‘Rez Ball’ Stars Talk About Being Native American in Hollywood – NBC New York

Five years ago, Sydney Freeland could count the number of known ones Native American actors on one side. Now she sees a change happening.

“I see someone new on almost every other show and I had no idea who they were. So it has definitely changed for the better,” she says TODAY.com.

With her latest film, “Rez Bal,” The director and screenwriter hopes that a new generation of Indian talent can ensure that this is not just a moment, but a movement.

“The film and acting talent has always been there. We just haven’t always had the opportunity. When you keep discovering talent or finding lightning in a bottle, at some point you have to ask the question, “Is this lightning in a bottle, or is there a huge amount of talent that just hasn’t done that?” got the chance?’” she says.

“Rez Bal,” a new Netflix sports drama that debuted in September follows a high school basketball team from a Native American reservation as they deal with the loss of a teammate who died by suicide. Over the course of a basketball season, their determined coach guides the underdogs and tries to lead them to a state championship.

“My hope is that viewers can see a side of America that has been hiding in plain sight.”

‘REZ BALL’ DIRECTOR SYDNEY FREELAND

The film was produced by LeBron James and features a primarily Indigenous cast, including many new actors. One of those new actors, Kauchani Bratt (who plays Jimmy Holiday), describes the experience of working with a Native cast and crew as “super special.”

“I can’t compare it to anything because this was my first time on set. But I can tell you that everyone understood that the energy on set was something they had never experienced before,” he tells TODAY.com.

Jessica Matten, who plays coach Heather Hobbs in the film, notes that it was “so unique” to work with so many actors and crew members from different indigenous tribes.

“It really felt like a celebration in itself while filming this project. And honestly, it was my favorite project of my entire career to film just for that and for the energy, the big positive energy that everyone brought,” she says.

Accurately portraying Native American stories

Matten also stars in the series “Dark Winds,” in which two tribal police officers from the Navajo Nation investigate a series of crimes in the 1970s. She says it’s a “beautiful time” in her career because she gets to pursue projects that accurately represent Indigenous experiences.

“I think it’s just part of the process of humanizing us more and more as Indigenous peoples, where it’s less and less about, ‘Oh, you’re an Indigenous actor.’ You are making an indigenous film,” she says. “But I hope it continues to get to the point where we could just happen to be an Indigenous actor in a movie so we don’t even have to add that title anymore. Just an actor, a human being.”

From the set (partly shot on reservation) to the costumes and music in ‘Rez Ball’, the production team was determined to keep the project realistic in every way possible.

For example, each of the key players on the basketball team comes from an indigenous group in North America. Of the 63 roles in the film, 56 were played by indigenous actors.

Devin Sampson-Craig, who plays Bryson Badonie in “Rez Ball,” hopes viewers will appreciate the film’s “authenticity.”

“A lot of the things that are written about us are just fake and not really really. So for this to happen, it’s a real honor to be a part of it, especially to be a part of it with (Matten and Bratt). I see and feel that the future is red,” he says.

One subject that the film does not shy away from is suicide and the domino effect it can have on the people left behind after the loss of a loved one. While suicide is not unique to the Native American community, it is an issue that American Indians and Native Americans are at greater risk than other Americans, American Indians said. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Suicide is unfortunately common in many of our communities. “I grew up in an environment where there are children as young as 11 years old who commit suicide,” Matten says.

Sampson-Craig recalls a moment in “Rez Ball” in which his character talks about the trauma he has faced throughout his life. Although the scene was cut from the final version, the actor says the theme in the film addresses an important topic for the indigenous community.

“When it comes to the mental health and emotional well-being of Native Americans and Indigenous men, sometimes it’s hard to actually do that. … I would certainly say to any Native American young man, ‘Listen, it’s okay to be vulnerable. It’s okay to open up. It’s okay to talk because your thoughts and feelings really matter,” he says.

On set, the cast bonded over their shared heritage and took part in traditional sweat ceremonies. The University of Saskatchewan describes the practice as “a purification ceremony” in which special stones are heated in a fire pit and participants enter the lodge to pray. The ceremony is often followed by a party.

“We had our sweat ceremonies to shoot this film properly and make sure we brought that energy to it. That was the beginning of us coming together to create that sense of connection on set, which was very impactful and powerful,” says Matten.

A moment for Native American stories

Growing up in the 1990s, Freeland remembers looking up to the “Mount Rushmore” of Native American actors, a group of A-list stars that included Graham Greene, Wes Studi, Irene Bedard, Tantoo Cardinal and Gary Farmer.

“In the 1990s it was those five actors in everything. And if you look now, whether it’s TV shows or movies, there’s so much talent,” she says.

Freeland says the “climate has changed.” Several major moments in pop culture in recent years seem to indicate that the director is right.

In 2021, the comedy series “Reservation Dogs” put a spotlight on Native youth and featured an all-Native cast. The following year, the Cherokee Nation began accepting applications for its new one cash rebate incentive fundthat offers discounts on productions that take place within national borders.

The original 2023 Apple movie “Beautiful dance” followed an indigenous woman’s fight to find her missing sister and was described as a “love letter to indigenous communities” by the director, Erica Tremblay.

“Killers of the Flower Moon” star Lily Gladstone has made history in January 2024, when she became the first Native American person to be nominated for an Academy Award in the actress in a leading role category.

Gladstone also became the first Indigenous person to take home the award for Best Actress in a Feature Drama at the 2024 Golden Globes, and spoke in the Blackfeet language during her acceptance speech.

In June 2024, Variety hosted its first indigenous stories in entertainment breakfast. Three months later, the Cherokee Nation announced its plans to open The Cherokee Film Institutethe first tribal film education program.

Of course, much more work needs to be done to ensure that Indigenous stories receive the attention they deserve.

The future of Native American storytelling

There were once very few Native American stories, and they were far too often misrepresented. As more Indigenous actors and directors make their mark in Hollywood, Freeland and the cast of “Rez Ball” hope their stories will be told with more care.

“I guess what I hope is that viewers can see themselves and maybe even see a side of America that has been hiding in plain sight that maybe they didn’t know existed. But (it) feels uniquely American and can stand on its own and stand as something else at the same time,” says Freeland.

Bratt’s career is just getting started and the young actor looks forward to a day when Indigenous stories are the norm and not a rarity.

“I hope it’s not just a moment. I hope it’s not just a trend. And I hope they are steps in the right direction towards top-to-bottom projects (where) indigenous stories are told in an authentic way,” he says.

This story is about suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat with 988lifeline.org.

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY: