Rod Rondeaux facts for kids

Rod Rondeaux is a talented Native American actor and stuntman. He has appeared in many movies and TV shows. Some of his well-known acting roles include the miniseries Into the West and Comanche Moon. He also played a character from the Cayuse tribe in the 2010 film Meek's Cutoff. In 2015, he took on the main role in the movie Mekko. Besides acting, Rod Rondeaux is also a skilled stuntman, performing exciting actions in films like Reel Injun and Comanche Moon.

Early Life and Rodeo Days

Rod Rondeaux is a member of the Crow Tribe and also has Cheyenne heritage. He grew up on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. Before he became an actor, Rod was a professional rodeo rider for many years. He was good at riding horses, riding bulls, wrestling steers, and team roping.

How He Started in Movies

Rod's journey into film stunts happened by chance. He was asked to be a stunt double for another actor, Michael Greyeyes, in the 1996 movie Crazy Horse. This was his first step into the world of Hollywood.

Awards and Recognition

In 2001, Rod Rondeaux received a special award for his amazing stunt work from an organization called First Americans in the Arts. Later, in 2015, he won two awards for his acting in the film Mekko. He was named Best Actor at both the 40th Annual American Indian Film Festival and the 2015 Red Nation Film Festival.

Acting Career Highlights

Rod Rondeaux's first acting role was as a character named Tall Bull in the 1996 film Crazy Horse. This movie was directed by John Irvin.

Speaking His Own Language

In the film Meek's Cutoff, Rod played a mysterious Native American character who helps a group of people lost on the Oregon Trail. What's special is that he spoke his own native language in the movie.

Taking the Lead in Mekko

Rod Rondeaux had his first main role in the 2015 film Mekko. He played a man who had been in prison for a long time. When he was released, he found that his family didn't want him around. The movie shows him trying to deal with his new life and also facing a difficult person played by Zahn McClarnon.

The director, Sterlin Harjo, decided to cast Rod just one night before filming began! Harjo had a good feeling about Rod after talking to him a few times. He believed that Rod's past experiences as a rodeo bull rider and a Hollywood stuntman gave him the right background for the role. A film critic from Variety magazine praised Rod Rondeaux's "soulful performance" in the movie.

Recent Film Roles

In 2018, Rod Rondeaux played Raymond in Babak Jalali's film Land. Also in 2018, he appeared in Susanna White's movie Woman Walks Ahead.

Filmography (Actor)

Television Shows

Movies