Wes Studi
Acting • Born 1947-12-17
Biography
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 the Academy Award-nominated film The New World (2005). He 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.
Filmography
104 credits
Heat
Movie • 1995
Casals
Three Priests
Movie • 2008
Ben
Bonnie
Movie • 2022
Self
The New World
Movie • 2005
Opechancanough
Street Fighter
Movie • 1994
Sagat
Making The Last of the Mohicans
Movie • 2010
Self
Deep Rising
Movie • 1998
Hanover
The Last of the Mohicans
Movie • 1992
Magua
Ronnie BoDean
Movie • 2015
Ronnie BoDean
Mystery Men
Movie • 1999
Sphinx
Geronimo: An American Legend
Movie • 1993
Geronimo
Behind the Lines
Movie
Self
Undisputed
Movie • 2002
Mingo Pace
Acting Like Nothing is Wrong
Movie • 2022
Self
A Love Song
Movie • 2022
Lito
Miracle at Sage Creek
Movie • 2005
Chief Thomas
Older Than America
Movie • 2008
Richard Two Rivers
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western
Movie • 1997
Self
Avatar
Movie • 2009
Eytukan
Mending the Line
Movie • 2023
Harrison
The Lone Ranger
Movie • 2003
Kulakinah
The Roof
Movie • 2023
Grandpa / Nick
Coyote Waits
Movie • 2003
Joe Leaphorn
Skinwalkers
Movie • 2002
Lt. Joe Leaphorn
El Camino
Movie • 2008
Dave
A Thief Of Time
Movie • 2004
Joe Leaphorn
Wind River
Movie • 2000
Pocatello
Longarm
Movie • 1988
The Ute
Battledogs
Movie • 2013
Captain Falcos
A Million Ways to Die in the West
Movie • 2014
Cochise
Planes: Fire & Rescue
Movie • 2014
Windlifter
Terra Infirma
Movie
Grey Owl
Call of the Wild
Movie • 2009
Hatcher
The Broken Chain
Movie • 1993
Seth / Chief / Speaker for the Tribes
Pie Lady of Pie Town
Movie • 2014
Narrator (voice)
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
Movie • 2007
Jack Wilson
Edge of America
Movie • 2003
Cuch
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
Movie • 2007
Wovoka
Crazy Horse
Movie • 1996
Red Cloud
Dances with Wolves
Movie • 1990
Toughest Pawnee
Road to Redemption
Movie • 2001
Frank Lightfoot
Road to Paloma
Movie • 2014
Numay
The Killing Jar
Movie • 1997
Cameron
Sugar
Movie • 2013
Bishop
The Condemned 2
Movie • 2015
Cyrus
Christmas in the Clouds
Movie • 2001
Bingo Caller
The Midway Point
Movie • 2024
Mr. Williams
Powwow Highway
Movie • 1989
Buff
The Only Good Indian
Movie • 2009
Sam
The Undying
Movie • 2009
Lt. Frank Wascoe
Soundman
Movie • 1999
Terry Leonard
Destination: Planet Negro!
Movie • 2013
Chief Bobby
Animal
Movie • 2005
Creeper
Lone Justice: Showdown at Plum Creek
Movie • 1996
The Trail Of Tears: Cherokee Legacy
Movie • 2006
Himself
Hostiles
Movie • 2017
Chief Yellow Hawk
Ice Planet
Movie • 2001
Commander Jonah Trager
A Dog's Way Home
Movie • 2019
Captain Mica
Superfire
Movie • 2002
Joe Nighttrail
Seraphim Falls
Movie • 2007
Charon
The Dome of Heaven
Movie • 2011
DeWayne Moses
Wolf Ridge
Movie • 2007
Reel Injun
Movie • 2010
Self
Badland
Movie • 2019
Harlan Red
Being Flynn
Movie • 2012
Captain
A Good Day to Die
Movie • 2010
Self - Actor; Cherokee
Soul
Movie • 2020
Counselor Jerry (voice)
Canyon of the Dead
Movie
Tsali
Cosmic Radio
Movie • 2007
Sherriff Mike Nighthorse
Candles
Movie
The Doors
Movie • 1991
Indian in Desert
Brave
Movie
Ernie
Timber Lands
Movie
Russ
The Pipeline
Movie
Samuel Horse
Exhale
Movie
George
Indian America: A Gift from the Past
Movie • 1994
Self - Narrator (voice)
The Great Cherokee Grandmother
Movie • 2025
21 and a Wake-Up
Movie • 2009
Lone Justice 2
Movie • 1995
One Horse
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Movie • 2025
E'ytukan
Hell on Wheels
TV • 2011
Chief Many Horses
UC: Undercover
TV • 2001
Into the West
TV • 2005
Black Kettle
Promised Land
TV • 1996
Comanche Moon
TV • 2008
Buffalo Hump
The Directors
TV • 1999
Self
Streets of Laredo
TV • 1995
Famous Shoes
Ned Blessing
TV • 1993
Reservation Dogs
TV • 2021
Bucky
Miracle Workers
TV • 2019
Chief Sleeping Bear
American Veteran
TV • 2021
Self - Host
The Mentalist
TV • 2008
Joeseph Silverwing
Penny Dreadful
TV • 2014
Kaetenay
The Flash
TV • 1990
Roller
American Experience
TV • 1988
Major Ridge
Highlander: The Series
TV • 1992
Sheriff Benson
Grey's Anatomy
TV • 2005
William Lawrence
Woke
TV • 2020
Spoon (voice)
Finding Your Roots
TV • 2012
American Experience
TV • 1988
Warrior in Canoe
In Plain Sight
TV • 2008
Chief Pierce
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder
TV • 2022
Quanah (voice)
Saving Grace
TV • 2007
Bobby's Dad
Kings
TV • 2009
General Linus Abner