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5 | [[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/irenebedard.png]] |
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7 | -> ''"If you listen hard, everything has something to say."'' |
8 | |
9 | Irene Bedard (born July 22, 1967) is an American actress, hailing from Alaska, and has been one of the more prominent Native American actors in recent years. |
10 | |
11 | Her career started with a bang in ''Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee'' -- depicting [[BasedOnATrueStory a real life standoff between the U.S. government and Native Americans at a reservation in Wounded Knee back in the 1970s]]. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for her first role. Her second film was ''Squanto: A Warrior's Tale'', in which she played another lead role. But it's probably her third role that she is best known for. |
12 | |
13 | Disney's 33rd animated film was ''WesternAnimation/{{Pocahontas}}'', a dramatization surrounding the legend of UsefulNotes/{{Pocahontas}} and John Smith. After a long search, Irene won the title role and was the voice of Disney's first American Princess.[[note]]Although the real Pocahontas is not considered a princess in the European sense, she was presented as such to the English, and is an 'honorary' princess in the franchise, along with WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}.[[/note]] Irene has continued to voice Pocahontas across the Disney franchise, even reprising her role twenty years later in ''WesternAnimation/RalphBreaksTheInternet''. |
14 | |
15 | Other roles she might be recognized for are ManicPixieDreamGirl Suzy Song in ''Film/SmokeSignals'', Margaret Light Shines of ''Series/IntoTheWest'' or else Kimi Lucero of ''Series/TheMist''. In addition to acting, she also has her own production companies - Sleeping Lady Films and Walking Giants Productions - campaigning for better representation of Native Americans in media. |
16 | ---- |
17 | !! Selected filmography: |
18 | |
19 | * ''Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee'' (1994) - Mary Crow Dog (nominated for Golden Globe) |
20 | * ''Squanto: A Warrior's Tale'' (1994) - Nakooma |
21 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Pocahontas}}'' (1995) - Pocahontas (voice) |
22 | ** ''WesternAnimation/PocahontasIIJourneyToANewWorld'' (1998) |
23 | ** ''WesternAnimation/HouseOfMouse'' (2001) |
24 | ** ''WesternAnimation/RalphBreaksTheInternet'' (2018) |
25 | * ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuestTheRealAdventures'' (1996) - Alice Starseer (voice) |
26 | * ''Song of Hiawatha'' (1997) - Minnehaha |
27 | * ''Film/SmokeSignals'' (1998) - Suzy Song |
28 | * ''Series/{{The Outer Limits|1995}}'' (2001) - Episode "In The Blood" - Callie Whitehorse Landau |
29 | * ''[[Film/TheNewWorld2005 The New World]]'' (2005) - Nonoma |
30 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'' (2008) - Jean [=DeWolff=] (voice) |
31 | * ''Film/TheTreeOfLife'' (2011) - Messenger |
32 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Young Justice|2010}}'' (2012) - Shelly Longshadow (voice) |
33 | * ''Series/{{Longmire}}'' (2012-2015) - May Stillwater |
34 | * ''Songs My Brothers Taught Me'' (2015) - Lisa Winters |
35 | * ''Series/TheMist'' (2017) - Kimi Lucero |
36 | * ''Series/{{Westworld}}'' (2018) - Wichapi |
37 | * ''Series/FBIMostWanted'' (2020) - Mary Lou Skye |
38 | * ''Series/{{The Stand|2020}}'' (2020-2021) - Ray Brentner |
39 | * ''Film/HowToBlowUpAPipeline'' as Joanna |
40 | * ''Series/AvatarTheLastAirbender2024'' (2024) as Yagoda |
41 | |
42 | !!Tropes associated with her work: |
43 | |
44 | * AwesomeDearBoy:[[invoked]] She got on the plane to appear as Madam President in the Music/JayZ video for "Family Feud" not knowing what it was even about - all because she wanted to work with Creator/AvaDuVernay. |
