E: This was a part of the thing that didn't get developed properly. MOHICANS My mother died of alcoholism and she was homeless as well. You need an Indian to play an Indian and you need a Frenchman to play a Frenchman if you want a realistic looking movie. There is no question that the American Indians have been one of the most mistreated peoples in history, certainly on this continent. All they want to do is restrict native roles to native people. MP: That's true. SOUNDTRACK || Nobody gives a Interview with Eric: All of this info came from an interview (my interview form) on May 2nd 2000. celebrity. Certainly, we have a new found appreciation for interviewers! ES: Yeah, but I understand the reason why. Was she on the set all the time? [laughs] There could have been a few more women. He exhibits a fine sense of humor. And I get with her. We had a love scene that was cut out. [Laughs] In case people liked ours better! Interviewing is something we hadn't done Did you feel close? But that was a superb scene! But I did a thing recently called Broken Chain, and I'll use that as a reference. All they had to do was put at the end of the movie, " All these characters are based on fiction". have been because they had aged so much and the paint had flaked off. it was aged down, but we just took a shot at it and it turned out wicked. We were in Columbus, Georgia for about a month. I: And you were out there for five months in the Smoky Mountains what was it like? You know what? ES: Yeah, all up and down there; all over here. Eric Schweig was originally born as Ray Dean Thresher, in Inuvik, Northwest Territories on June . I love jamming. Yeah, I love playing blues. ES: Let me think about that. Gees, about time!!! I've been around horses. It was like puppy love basically, this love scene they cut out. it to them. ignorance. I had read up on it a little bit and I told him what had happened, what was going on, and naturally, he knew. You've given a positive image of a Native American. It's scheduled for June in North Carolina. find your voice, man, you can't shut up! E: Something like that. MP: And if the opportunity arose, and it was a role you liked, would you work with him again? People in New Zealand are getting this program but people in Seattle can't watch it. I teach them and they teach me. I: Firstly, I have to say that I enjoyed your role in Mohicans very much and I thought the film was excellent! to see that kind of ugliness but it's the truth. Eric Schweig is a Canadian actor of mixed Inuvialuk, Chippewa-Dene and German heritage. A lot of people said, "Why were you running up the hill when you hardly exchange a glance with the girl". He is of mixed race ( Inuvialuk, Chippewa - Dene and German). and I get with her and we start scrapping about this and that and he shoots me dead. MENUS! He was in good humor throughout. I also am an adult survivor of abuse by my adoptive parents. Go To The MOHICAN PRESS BOOK SHOPPE, For More Mohican Musings, Use The MOHICAN MUSINGS INDEX. And their dogs too. No one really knows, it should have gone in there Hopefully, it will be on the extended version when it's on video. Would it be accurate to say you're attracted to the arts in general? MP: What did you think of her being there? I: Uncas comes over as the strong and silent character (minus the huge amount of dialogue), but the terrific expressions that you have throughout the film speak for you. MP: The problem, then, is if all an Indian actor can get cast as is something like that.. that's definitely a problem. The effect of the battle between you and Magua was very dramatic. Actually, the same school that had kicked them out, that couldn't handle them, were phoning them back and saying "How do we start this multi-culturalism in our school?" what makes it fun to watch. Schweig plays Andy Fraser, the chief of the fictional Blackstone First Nations tribe alongside an award-winning ensemble cast that includes Gemini winning actor Michelle Thrush, Gemini nominee Carmen Moore and others. . You see a lot of people, like I was telling Gail the other day, you see the PMRC , the Parents Music Resource Center, and Tipper Gore and her butt head husband and they're running around bands like Marilyn Manson, and they're banning them from They promote it. So we can .. now we have them. ES: No, not really. We went down to Columbus, Ga., for a month and trained in this anti-terrorist camp. We hung out with him a lot. MP: Did you get closer to Jodhi May would you say, than to say, Madeleine Stowe? Eric Schweig was born in Inuvik, Canada, on 19 June 1967. Or was it a sex scene? MP: I understand you worked with horses in that film. They made me dive from one canoe to another. And, if there should be any activism it should be to talk to kids you see, if you're going to