Meet Disney's Seventh Princess Pocahontas
Irene Bedard (July 22nd, 1967)
She is the daughter of an Inupiat Eskimo and a French Canadian/Cree. Her Eskimo name is Goodiarook, which means "someone who dropped." Her nickname is Peanut and she is 5' 1/2" tall
Career
Irene Bedard's first role was as Mary Crow Dog in the television production Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee, which depicted the 1970s standoff between police and Native Americans at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. She is probably best known as the voice of the main character in the Disney animated film Pocahontas and its direct-to-video sequel Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World. Bedard was also the physical model for the character. She appeared in a different take of the story in the 2005 film The New World, as Pocahontas' mother whose name was Nonoma Winanuske Matatiske. Bedard attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA where she studied Musical Theatre.
In 2005, she was cast in the television mini-series Into the West, portraying the half-Lakota, half-white adult Margaret "Light Shines" Wheeler.
Irene Bedard is known for bringing a powerful emotional presence to her characters. She was chosen as one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People for 1995.
Personal life
She married singer Denny Wilson in 1993. Their son, Quinn Wilson, was born in 2003. In 2010, Bedard left Wilson, alleging physical, sexual, and mental abuse, and fled to Alaska. A letter written by Bedard's niece, Alia Davis, alleged that during their marriage, Wilson maintained control over Bedard's career, and that his abuse had cost her multiple jobs, as she could not work with visible bruises. Wilson responded by filing 49 motions in Greene County, Ohio, forcing Bedard to return to the state and relinquish her son to Wilson's custody. An article on the Native Spirit PR & Entertainment website requests that fans of Bedard and those concerned for her welfare assist her by writing letters to Ohio and Alaska representatives, requesting that her son be returned to her custody, and that the court venue be transferred to Alaska. Bedard is also requesting financial assistance to assist with legal costs, alleging that Wilson still maintains control of her finances and image.
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
1995 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV | Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee | Nominated |
Western Heritage Awards | Bronze Wrangler - Television Feature Film | Won | ||
1999 | Two for Texas | Won | ||
2004 | American Indian LA Film and TV Awards | Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film | Greasewood Flat | Won |
2006 | NAMIC Vision Awards | Best Dramatic Performance | Into the West | Won |
Western Heritage Awards | Bronze Wrangler - Television Feature Film | Won |
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1994 | Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee | Mary Crow Dog | TV movie |
Squanto: A Warrior's Tale | Nakooma | ||
1995 | The Marshal | Melissa Carey | 1 episode: "Twoslip" |
Pocahontas | Pocahontas | (voice) | |
1996 | Grand Avenue | Reyna | TV movies |
Crazy Horse | Black Buffalo Woman | ||
Adventures from the Book of Virtues | Morning Light | (voice); 1 episode: "Honesty" | |
The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest | Alice Starseer | 2 episodes: "Return of the Anasazi"; "Trouble on the Colorado" | |
Navajo Blues | Audrey Wyako | ||
1997 | Song of Hiawatha | Minnehaha | |
Profiler | Maddy Duvall | 1 episode: "The Sorceror's Apprentice" | |
Det store flip | Oglala | AKA, Wild Flowers | |
True Women | Tobe | TV movie | |
1998 | 6/29 | Laura Cooper | |
Naturally Native | Tanya Lewis | ||
Smoke Signals | Suzy Song | ||
Two for Texas | Sana | TV movie | |
Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World | Pocahontas | Direct-to-video; (voice) | |
12 Bucks | Babe | ||
1999 | Blood Money | Naomi Lister | TV movie |
Wildflowers | Ruby | ||
Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles | General Miriam Redwing | (voice); 4 episodes (1999–2001) | |
2000 | Pussykat | ||
The Lost Child | Grace | TV movie | |
2001 | Your Guardian | Katherine 'Kat' Damon | |
The Outer Limits | Callie Whitehorse Landau | 1 episode: "In the Blood" | |
The Agency | Diah Siagian | 1 episode: "The Year of Living Dangerously" | |
2003 | Paris | Sandy | |
Greasewood Flat | Abbey | ||
Edge of America | Annie Shorty | TV movie | |
2004 | What's New, Scooby-Doo | Cody Long | (voice); 1 episode: "New Mexico, Old Monster" |
2005 | Planting Melvin | Billie Lawrence | |
Higglytown Heroes | Forest Ranger Hero | (voice); 1 episode: "Fran Takes a Hike/Mystery at Kip's House" | |
Into the West | Margaret Light Shines | 3 episodes: "Hell on Wheels"; "Casualties of War"; "Ghost Dance" | |
Miracle at Sage Creek | Sunny | ||
Love's Long Journey | Miriam Red Hawk McClain | TV movie | |
The New World | Pocahontas' Mother (Nonoma) | ||
2007 | Cosmic Radio | K.C. | |
Tortilla Haven | Liberata | ||
The Red Chalk | Eve | ||
2008 | Turok: Son of Stone | Catori | (voice); Direct-to-video |
The Spectacular Spider-Man | Jean DeWolff | (voice); 4 episodes (2008–2009) | |
2011 | Timberwolf | Eleni | Pre-Production |
http://www.imdb.com
http://en.wikipedia.org
My Christmas book, An Angel Remembers 25 Voices of Christmas is out!!
You can find for all formats at
For the Nook at
It soon will be up at other sites such as Amazon
No comments:
Post a Comment