45 | * CastingGag: |
46 | ** In ''The New World'' she plays the mother of Pocahontas. What's more is that Creator/ChristianBale stars as John Rolfe, when he had voiced Thomas in the Disney version. |
47 | ** In ''Naturally Native'', she and Pato Hoffman play in-laws, when they had been lovers in ''Lakota Woman''. |
48 | ** In Irene's first film, ''Lakota Woman'', Creator/RussellMeans is featured as a character. The real Russell would later voice Pocahontas' father, Chief Powhatan. |
49 | * DawsonCasting:[[invoked]] |
50 | ** Irene was 26 playing Mary Crow Dog at 18 in ''Lakota Woman''. |
51 | ** Although Pocahontas was given an AgeLift so that she wasn't 12 as in real life, she's hinted to be younger than Irene's mid-20s when Irene voiced her. |
52 | * HairstyleInertia: She has always had the same black, long hair. She joked in a Q&A that she's occasionally tempted to cut it, but she's kept it long. |
53 | * HollywoodHypeMachine: Her Golden Globe-nominated performance in ''Lakota Woman'' and voicing Pocahontas caused her to get a lot of hype, being named the most recognisable Native American actress and getting featured on several 'Most Beautiful Women' lists. Sadly, she's still best known as Pocahontas - though she has been working away, so it seems more to do with lack of opportunities for indigenous actresses rather than talent. |
54 | * IAmNotSpock:[[invoked]] She's probably best known as the voice of Pocahontas, though she doesn't seem to mind. |
55 | --> "It's like getting to be Santa Claus." |
56 | * InkSuitActor: Many of Irene's tics were incorporated into Pocahontas. |
57 | * LifeImitatesArt:[[invoked]] After playing a real-life Native American activist in ''Lakota Woman'', she was inspired to take more of an interest in campaigning for better representation. |
58 | * NonSingingVoice:[[invoked]] Judy Kuhn does Pocahontas' singing. Irene however has been in a band, so she's able to sing. |
59 | * PlayingAgainstType:[[invoked]] ''Songs My Brothers Taught Me'' as an alcoholic and neglectful mother from whom her son can't wait to escape. |
60 | * ProductionPosse:[[invoked]] She worked with Terence Malik in ''The New World'' and ''Film/TheTreeOfLife''. |
61 | * RomanceOnTheSet:[[invoked]] She met her husband, Deni Wilson, while filming ''Squanto: A Warrior's Tale''. |
62 | * ThoseTwoActors:[[invoked]] |
63 | ** Starred with Creator/TantooCardinal in ''Lakota Woman'', ''Film/SmokeSignals'', ''Grand Avenue'' and ''The Lost Child''. |
64 | ** Creator/AugustSchellenberg starred with her in ''Grand Avenue'', ''Lakota Woman'', ''Crazy Horse'' and ''The New World''. |
65 | ** Michelle St. John had an appearance in ''Film/SmokeSignals'' (not in the same scene as Irene) while also voicing Nakoma in ''WesternAnimation/{{Pocahontas}}''. |
66 | ** Russell Means voiced her father in both ''Pocahontas'' movies, and starred in ''Song of Hiawatha''. |
67 | * TypeCasting:[[invoked]] |
68 | ** Irene has a tendency to be cast as spiritual {{Indian maiden}}s. Even ''Film/SmokeSignals''—which is hardly stereotypical—has her in a ManicPixieDreamGirl–type role that comes close. |
69 | ** She's played many real-life Native American women, two of whom were activists. |
70 | * UrExample: ''Lakota Woman'' saw Irene becoming the first Native American actress to headline an American film. |
71 | * VocalEvolution: Compare her readings in the 90's, to the present. Her voice sounds distinctly more breathy than it once was. |
72 | * WhatCouldHaveBeen:[[invoked]] |
73 | ** Judy Kuhn was first cast to do Pocahontas' singing, and was told that she would do the speaking if they couldn't find a Native American actress. Irene was ultimately cast. |
74 | ** She was announced as directing an adaptation of Velma Wallis' ''Two Old Women'', as Irene was a fan of the novel. However, the project never materialised. |
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