Adam Beach has come a long way from his beginnings as an orphan to a successful Hollywood film and television actor.
The Saulteaux Indian has taken on the role model role for native youth and has spent his film career touring schools across North America, sharing his story in hope to inspire tribal youth to take responsibility in their lives.
“The reason why everyone loves the idea of me speaking in schools is because I have a story – I have an experience that goes from nothing to something,” he said. “When I was growing up there was a lack of role models within the community and schools that quickly I fell into the responsibility of showing people that there are good Indians out there.”
Adam Beach grew up with all the odds against him. He lost both parents at age 8, and suffered abuse as a child. At 14, he joined a gang.
“I grew up trying to find my own identity. I had no parents to guide me and give me learned behaviors. The only image I had of being Indian was being in gangs, prostitution and run down communities.”
After meeting a traditional teacher who would become his mentor, Adam Beach left his negative behavior behind and embarked on his career as a professional actor.
“He described to me another side to being Indian in that respect. He showed me the traditional ways. That’s what I hold with me now.”
Adam Beach began acting in high school drama classes before joining a community theater. At age 19 he was cast in his first film role.
He is best known for his roles as Ira Hayes in “Flags of Our Fathers,” “Smoke Signals” and “Windtalkers,” “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,” and more recently television roles as Detective Chester Lake in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and Tommy Flute in HBO’s “Big Love.”
Adam Beach is now 37 years old and has three children. He is living in Los Angeles and currently working on Jon Favreau’s “Cowboys and Aliens,” with Harrison Ford from Dream
Works and Universal Studios.
Adam Beach will be speaking to the Chief Leschi Schools graduation class of 2010 at 1 p.m. June 12 at Chief Leschi School’s Four Seasons Gym.
