D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai

D'Pharaoh Miskwaatez McKay Woon-A-Tai (born 19 September 2001) is a Canadian actor of Indigenous descent. He is best known for his role as Bear Smallhill in the FX on Hulu comedy-drama series Reservation Dogs (2021), for which he received two Critics' Choice Television Award nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy Series.

Early life

Woon-A-Tai and his fraternal twin Mi’De Xxavier were born in Toronto. Born D'Pharaoh Miskwaatez Loescher McKay Woon-A-Tai, his name reflects his Oji-Cree, Chinese-Guyanese, and German heritage. A black belt in Shotokan karate, he is the grandson of the notable Shotokan instructor Frank Woon-A-Tai on his mother's side. His paternal grandfather is Dr. Alex McKay, an Anishinaabemowin language professor at the University of Toronto's Indigenous Studies department.

Woon-A-Tai and his three (of what would eventually become five) siblings grew up in the Esplanade neighbourhood of Toronto and visited their paternal family in the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation on the weekends. He attended Nelson Mandela Park Public School.

Career

Woon-A-Tai began his career with a recurring role as Chase Whaley in season 1 of the 2018 Family Channel series Holly Hobbie. In 2019, Woon-A-Tai played Tom Longboat in a two-episode arc of Murdoch Mysteries season 12. He made guest appearances as Lucky in Creeped Out and Mikey in Tribal.

Woon-A-Tai made his feature film debut as Hank in the film Beans directed by Tracey Deer, which was a 2020 Toronto International Film Festival selection and won Best Motion Picture at the Canadian Screen Awards.

In December 2020, it was announced Woon-A-Tai would star as Bear Smallhill in the 2021 FX on Hulu comedy-drama Reservation Dogs, "a slice-of-life triumph" from Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi. Set and filmed in rural Oklahoma, Reservation Dogs is a coming-of-age story that follows the antics of rebellious teenagers living on tribal land. The series' entire creative team, core cast, and crew consists of Indigenous people, with the addition of a few non-Native actors in supporting or guest roles. The Denver Gazette described Bear as "played spectacularly by D’Pharaoh, this series' breakout star." Reservation Dogs' second season premiered on August 3, 2022, and the third season premiered on August 2, 2023.

In 2022, it was announced that Woon-A-Tai would be joining Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk in the duo's directorial debut Hell of a Summer, which was released in 2023. Woon-A-Tai plays Adam in the 2023 film Fitting In. He also stars in the indie thriller film Only the Good Survive, alongside Sidney Flanigan, Frederick Weller, and Will Ropp. The film was also released in 2023.

Personal life

Woon-A-Tai has been dating American model and activist, Quannah Chasinghorse since 2021. The pair live together in Los Angeles, and are both signed to IMG as models and for talent management. They both appear together in the music video for Rob & Jack Lahana's single "Haute saison".

Filmography

Film

Television

Web series

Videography

Music videos

Awards and nominations

References

External links

• D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai at IMDb

1. Frank Woon-A-Tai
2. Hell of a Summer
3. Fitting In
4. Reservation Dogs
5. Abby Quinn
6. Knock at the Cabin
7. Alex Garland
8. Paulina Alexis
9. Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series
10. List of Indigenous Canadian actors
11. Beans (2020 film)
12. 29th Critics' Choice Awards
13. Sidney Flanigan
14. 28th Critics' Choice Awards
15. 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards
16. Santa Fe Indian Market
17. 37th Independent Spirit Awards
18. List of fictional Native Americans
19. List of Murdoch Mysteries characters