Wesley "Wes" Studi (born December 17, 1947) is a U.S. actor of Native American descent.
Born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Studi was schooled at Chilocco Indian Boarding School in Northern Oklahoma. Until he attended grade school, he spoke only Cherokee. In 1967, he was drafted into the Army and served 18 months in Vietnam. After his discharge, Studi studied at Tulsa Junior College.
Studi won a Western Heritage Award (shared with cast and crew) in 1994 for Geronimo: An American Legend
He is best known for his roles as both brave and vicious Indians, such as the Pawnee warrior in Dances with Wolves and Magua in The Last of the Mohicans (1992). A year later, he was casted with Eric Schweig again for TNT's telefilm The Broken Chain which was shot in Virginia. In 2002, Studi brought to life the legendary Tony Hillerman character Lt. Joe Leaphorn, for a series of PBS movies produced by Robert Redford.
In 2005, he portrayed a character inspired by the Powhatan warrior Opechancanough in The New World, a 2005 Academy Award-nominated film directed by Terrence Malick, and starring Colin Farrell. The historical adventure is set during the founding of the Jamestown, Virginia settlement and includes other characters inspired by historical figures, notably Captain John Smith (Farrell) and Pocahontas. Much of the film was shot at locations in James City County and Charles City County, not far from where the first permanent English colony in the New World was established at Jamestown beginning on May 14, 1607.
In addition to acting, Studi is a stone carver, an author of two children's books, and plays bass in a local band.
