Sheila Tousey

Sheila May Tousey (born June 4, 1960) is a Native American actress.

Sheila Tousey
Born
Sheila May Tousey

(1960-06-04) June 4, 1960
Keshena, Wisconsin, U.S.
EducationUniversity of New Mexico, Albuquerque (BA)
New York University (MFA)
OccupationActress
Years active1992–present

Biography

Born in Keshena, Wisconsin in 1960, Tousey is a stage and film actress of Menominee and Stockbridge-Munsee descent. She was raised on both Menominee and Stockbridge-Munsee reservations. Tousey began dancing as a small child.[1]

She did not perform on stage until she attended Albuquerque's University of New Mexico. She initially entered the university's law program, planning to specialize in federal contracts and Native American law, but later changed her major to English. At the time, she started taking theater arts courses. After graduating, Tousey enrolled in the graduate acting program at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She directed her first play, An Evening at the Warbonnet, at the University of New Mexico in 1994.[2]

Tousey has become a professional dancer and actress. Her first movie role was in Thunderheart (1992), and she appeared in Medicine River that same year.[3] Her succeeding roles have been in a variety of characters, including appearances on Law & Order. Beginning in 2002, she has appeared in four movies adapted from Tony Hillerman mystery novels, which feature American Indians of the Southwest.[4]

Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1992 Thunderheart Maggie Eagle Bear
1993 Medicine River Louise Heavyman
Slaughter of the Innocents Agent Lemar
1994 Silent Tongue Awbonnie/Ghost
1995 Lord of Illusions Jennifer Desiderio
1996 Grand Avenue Mollie
1997 Song of Hiawatha Nokomis
Sparkler Hurricane
1999 Ravenous Martha
Wildflowers Martha
2000 Backroads Grace Nelson
The Other Side Edna
2001 Two Grey Hills Nellie Begay
2002 Skinwalkers Emma Leaphorn
2003 Dreamkeeper Janine
Coyote Waits Emma Leaphorn
2004 A Thief of Time Emma Leaphorn
2005 Johnny Tootall Agnes
Into the West Older Thunder Heart Woman
Christmas in the Clouds Mary

References
  1. "Sheila Tousey". Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians. Mohican Nation. Archived from the original on 28 April 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  2. Pond, Roscoe (December 4, 2003). "From Hollywood, Tracking Actress Sheila Tousey". Indian Country Today. ICT Media Network. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  3. Aleiss, Angela (2005). Making the White Man's Indian: Native Americans and Hollywood Movies. Westport, CT: Praeger Press. p. 156.
  4. "Sheila Tousey". National Museum of the American Indian. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
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