There are many things to like about the FX on Hulu comedy drama Reservation Dogs. Hilarious and dotted with characters oozing teenage effervescence, this heist comedy is set in the natural beauty of a reservation in Oklahoma where their lives have been shaped by tragedy and the socio-cultural dynamics of their community. The show features an almost entirely Indigenous cast and production team and has been praised for its groundbreaking narrative.
Reservation Dogs follows a quartet of Native American teenagers who harbor dreams of leaving for California to make a better life but must first engage in small-time local criminality to save up enough money for their trip. They also must survive a turf war against a ruthless rival gang to break away from the prevalent cycle of addiction and poverty. The series is created by Sterlin Harjo and Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi. We've put together this handy guide that goes into detail about the most important characters and the actors who play them. So, shall we begin then?
D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as Bear Smallhill
Bear sees himself as the leader of the gang despite a lack of consensus on his leadership or the need for it. Tender-hearted, self-aware, and compassionate, Bear was raised by his mum and longs to reconnect with his estranged dad who now lives in Los Angeles. His craving for a male role model drives him to engage in a comical interaction with a spirit guide who tries to hap his core values.
Woon-A-Tai had his acting breakthrough as Chase Whaley in Season 1 of the 2018 Family Channel series Holly Hobbie. Since then, he has gone on to star as Lucky in Creeped Out and Mikey in the Canadian TV crime drama series Tribal. He played the role of Hank with distinction in the film Beans.
Devery Jacobs as Elora Danan Postoak
Elora embodies the conscientiousness and ruthlessness required for the pack to survive. While she may not be one to talk about leadership, she leads by example, the one on whose shoulders the real gravitas for rallying the troops rests. Elora is blessed with a cold resolve that belies her age. After losing her mother at the age of three, she carries the scars of her loss like a badge of honor and is determined to break away from the hold of the Reservation into a better life. This role is played by Devery Jacobs, a Mohawk actress who is best known for her performance in the 2013 drama Rhymes for Young Ghouls and her role as Sam Black Crow in American Gods. She played Tina in Cold, Miranda in This Life, Britney in The Lie, and Lilith Bathory in The Order (2019-2020).
Paulina Alexis as Willie Jack
Known for her witty remarks and quotable jabs, Willie is the cool kid of the pack. Her urban native era hats stand her out as the most stylish of the bunch with a personality that brings the much-needed color and panache to an often stoic team. Willie is also the most eccentric of the lot, having a thing for the supernatural when she asks Elora's uncle to put a curse on Jackie. Much of the next season will focus on her family life and the dynamics between her and her father.
Alexis’s first big gig was a role in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. She also appeared in the 2020 Canadian drama film Beans.
Lane Factor as Cheese
Cheese is the youngest member of the gang and his naivety and inexperience are on display all too often. However, like a little brother, the rest of the crew is fiercely protective of him. Laid back and fun-loving, you can tell he is learning the ropes fast and is eager to join in all the brewing mischief. Not yet assertive, expect him to grow into his own in the coming seasons. Cheese despite his age has an uncanny way of connecting with the adults on the show. Factor's appearance in Reservation Dogs is the actor's TV debut. He is billed to feature in Steven Spielberg’s coming-of-age drama The Fabelmans.
Sarah Podemski as Rita
Rita is Bear's mother. Well-loved in the community, Rita works at the town medical clinic and despite her ex-husband's shenanigans, she wants him to be present in Bear's life. Podemski is best known for starring in TV series like Between, Resident Alien, and Coroner. Her sister Tamara Podemski is also joining the show in Season 2, playing a recurring role as Bear's aunt.
Zahn McClarnon as Officer Big
Officer Big is the face of law enforcement on the Reservation and is the one who is alerted about a stolen food truck, which he quizzes the kids about. A jolly good fellow who would rather socialize than work, Officer Big seems to have a crush on Bear's mom.
McClarnon, who plays Big, is also known for his roles as Police Chief Mathias in the crime drama series Longmire, Akecheta on Westworld, and Hanzee Dent in the black comedy crime drama TV series Fargo. He is also now starring in the AMC series Dark Winds.
Dallas Goldtooth as William "Spirit" Knifeman
When Bear is knocked unconscious, Knifeman is an indigenous warrior spirit who appears to him from the past. Apart from Reservation Dogs, Dallas Goldtooth is most well-known for his work playing Nelson in Rutherford Falls.
Kimberly Guerrero as Auntie B
Aunt B is Willie Jack's aunt who is a local bead maker. The gang approaches her to make a beaded medallion, what they receive at the end of her work makes for comic relief as it looks more like a penis than the microphone-shaped piece they requested. Kimberly Guerrero, who plays Auntie B, also played Gen. Custer's wife in the movie Son of the Morning Star, Lindsay McNeil in Grey’s Anatomy, and Joanna/Neena Wapasha in Longmire.
Gary Farmer as Uncle Brownie
Brownie is Elora’s uncle, a local legend in his own right, who is approached by Elora to teach her and her friends how to fight. As he gets closer to the Reservation Dogs, he finds a renewed zest for life. An actor and musician, Farmer has received three Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male nominations. He played Arnold Joseph in Smoke Signals and Nobody in the films Dead Man and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.
Jon Proudstar as Leon
Leon is Willie Jack's father. Protective and an all-around positive influence on his daughter, he does his best to protect his little girl from trouble. Proudstar is an actor, comic book writer, and director whose most popular work is the film Dude Vision.
Other members of the cast include Unegvugugu Amoadewehi, Macon Blair, Connor Bock, Funny Bone, Mary C. Bruce, Matty Cardarople, Damon Carney, Lil Cory, Kirk Fox, Ginger Gilmartin, Lena Harmon, Todd Jenkins, David Maldonado, Lil Mike, Saxon Keanu Neal, Amanda Pearce, Tamara Podemski, Laura Spencer, Matt Williams, and Casey Camp-Horinek.