OKLAHOMA CITY — The set of “Reservation Dogs” was like a “cookout” with family, cast members said Saturday during a panel discussion at IndigiPopX in Oklahoma City.
Sten Joddi, who plays Bear’s father, Punkin’ Lusty, told the story of his favorite moment on set.
“My favorite moment was the day that we filmed the music video for ‘Greasy Fry Bread.’ ... The aunties were all there, and everybody was talking about directions for the stage, and the aunties just randomly started singing a Muscogee hymn together. And in that moment, the whole room just fell silent, and we were all just in that moment together.”
Jon ProudStar, who played Leon, Willie Jack’s dad, said the set always felt like a “cookout,” like it was just the “aunties and uncles getting together.”
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“I think I’m going to be spoiled now,” said Lane Factor. “I still think about the food they served on set.”
Factor said initially he didn’t want to audition for the show, but his mom made him, promising him McDonald’s afterward, and even though he never got the McDonald’s, he’s glad he did and got the part of Cheese.
Nathalie Standingcloud, who played one of the aunties, Natalie, said the set was always “loud, with laughing and talking in the background, but when the camera was rolling and a scene was filmed it was dead silent, until the scene was over, and it would just go back to chit chat again.”
Standingcloud, a tattoo artist at Royal Ink in Tulsa and digital art creator, was selling prints at IPX. Her images of Indigenous PowerPuff Girls represent “the three sisters:” corn, squash and beans, a trio of vegetables sacred to southeastern Indigenous people.
Kaniehtiio Horn, who played Deer Lady, talked about her commitment to the “Reservation Dogs” role. She said in Canada they call their version of deer lady “hoof lady,” and she was honored to play such a meaningful role.
Horn agreed the set was like hanging out with family, adding her role also brought some more serious, somber moments. She noted filming a specific scene that made even people behind the camera become teary-eyed.
Also on Saturday during IPX, the Cherokee Youth Choir dedicated a performance in the Cherokee language to a 16-year-old who died by suicide after a fight at Owasso High School.
“We are going to this grand celebration in honor of Nex Benedict,” Faithlynn Taloa Seawright said. Silence fell over the crowd as the twospirit Miss Indian Oklahoma and former Chickasaw Princess honored Benedict, of Choctaw descent.
“We come here because this is a safe place for us to just be who we are — nerdy, weirdos — I know I’m describing myself at this moment, but I’m sure some of you can agree,” Seawright said.
“Indigenous lifestyle is not limited to our ancestors. We take it on and give it new life in our iconography, in the costumes that we cosplay, in comic books and movies, so don’t let anything stop you,” she said.
The First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City hosted hundreds of guests for the second year IPX was held in Oklahoma, following events in Denver, Albuquerque and Australia.