Eddie Spears facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eddie Spears
Spears in 2008
Born	Edward Spears (1982-11-29) November 29, 1982 (age 42) Chamberlain, South Dakota, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1992–present
Family	Michael Spears (brother)

Edward Spears (born November 29, 1982), also known as Eddie Spears, is an actor from an Indigenous American background. He is a member of the Kul Wičaša Oyate Lakota people. This group is part of the Lower Brulé Sioux Tribe in South Dakota.

Growing Up: Eddie Spears' Early Life

Eddie Spears was born in Chamberlain, South Dakota. This town is close to the Lower Brulé Indian Reservation. He grew up with five brothers and one sister. His older brother, Michael, is also an actor.

Eddie lived on the Lower Brulé Indian Reservation until he was in first grade. Then, his family moved to Pierre, South Dakota. Later, they moved to Aberdeen, South Dakota, where he finished school at Aberdeen Central High School.

Eddie Spears' Acting Career

Starting Young: First Roles

Eddie Spears began acting when he was just ten years old. His very first role was in a TV movie called Geronimo. This film was made by TNT and shot in Arizona.

Eddie has said that his favorite role so far was playing Shane Chasing Horse. This was in the 2003 film Dreamkeeper.

Big Roles and Training

In 2004, Eddie got the main role in the movie Black Cloud. This film was directed by Rick Schroder. To get ready for the role, Eddie trained for three months. He worked with boxing trainer Jimmy Gambia to learn boxing skills.

Black Cloud is about a Navajo boxer who trains for the Golden Gloves competition. He hopes to get a spot at the Olympics. Part of the movie was filmed in Las Vegas during the real 2003 Golden Gloves National Championship.

Popular TV Shows and Movies

From 2011 to 2012, Eddie Spears played a character named Joseph Black Moon. This was in the popular TV series Hell On Wheels on AMC.

In 2018, Eddie used his voice for the animated movie White Fang. He was the voice of "Grey Beaver." More recently, he had a role in season 2 of the TV series Yellowstone in 2019. He also made a quick appearance in season 2 of Rutherford Falls on Peacock.

Other Work and Interests

In 2005, Eddie and his brother Michael did some modeling. They worked for fashion designer Virgil Ortiz from Cochiti Pueblo. They were featured on the cover of New Mexico Magazine for his "Indigene" clothing line.

Eddie also helps with important causes. He and his brother Michael worked with Native Wind and ICOUP. ICOUP stands for the Intertribal Council on Utility Policy. This group was started in 1994 to talk about energy issues for Native American tribes. Their father, Patrick Spears, used to be the president of ICOUP.

Eddie Spears knows some Lakota. He loves being outdoors and is a powwow singer. He also performs Traditional and Grass dances. He travels around the country to give speeches. Eddie currently lives in Montana.

Awards and Recognition

Eddie Spears has won several awards for his acting:

• In 2004, he won the FAITA Best Actor Award for the miniseries Dreamkeeper.
• Also in 2004, he received the Phoenix Film Festival Best Actor Award for his main role in Black Cloud.
• In 2012, he won the Bronze Wrangler Award at the Western Heritage Awards. This was for his lead role in the movie Yellow Rock.
• In 2014, he was nominated for an award at the Red Nation Film Festival and Awards. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Joseph Black Moon in Hell on Wheels.

Film and TV Roles

See also

In Spanish: Eddie Spears para niños