solve a lot of the problems within the Indian community, as far as civil So what was it like to work with Michael Mann? I lived in Toronto, which is right next to the Six Nations reserve. It's pretty good. you see a lot of them come out of their It is fun because you can do morally reprehensible shit and get away with it. We were particularly struck by his comments pertaining to children which seemed Vincent Schilling, Akwesasne Mohawk, is the associate editor and senior correspondent at Indian Country Today who enjoys creating media, technology, comics, and movies. We're curious about Jodhi May's mother. effects - without our expressed, written permission, constitutes copyright He's pretty intense. I: What kind of qualities do you think they were looking for, that maybe you had that other people didn't? Yeah, probably the Magua scrap was my favorite. Was that difficult to achieve? Of course then he will do something that is sweet and redeeming. It's sort of, if you think about it, it kind of leaves the audience going, "How did all these guys just dump you off and you're there. MP: Uncas. [laughs] I don't know what And he has a niece who gets murdered in the city and the police hire him to come to the city to help out. Some people don't know whether to love him or hate him. There are a couple of words we just couldn't make out, indicated by a [??] Do you enjoy the stage? It's pretty cool, and that's part of the whole process. like that. It's going to be released here so just brace yourself. ES: Yeah, it's the same way. Although at one point they wanted to shave everybody's hair off. So, by the time Mostly it was an hour and a half long sprint! It could have been developed more. MP: I hate to tell you this but it's supposed to be released over here, real soon, in English. He was in good humor throughout. If that's all you can get then, yeah, that's a problem. But they didn't want to shave his hair, so they gave into us. Was the fort built for the film? with us. Or do you instead allow your own mood, your color preferences .. that sort of thing, to blend with tradition and then the result being a unique ES: No, not when I was there. I: Do you think it's promoting your career in the way you would like it to? I encourage kids to do this now. Would it be as you just described .. to retake possession of them? RM F6H5NG - Jan 14, 2002; Hollywood, CA, USA; ERIC SCHWEIG (left) as Rudy Yellow Lodge and GRAHAM GREENE as Mogie Yellow Lodge in the crime drama ''Skins'' directed by Chris Eyre. infringement! E: Yes, but I got restless. Copyright ? What was your relationship like with those two actors? trains action stars in the use of different tactical weapons. MP: What was your favorite scene in the movie? So, it's sort of a moot point but regardless of the fact of whether it's art or not, it does have an impact on people .. on kids and their perception of He is a film critic and writes the #NativeNerd column. ES: No. I don't know what either one of them is doing. We wish him a lot of success in all his endeavors and thank him for taking the time to speak MP: Were they downplaying the Uncas/Alice relationship? of the interview, we felt comfortable with him, and he with us. I've been doing this for 25 years now. Hollywood for many years, echoed public perception and stereotyped the culture. infringement! He's extremely Even Daniel did. MP: Was it a pleasant experience then, to be filming in the area? Besides that, North Carolina is Have you seen the movie? Yeah, you know, I am a good guy. it pure business, more or less? The battle scenes were spectacular! I see a lot of people who look all over the place for answers, except inside themselves. Because, since that is their national sport, the Mohawks, and it has been for hundreds of years, they should've focused on that and made a REALLY big deal out of it. That's not to say we weren't ES: I like playing bad guys. ES: Hmmm . Well, not . not really. ES: Well, you know, it's a period piece. HISTORY || You can find some of his films, including his two favorites, "Tom and Huck" and "Pontiac Moon", listed There were guys from all over the place. First, how were you chosen for the role of Uncas? It's there with each of these kids, though, and they'll carry that with them. They would have liked to have seen that scene kept in or at least the relationship more developed, alongside Hawkeye and Cora's. We, and certainly your fans, appreciate it. MP: Is that the movie with a band of Cheyenne Dog Soldiers hidden out in the mountains somewhere in modern times? It was probably him. The following interview with Eric Schweig was conducted, via telephone, on February 1 and 2, 1998. Titel: 500 Nations - Die Geschichte der Indianer - Staffel 0 Folge 3 : Episode 3; Luftdatum: Renommierte Gste: Fernsehsender: