Eric Schweig facts for kids

Eric Schweig (born Ray Dean Thrasher on June 19, 1967) is a Canadian actor. He is from the Inuvialuit people. He is well-known for playing Uncas, the son of Chingachgook, in the movie The Last of the Mohicans (1992).

About Eric Schweig

His Early Life

Eric Schweig was born in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada. He has a mixed background, including Inuit, Portuguese, German, and Senegalese heritage. He is the oldest of seven children. All of his siblings were adopted into other families. This was part of a Canadian government program from the 1960s.

Eric was adopted when he was six months old by a German-French family. He lived in Inuvik until he was six. Then, his family moved to Bermuda for a year before returning to Canada. Eric has shared that his adoptive parents did not encourage him to learn about his Inuit background.

Becoming an Actor

When Eric was 16, he left home. He experienced being without a home and worked in construction to support himself. In 1985, he joined the cast of a play called The Cradle Will Fall. This was his first time acting. Later, a producer asked him to try out for a role in a movie. This movie was The Shaman's Source (1990). This film helped him start his career in the film industry.

His Acting Career

Eric Schweig has acted in more than thirty movies and TV shows. One of his most famous roles was Uncas in The Last of the Mohicans in 1992. He also played Pike Dexter in the movie Big Eden (2000). For this role, he won the Outstanding Actor Award at the Outfest film festival.

In 1992, he was cast as Black Thunder in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation mini-series By Way of the Stars. He also played the famous Mohawk leader Joseph Brant in the TV movie The Broken Chain (1993). He worked with actor Wes Studi again in this movie. Eric also appeared in Disney's The Scarlet Letter and Tom and Huck in 1995. In 1996, he played a Comanche character named Buffalo Hump in the miniseries Dead Man's Walk.

More recently, Eric has taken on lead roles in films that talk about important issues for Indigenous and Native American people. These movies include Skins (2002), Cowboys and Indians: The J.J. Harper Story (2003), and One Dead Indian (2006).

Life Outside Acting

Eric Schweig has always been interested in art. He has become a skilled carver. He learned traditional Pacific Coast carving from artist Vern Etzerza. Now, he creates custom and traditional Inuit Spirit Masks. He works with master carver Art Thompson on these masks.

In 2017, Eric adopted two foster siblings.

Awards and Recognition

• 2000 - Grand Jury Award L.A. Outfest, Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film for Big Eden
• 2008 - Honorary Doctorate of Education from Nipissing University
• 2011 - Nomination for a Leo Award for Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series for his role as Chief Andy Fraser in the TV series Blackstone.

Movies and TV Shows