Actors and Ancestors

Meegwun Fairbrother (Ojibwe) plays William Mitchell on Netflix's remake of Little House on the Prairie (out now!). He shares about growing up on the land, learning resilience, mentoring young people, and the one time he had to make his own costume as a struggling actor starting out in the industry. Meegwun tells JD how he decides what kind of Indigenous roles he will go up for, how hard it is not being called back again for roles you loved, and celebrating each other's wins when they do happen — the right role will come to you when the time is right!TRANSCRIPT Available on the Actors and Ancestors website.CREDITSActors & Ancestors is created, produced, and hosted by Joel D. Montgrand.Editing and production support from Daniella Barreto.Thank you to the Indigenous Screen Office for generously supporting this show!Episode photo of Meegwun by Kevin McIntyreMoral support from Awas the pod-cat.Learn more at www.actorsandancestors.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michelle Thrush (Cree) tells JD about waiting for aliens to sweep her off to space and the power of Indigenous-led sets when handling stories of unthinkable trauma. She recounts her transformative time at the first school run by and for Indigenous people in Calgary, being mentored by the legendary actor, Gordon Tootoosis, and, most recently, her first ever lead role in a film! Michelle shares her tips for anyone getting started in the biz and what to be prepared for (with a bit of clowning around!).CREDITSActors & Ancestors is created, produced, and hosted by Joel D. Montgrand. Audio editing and production support from Daniella Barreto.Moral support from Awas the pod-cat.Episode photo of Michelle by Nadya Kwandibens Redworks Studio Thank you to the Indigenous Screen Office for generously supporting this show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here's an interview with JD from a different show you might like! "Cows and Plows and Rescue Ranger Fumbles (ft. JD Montgrand)" -- Joel (JD) Montgrand, host and creator of the "Actors and Ancestors" podcast, joins Canardian to discuss the town of La Ronge, its kaiju mosquitos, the mysterious drug cartel queen of Chicken Delight, winter survival 101, and so much more!If you loved this episode, there's a lot more Canardian where that came from. Check out the show and give them a follow! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

JD meets up with Gary Farmer (Cayuga from the Six Nations of the Grand River) for a conversation about his fifty years in performance, blazing a trail for Indigenous actors to come, knowing your language and being known for "cheeky" humour. Check out Gary's band, Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers: "Cadillacs Don't Care" (From the album "Fool For Love", 2024 Gonzo Drive Records) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rainbow Dickerson is a Rappahannock-Thai actor and producer based in LA. She and Joel discuss what it’s like growing up in many places with a yearning for home, how specific on screen representation can be, and how to define success for yourself when it feels like other people at your level are more successful in the industry. Rainbow is an award-winning actor who stars in the new short film, The River. Fun fact: She and Joel are twice on-screen spouses in Avatar: The Last Airbender and Beans! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.