Piikani actor primed for role in Costner film

By Ry Clarke - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on November 8, 2022.

Kevin Costner’s new western-themed film Horizon has signed on local Indigenous actor Owen Crow Shoe.

Born in Lethbridge and raised on the Piikani Nation, Crow Shoe got his start in acting at the age of 20 on the set of AMC’s Hell on Wheels. Now he has begun to add more films to his resume with this new Hollywood A-lister another on that growing list.

“I’m living my dream,” said Crow Shoe. “I’m doing what I love and there is nothing else I would rather be doing than being an actor.”

From a young age Crow Shoe says his parents would bring him out to auditions but he never took it too seriously. After playing two seasons of junior football, he noticed his injuries were starting to pile up and made him look into himself for what he really wanted to do with his life.

“I was talking to my dad and he says that he is working riding horse for a television series (Hell on Wheels), and offered to take me with him and I jumped at the opportunity,” said Crow Shoe. “I liked the energy on-set. When everybody else wasn’t filming they would all go to the holding area, but I would stay back and watch the other actors and what they do. It intrigued me, I was interested in what they did and that inspired me a lot.”

Auditioning for 2017’s The Revenant, Crow Shoe says he wanted more and made the decision to make acting his career, moving to Calgary and enrolling in acting classes at Company of Rogues Actors’ Studio.

“It’s been tough but it’s also been great,” said Crow Shoe. “It gets tough but that’s more rewarding, and I feel at the end it keeps me going.”

Crow Shoe also notes the boom in talent towards Indigenous people in the industry both in front of the camera and behind it.

“We are getting more opportunities to tell our own stories and be part of our own stories,” said Crow Shoe. “It opens a door for a lot of stuff going on right now. That being said, the talent of First Nations actors in Alberta has gotten so much better.”

Joining the team on Horizon, Crow Shoe will appear on screen with other talented artists like Sam Worthington, Sienna Miller, Jena Malone, and writer Kevin Costner.

“I’m really excited, this is by far my favourite role,” said Crow Shoe. “Follow your dreams and continue to question yourself. Because your dreams evolve. You have to question yourself, what do you really want the dream goal to be and what are you passionate about. It feels like you are living your life and telling your story.”

Filming is underway in southern Utah for Horizon, and Crow Shoe was on set filming in late August. The production is set to wrap up in November.