The Show
New episodes every month
We’re living through an explosion of Indigenous film & TV.
Reservation Dogs. Rutherford Falls. Prey. Beans. There’s even an Uncle and Auntie thriving in The Last of Us apocalypse.
We wanted a podcast where Indigenous actors could share what it was like to bring these shows to life and talk about their journeys on- and off-screen… but we couldn’t find one.
From the belly of “Hollywood North”* comes Actors & Ancestors – a new film and TV podcast made specifically for Indigenous actors!
Every month on the show, host and creator Joel D. Montgrand makes space for other Indigenous actors to tell their own stories on their own terms, laugh out loud, and offer their advice to industry hopefuls.
With guests like Kali Reis (True Detective) and D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (Reservation Dogs), this show aims to support Indigenous actors and inspire industry change while uplifting communities across Turtle Island and beyond.
*unceded and stolen xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territories.
It’s time to roll out the Red Red Carpet for Actors & Ancestors! Available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your shows.
Supported by the Indigenous Screen Office
Why does Actors & Ancestors exist?
In a world where representation often comes in the form of harmful tropes and stereotypes or racist sports mascots, Indigenous people bringing fresh narratives to life deserve the spotlight.
Here’s where Actors & Ancestors comes in.
There is no other dedicated podcast where Indigenous actors get to talk to each other about their struggles, their triumphs, or how they made it to the screen.
With his signature wit and candour, Joel D. Montgrand sits down with a different Indigenous actor every episode to learn about their stories and their perspectives on the industry.
Every actor has a great story to tell so get ready for engaging conversations that tackle topics from “pretendians”, what it means to be an Indigenous celebrity, and systemic racism in the industry to lighthearted chats about nicknames, peanut butter, and embarrassing first times on stage.
On Actors & Ancestors we’ll discuss what inspires these actors to do their work (and do it well!), and laugh about their experiences on and off set. You will leave each episode feeling inspired and excited for the future of Indigenous entertainment.