Gyasi Ross: Support for Tatanka Means, star of 'Tiger Eyes'

But we have some good news; there is a new guy. Yes, you heard right: there is a new young and talented Native actor we can cheer and support, in addition to Adam and John Redcorn. This young man is now officially "mainstream"; his name is Tatanka Means. He has a big movie that came out on Friday called Tiger Eyes, based upon Judy Blume’s book (remember Superfudge?), and the movie and he are both getting some really good reviews.

“The gamechanger for Davey is meeting Martin (Tatanka Means), a Native American known as Wolf. He calls her Tiger. And their romantic connection is handled with rare delicacy by both actors. Wolf is also dealing with sorrow, his father Willie is battling cancer in a local hospital. That Willie is played by Russell Means, the noted political activist and Tatanka's real-life father, brings their scenes together a touching gravity. That Russell Means died shortly after filming is beyond reckoning.” Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Tatanka is a stud. A long-haired, bushy-braided, pow-wow dancing, cow-roping, rez-boy stud. He’s not a Hollywood Indian who walks around with his hair hanging loose and egregious amounts of leather on (I call it the “Billy Wirth” syndrome—how many Native men actually wear their hair like that except when they’re trying to impress upon white people how mystically Indian they are?).