Edward Spears (born November 29, 1982) is an Indigenous American actor. He is a member of the Kul Wičaša Oyate Lakota from the Lower Brulé Sioux Tribe of South Dakota.
Spears has been in the spotlight since age ten, starting with his first role in TNT's production of Geronimo, which was shot in Arizona.
Spears has said his most rewarding role to date was Shane Chasing Horse in the 2003 film Dreamkeeper.
When cast for the lead in the 2004 film Black Cloud (directed by Rick Schroder), he trained for three months with boxing trainer Jimmy Gambia to perfect his boxing skills before filming started. The film is about a Navajo boxer training for the Golden Gloves with the promise of a spot at the Olympics while struggling with the secrets of his family's past. One of the scenes was filmed in Las Vegas during the 2003 Golden Gloves National Championship.
In 2011 and 2012, Spears played the popular[5] Joseph Black Moon in AMC's TV series Hell On Wheels.[6] Spears was the voice of "Grey Beaver" in the 2018 animated film White Fang.[7]
Recent TV spots include a 2019 supporting role in season 2 of the TV series Yellowstone and a cameo in season 2 of Rutherford Falls on Peacock.
Bronze Wrangler Award at the Western Heritage Awards in 2012 for lead actor in Yellow Rock
Red Nation Film Festival and Awards: Nominated in 2014 for Best Supporting Actor in TV Movie, Miniseries, Special, Comedy or Pilot as Joseph Black Moon in Hell on Wheels .[9]
Personal life
Spears co-hosted the 39th Annual American Indian Film Institute Awards in 2014 along with actress Tonantzin Carmelo.[10] Spears attended and was a mentor at the second annual HatcH Audiovisual Festival in Bozeman, Montana in October 2005.
Spears and his brother Michael also worked with Native Wind[11] and ICOUP (Intertribal Council on Utility Policy), of which their father Patrick Spears was formerly president. ICOUP was formed in 1994 to provide a forum for utility issues discussion from regulatory and economic perspectives.[12]
Spears speaks some Lakota. He is an avid outdoorsman, powwow singer, and Traditional and Grass dancer. He also travels nationally as a keynote speaker. He currently resides in Montana.[2]
^Morreale, Marie "DreamKeeper: Meet Eddie Spears" "Scholastic News: Dreamkeeper". Archived from the original on 2004-09-04. Retrieved 2013-03-23. Scholastic News February 25, 2004.
^Hill, Pat "Native Stars The Spears Brothers Native Stars Call Bozeman Home" "Native Stars - the Spears Brothers". Archived from the original on 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2014-11-03. The Montana Pioneer, February 2012.
^Haaland, Debra "An Eye for Fashion: Cochiti Pueblo's renowned potter Virgil Ortiz has expanded his artistic talents to the world of fashion, now rubbing elbows with famed international designer Donna Karan" "New Mexico Magazine | Current Issue Contents and Editor's Note". Archived from the original on 2007-12-19. Retrieved 2013-03-20. New Mexico Magazine, August 2005, Volume 83, Number 8.
