The FX series Reservation Dogs, created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, follows a group of four Indigenous teens from Oklahoma on their mission to save enough money to move to California. The series also takes time to look at the lives of the other inhabitants of their hometown.
The cast of Reservation Dogs is full of impressive performances from both the main cast and supporting cast members. Their performances have gone on to land them roles in future projects like Devery Jacobs’ future role in Marvel’s upcoming Echo series. But Jacobs isn't the only actor from Reservation Dogs who has turned in a great performance.
10 Lane Factor Provides Comic Relief As Cheese
Cheese is the staple comic relief character in the core four, and Lane Factor captures his vibe perfectly. Cheese tends to settle into the background of scenes, except for one episode in the middle of the season and the final episode where all four of the main characters come together to tie up their arcs.
Factor’s comic relief balances the drama of other performances perfectly. He especially shines in his episode alongside Zahn McClarnon, and fans to hope to see more of him in Season 2.
9 Dallas Goldtooth Is Hilarious As William Knifeman
Dallas Goldtooth brings humor to the table as the spirit of a deceased Indigenous warrior named William Knifeman that only Bear can see. Following Bear from the first episode to the last, William Knifeman tells Bear of his death at the Battle of Little Bighorn where his horse hit a gopher hole and squashed him, and now he travels through the spirit world giving guidance to lost souls. William Knifeman provides Bear with (usually good) advice through a comedic delivery thanks to Dallas Goldtooth’s hilarious performance.
8 Sarah Podemski Is A Great Mother As Rita Smallhill
Sarah Podemski plays Bear’s mother, Rita Smallhill. While she only appears in a few episodes, Podemski makes excellent use of the time on screen that she has. When Bear’s father leaves him hanging for the umpteenth time, Rita is there for him in the best way a mother can be, and shares an emotional moment in the car with her son.
There’s also a fantastic scene where three Rita's (a good one, an evil one, and the real one) converse in her workplace’s bathroom over what to do about Bear’s father, showing off Podemski’s acting range. Podemski, who also appears in Resident Alien, brings an emotional weight to the role.
7 Kanietiio Horn Is Unforgettable As The Eerie Deer Lady
While Kanietiio Horn only appears in one episode of Reservation Dogs, her performance as The Deer Lady, a beautiful woman with the feet of a deer, is incredibly memorable. She appears in Officer Big’s flashback and tells him at his grandmother’s funeral that she kills “bad men.”
Kanietiio Horn gives off an ethereal and strong vibe in all of her performances, from Letterkenny to her small role in the Brandon Cronenberg horror film Possessor, and it makes her character as The Deer Lady in Reservation Dogs perfect for her one-episode arc.
6 Zahn McClarnon Plays Officer Big As A Fatherly Figure
Officer Big is a relaxed police officer who cares deeply about the fictional town where he is the sole officer. Played by Zahn McClarnon, Officer Big is first seen entirely missing the main cast stealing a truck full of potato chips because he’s watching a video about JFK.
Zahn McClarnon uses his fatherly vibe throughout the show to make viewers see him more as a parental figure rather than an authority figure, which is uncommon in police characters and makes him one that viewers will be excited to see return for Season 2.
5 Jon Proudstar Makes Viewers Laugh And Tear Up As Leon
Sharing the impressive “Hunting” episode with Paulina Alexis, Jon Proudstar plays Willie Jack's father, Leon. The episode is filled with emotion, but also humor in the form of the pair searching the woods for trail cameras, as well as a deer that Willie Jack and Daniel witnessed years ago that he dubbed “chunk” due to its impressive size.
Proudstar shows his range as both a comedic and dramatic actor in each of the four episodes he appears in, but he shines brightest in “Hunting” as does his episode co-star, Paulina Alexis.
4 Gary Farmer Puts On A Memorable Performance As Uncle Brownie
While Gary Farmer only appears in two episodes in Season 1, his appearances as Elora’s “Uncle” Brownie are some of the most memorable of the entire season. Uncle Brownie is an eccentric older man who lives alone in a cabin, away from most human contact.
With the help of Elora, her friends, and a deer carcass they find on the road, he returns to town and makes amends with old friends whose relationships he hurt in the past. Uncle Brownie returns at the end of the season to warn everyone of a tornado, which he knows is coming because of his trembling hand, and promises to fight it off from the roof of a house.
3 D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai Shows His Talent As Bear Smallhill
Bear Smallhill, the other half of the "leaders" of the core four, is played by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai. Throughout the season, Bear is working hard to save money for their move to California, but struggles with his ties to his hometown.
Woon-A-Tai does an excellent job of portraying his tight relationship with his mother, played by Sarah Podemski, and his complicated relationship with his estranged rapper father, played by Sten Joddi. Bear is a narrative foil to Elora, and Woon-A-Tai’s performance especially shines whenever he acts against co-star Devery Jacobs.
2 Paulina Alexis Shines As Willie Jack
Willie Jack, played by Paulina Alexis, is one of the core four cast members in Reservation Dogs. Paulina Alexis plays a usually quiet teenager in a standout performance that especially shines in her episode “Hunting,” alongside Jon Proudstar, who plays her father.
Alexis’ character is often quiet, but she keeps Willie Jack balanced with occasional fire when she and her friends are threatened by a rival group of friends known as the “NDN Mafia." For many fans of the show, Paulina Alexis is the stand-out actor of the series.
1 Devery Jacobs Is The Star Of The Show As Elora Danan Postoak
Devery Jacobs plays Elora Danan Postoak, one of the “leaders” of the core four. Elora was close with the former fifth member of the group, Daniel, who passed away. Jacobs gives an incredibly emotional performance in her episode, “California Dreamin’,” alongside Bill Burr, who plays Elora’s former basketball coach and driving test examiner.
Jacobs’ performance is full of nuance as she plays a teenager experiencing fresh grief for her friend Daniel and also old grief for her mother who she lost when she was a child. Her character experiences tremendous growth throughout the series with an excellent ending, and it comes through expertly thanks to Jacobs’ performance.