Wes Studi

Wes Studi got a relatively late start as a film star. He was about 44 when he landed his first movie. Prior to that career move, the Native American performer had compiled a list of real-life credits that included soldier, reporter and activist. He has gone on to log an array of film appearances in a variety of genres.

Studi was born Wesley Studie---a full-blooded Cherokee---in rural Oklahoma. He was the eldest son of a ranch hand and a housekeeper and was later educated at an Indian boarding school. Here he got an early taste of the way Native Americans were often treated off the reservation. As a boy, Studi and his friends would venture to nearby towns, where "all...