Duane Howard facts for kids

Duane Howard (born 1963) is a talented Indigenous Canadian actor. He is widely recognized for his role as Elk Dog, an Arikara chief, in the 2015 movie The Revenant. He has also appeared in other films and TV shows, including Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) and Pathfinder (2007).

Duane Howard's Early Life

Duane Howard was born in 1963 in the Esperanza Inlet. This area is on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. He is a member of the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation.

He spent his early childhood in Port Alberni. When he was 14, his family moved to Vancouver. At 23, Howard started working as a counselor. He helped young people in Vancouver who were facing challenges.

Becoming an Actor

In the early 1990s, Duane Howard met a talent agent in Vancouver by chance. This meeting led to his first acting jobs. He started with small roles in popular TV shows. These included The X-Files, Smallville, and Supernatural.

After these early roles, he began getting bigger parts. He even worked as a stuntman. For his role in The Revenant, he performed his own stunts. This means he did the dangerous actions himself.

Important Roles and Speaking Out

Howard has shared that his own life experiences helped him play Elk Dog. Elk Dog is a father whose daughter is taken in the movie. This personal connection made his performance very powerful.

When Leonardo DiCaprio won a Golden Globe Award for The Revenant, he gave a speech. He dedicated his award to Indigenous communities worldwide. Howard was very touched by this speech. He hopes that Hollywood will show more accurate stories about Indigenous cultures in the future.

Awards and Recognition

Duane Howard has been recognized for his acting work.