Gerald Auger facts for kids

Gerald Auger (born March 20, 1968) is a talented Canadian actor, producer, and writer. He is also an entrepreneur and a motivational speaker. Gerald is from the Woodland Cree people, an Indigenous group in Canada.

About Gerald Auger

Early Life and Education

Gerald Auger studied at Grande Prairie Regional College. He earned a diploma in Marketing Management in 1995. He also received a certificate in Small Business Management. During his time there, he was a leader among students. He was president of the Student Association. He also led the Student Society for Alberta Vocational College. Gerald was also president of the Circle of Aboriginal Students. He received the Charles S. Noble Student Leadership Award for his leadership. This award came from the Province of Alberta.

National Role Model

In 1996 and 1997, Gerald was named a National Native Role Model. This honor was given by the Governor General of Canada. For two years, he visited over 30 communities across Canada. He shared his experiences and inspired other Indigenous youth. He connected with people through cultural events and ceremonies. Gerald was also the first Indigenous person to receive the Rotary International Integrity Award. This award was for the Avenue of Nations in Alberta.

Acting Career

Gerald Auger's acting career began in 1995. He was noticed at the opening ceremonies of the Canada Winter Games. This led to a role in the 1998 film Il mio West. This movie was later called Gunslinger’s Revenge. He acted alongside famous stars like David Bowie and Harvey Keitel. The film was shot in Italy. It was special because it was the first "Spaghetti Western" movie. It used First Nations actors in Indigenous roles.

In 2002, Gerald had a main role in an IMAX film. It was a National Geographic production called Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West. The next year, he played Crow Hunter in the TV miniseries Dreamkeeper.

In 2005, Gerald was in the miniseries Into the West. This show was produced by Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks. Gerald played a character named Soaring Eagle. He also completed the film Klatsassin in 2006. In 2007, he played Chief Ambrose McQuinna. This was in the TV movie Luna: Spirit of the Whale. He worked with actors like Adam Beach and Graham Greene.

Gerald also performed as Anook the Rockman in 2010. This was for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Arctic Winter Games. He also had a role in the movie FUBAR 2. He played a Native guide in Western Confidential. He also appeared as a Native policeman in The Plateau.

In 2011, Gerald had a small role in the TV series Blackstone. He then got a main role in the historical drama Hell on Wheels. He played Pawnee Killer, a character who represents Indigenous resistance. This series was filmed in Calgary.

Filmmaking and Production

Gerald Auger is also a talented filmmaker. In 2007, he produced, wrote, and directed a short film. It was called Walking Alone. In 2008, he made a documentary for the National Film Board of Canada. This film, Honour Thy Father, won an award in 2009. It was named Best Film Representing Cultural Diversity.

In 2012, he wrote and produced a series called The Ancients. This series was for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. He also worked on a follow-up to Honour Thy Father. This new film explored Christianity and Native spirituality.

Gerald owns a business called 4 Directional Studios. Through this company, he creates films, TV shows, and documentaries. His goal is to improve how Indigenous people are seen. He wants to challenge stereotypes.

In 2013, Gerald worked on a film project called Yeshua in the Lodge – The Forgotten Truth of the Wilderness. This film explored the idea that the Son of God was the first Sundancer.

Recent Projects

In late 2015, Gerald was very busy with acting roles. He filmed three short films. In October, he traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia. He filmed Petersburg. A Selfie, a collection of stories. He made history as the first Indigenous actor to film a movie in Russia. He played a modern-day Native American character. In December 2015, he was cast in an Australian film. It was called Lost Face, based on a story by Jack London.

Film Roles

• Il mio West (1998) – Native warrior
• Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West (2002) – Shoshone chief
• Klatsassin (2006)
• Murder Inc.
• Luna: Spirit of The Whale (2007) – Chief Ambrose McQuinna
• FUBAR 2 (2010)
• Alone (2010) – Native policeman
• The Plateau (2010) – Mike Cardinal
• Western Confidential (2011) – Native guide and interpreter
• Anichkov Bridge (2015) – Modern-day Native in Russia

Television Roles

• Be Aware
• North of 60
• The Long Walk
• Stories from the 7th Fire
• How the Fiddle Flows (2002)
• Dreamkeeper (2003) – Crow Hunter
• Into the West (2005) – Soaring Eagle
• Blackstone (2011) – Dan Brown
• Hell on Wheels (2011, 2012) – Cheyenne Brave Pawnee Killer

Other Creative Works

Video Shorts

• Higher Ground (2011) – Komonake

Docudramas and Industrials

• I Am Alcohol
• Crimestoppers
• I Will Not Cry Alone
• Dream Makers (2006)

Voice-over Roles

• Cree 10/20/30
• Blanket of Silence
• Stories from the 7th Fire

Theatre Performances

• Canada Winter Games opening ceremonies (1995) – performer
• Arctic Winter Games opening and closing ceremonies (2010) – Anook the Rockman
• National Aboriginal Achievement Awards

Films Produced or Directed

• Walking Alone (2007) – film
• Honour Thy Father (2008) – documentary
• Jesus in the Lodge – The Forgotten Truth of the Wilderness (2013) – documentary
• Bohemian Blood (2015) – short film