Adam Beach
Adam Beach
Adam Beachis a Canadian First Nations actor. He is best known for his roles as Victor in Smoke Signals, Tommy in Walker, Texas Ranger, Kickin' Wing in Joe Dirt, U.S. Marine Corporal Ira Hayes in Flags of Our Fathers, Private Ben Yahzee in Windtalkers, Dr. Charles Eastmanin Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, Chester Lake in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Officer Jim Chee in the film adaptations of Skinwalkers, Coyote Waits, and A Thief of Time. He...
NationalityCanadian
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth11 November 1972
CountryCanada
advisor cousin familiar growing history indian ira native natives veterans
I have a cousin who is a spiritual advisor for Native veterans in Canada, so I'm very familiar with the history of Natives in the military. And growing up as an American Indian myself, the story of Ira Hayes is one that is often told.
feeling grew growing held kept lost opportunity reflecting wish
With 'Smoke Signals,' the character was so much like me growing up. I lost my parents, and I wish I'd had an opportunity to find out where they were. So I was reflecting on how I grew up, that feeling of abandonment. That whole film was a reality that I always held back and kept to myself.
mother hurt growing-up
Well to me growing, up I've had my own psychological war with my parents dying at such a young age. My mother was killed by a drunk driver, then two months later my father drowned. He was out with his friends drinking and on medication for depression, and he didn't come out of the water alive. Growing up with sexual abuse and having to be in gangs and dealing with my own trauma; finding the cultural identity when I was 16, and learning those traditional ways saved me from hurting myself.
ball game great happen hit knowing playing stop trying
We went into this game knowing that Scott's a great player. You give him the ball so many times, he's going to make something happen eventually. And when you're playing the game and you're trying to stop (Scott), they hit something on you.
attitude chance continued great hard positive result seniors thinking though tonight work
Even though we haven't done as well as thought as we were going to do, our seniors have had a great attitude and continued to work hard and make everyone around them better. They've had every chance in the world to get down, but they keep thinking positive and working hard, and tonight was a result of all that work, and I couldn't be more proud.
allowing perspective trying
What's nice about 'Skinwalkers' is it's allowing an audience to see a different Indian perspective... I think, for myself, I'm trying to put the Indian perspective in a different dimension.
believed best feature moves next offered people
I always believed in if you give your best, people will see it, and it moves to the next level. I got my first movie, and I gave it my best. Before I was done with that movie, I was offered my first feature film.
call people work
When I was growing up, my white friends would call me: 'Hey, Chief!' Even when I go to work now, people call me 'Chief.'
When I initially started acting, all I wanted to do was to be in one movie. That's it. That was my goal.
people spoke success
I think with 'Skinwalkers,' the success of it spoke for itself. Meaning a lot of people wanted to see something new on television.
lifted mechanics plane
I learned the mechanics of how to fly a plane, but I never lifted a plane off the ground.
I feel I will always have that spirit bear with me, so I will always feel protected.
beating class couple decided drama enjoyed fool high knack left stayed together year
I was in high school. A couple of my friends and I decided we had to be in a class together where we could fool around, and drama was it because we'd do improvs, beating each other up. They left a year later, and I stayed in and got a knack for it, and enjoyed the whole process.
grew imaginary instinct understood
I never understood the realism of an imaginary circumstance. While I was doing 'Smoke Signals,' I relied on my instinct and what I grew up with. I had this energy, but it was a one-dimensional thing.