | ||||
| Television film | ||||
| 4 episodes | ||||
| 1995 | Episode: "On Sacred Ground" | |||
| Episode: "My Indian Summer" | ||||
| 1996 | Episode: "Medicine" | |||
| Episode: "Written in Dust" | ||||
| Ojibwa | ||||
| Episode: "Medicine Man" | ||||
| Episode: "What Remains" | ||||
| 2002 | Television film | |||
| Episode: "Valentine's Day in Jail" | ||||
| Episode: "Shaman" | ||||
| 2003 | Television film | |||
| Episode: "Unhappy Holidays" | ||||
| 2 episodes | ||||
| 2004 | Navajo people | Television film | ||
| Episode: "Whole New Ball Game" | ||||
| Television film | ||||
| 8 episodes | ||||
| Television film | ||||
| Main role, 21 episodes | ||||
| 3 episodes | ||||
| Voice role | ||||
| 2010 | 9 episodes | |||
| Episode: "Ho'apono" | ||||
| 3 episodes | ||||
| Main role, 35 episodes | ||||
| Episode: "The Game" | ||||
| 3 episodes | ||||
| Television film | ||||
| 2019 | Episode: "National Parks" | |||
| Episode: "Don't Go in the Woods" | ||||
| 7 episodes | ||||
| Season 4 episode 4: "Not the Same" | ||||
| Season 1 episode 7: "Missing While Indigenous" | ||||
| TBA | Government Cheese | Main cast |
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