Duane Howard facts for kids

Duane Howard (born 1963) is a Canadian actor from the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation. He is most famous for playing the Arikara chief Elk Dog in the 2015 movie The Revenant.

Howard has also appeared in many other movies and TV shows. These include Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007), Pathfinder (2007), and the TV series Godless (2017).

Early Life

Duane Howard was born in Esperanza Inlet, a place on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. He is a member of the Nuu-chah-nulth people. He spent his first few years in the town of Port Alberni.

When he was 14, his family moved to the city of Vancouver. As a young man, Howard overcame difficult personal challenges. He then began working to help young people in Vancouver who were facing their own problems.

Acting Career

How It Started

Howard's acting career began by chance in the early 1990s. He met a talent agent in Vancouver who helped him get small parts. He appeared in popular TV shows like The X-Files, Smallville, and Supernatural. These small roles eventually led to bigger parts in movies.

The Revenant and Stunt Work

Howard's most famous role is Elk Dog in The Revenant. In the movie, Elk Dog is a father whose daughter has been taken. Howard said that his own life experiences helped him understand and play the character.

Howard is also a talented stuntman. He performed all of his own stunts for his role in The Revenant, making his performance even more impressive.

When his co-star Leonardo DiCaprio won a Golden Globe Award for the movie, he dedicated it to Indigenous communities. Howard said he was very moved by this speech. He hopes to see more movies from Hollywood that show Indigenous cultures in an accurate and respectful way.

Speaking for His Community

After his success in The Revenant, Howard began to travel and speak to groups. He shares his life story to raise awareness about important issues in Indigenous communities. He wants to inspire young people and encourage them to succeed.

In 2016, he spoke about a crisis in the Attawapiskat First Nation. He said, "People are saying we've got to help our young people, but it takes a community to come together as one. And there's a saying: one heart, one mind, one prayer, we can all move forward."

Awards and Nominations