By Stephanie Froese

Hollywood actor inspires Lac La Ronge youth

Oct 6, 2011 | 7:17 AM

The movie Cowboys & Aliens is the latest claim-to-fame for actor Adam Beach.

His character Nat Colorado is basically the right hand man of Woodrow Dolarhyd, played by Harrison Ford.

Now that he’s making waves in Hollywood, the Canadian Salteaux actor has quite a tale to tell about growing up on Dog Creek First Nation at Lake Manitoba.

When he was eight years old his pregnant mother was killed by a drunk driver. Weeks later his alcoholic father drowned. Beach and his three brothers eventually went to live in Winnipeg, where he got the acting bug from a high school drama class.

Beach, for the second year in a row, is taking the message of his journey and positive outcomes to the Lac La Ronge Indian Band.

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David Crane, community development with the Lac La Ronge Indian Band Health Services, organized the tour last year.

“Adam is a well-known actor and the people see him on a number of movies that went quite big time and he did his motivational speech at all our communities at the Lac La Ronge Indian Band.”

Beach really made an impact on the younger generation on what they could do if they apply their talents, Crane said.

“A lot of people wanted to be like him. Some of the youth were really working on their talent and I noticed after that we had a few of these little talent show things and a lot of them actually came out and started singing,” he said.

“These are some of the children that normally don’t say anything or they’re too shy to express themselves.”

Crane said he is excited to have Beach come and speak again.

“I tried to bring some of these events to my community, so that these children and families who normally miss out on these opportunities have a chance to go.”

Beach will be at the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre on Thursday starting with supper at 3:30 p.m. and finishing with a talent Showcase at 8:45 p.m.

Before this scheduled event Beach will be appearing at a youth conference at Senator Myles Venne School in La Ronge.

sfroese@panow.com