CBS. MP: Compared to other directors you've worked with since Michael Mann, how does he fit in to the over all mold of the other directors? With films like Dances With Wolves, The Last Of The Mohicans and a host of lesser films casting American Indians in real-life roles And, while we're at it, should Braveheart be criticized because it portrays savage-like Scots of the 13th & 14th centuries rather than present-day Scotland? In fact, he stayed at that, not a chateau What's the name of that ES: Oh yeah! We don't have the numbers; we represent less than 5% of the total population in North America. You know. psychopaths running around. MP: The diverse cast - a microcosm of the French and Indian War, really - must have made things interesting on the set. But it's good for them because they have so much to offer, these kids, and some of That's why they cut that love scene out. Obviously, one of the only ways to do that, since there's not too many opportunities in Hollywood or the whole industry in general . you have to sort of start making your own For those who have missed it, requested it, or just now found it, we place it here again. I don't It will be cool because it will be the first time I'll be on a set and.. abstaining. MP: Then this must be a source of satisfaction for you. to work with them? In COLOR! MP: The concept of art for art's sake is somewhere in there, but what is your main objective in recreating the spirit masks? and.. of course they're not gonna care and they're gonna forget everything. So, anything contemporary, it doesn't matter. ES: Yeah. You know, bad things happened to me and I left home. and I did bad things. That's no lie either. I had more fun in that one month than I did in principal photography! ES: Yeah, Asheville's really nice. Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe were THE couple so they couldn't take away from them because that was the main interest. Each mask represented various animals and they contained a lot before it was a tad more difficult than we'd anticipated. If there's any kind of panic, it started at the top with the producers. EARLY want them to live like I lived from. you know. when I was drunk for 10 years.. Because it's ugly and it's not us. I've always been into that, ever since I was a kid. He is not an enemy, but Hawkeye's half-brother, Uncas (Eric Schweig), likewise armed with a musket. the answers, and everybody does that well, basically as human beings we know the difference between right and wrong. ES: Oh You know, I can't remember. I: Yes, it does. I said "You know what? It's a shame we [Indian actors] haven't been given the opportunity to well, you know, Wes is doing really good. in Deep Rising. He'd rap with the extras and . anybody who was around. For some, those are scenes that evoke a sense of the times more than any other .. they really hit you. The more the merrier. So, should we start a letter writing campaign? You seem to be down on period pieces because they cast Indians in loin cloths and stuff like that. ES: Yeah, they couldn't have two different love stories going on at once. You downgrade, or downplay, other situations in a movie in order to boost you know, like it or not Madeleine Stowe and Daniel Day-Lewis were the stars in that and that's what That How would you describe him as an actor? GATHERINGS || He was one of the leaders of the 70-day siege at Wounded Knee in 1973, an incident which arose out of an AIM dispute with federal and tribal authorities. ES: Yeah, start sending out pamphlets to customs [Laughs], just to tell them . MP: Okay. The following interview - apparently from late 1992 - appeared in the pages of Trail Dust magazine. ES: Yeah. You know Wes Studi's got his own film company and he's doing . [Wardancer Film Group] We're working on it. That would've been really cool if they'd have done that. And try to teach them to watch out for the warning signs. I: How did you get on with the rest of the cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Jodhi May and Russell Means? Why they go stir crazy and they forget . and they loose their memories? I: Now to the slew of questions! Did you ever get a feeling of really being in that Yeah, they cut that out, they must have. But there was some kind of beef with the production company and the North Carolina tourism division. They were troubled kids. E: Yes, we all did, but I like to do as many stunts as I can, except falling off the cliff, of course! We got along with him. I didn't think it would make this much money! ES: Well, that's hard to say because mostly all I did was run. Eric Schweig (born Ray Dean Thrasher; 19 June 1967 [1]) is an Indigenous Canadian actor best known for his role as Chingachgook 's son Uncas in The Last of the Mohicans (1992). But, you don't see you know what you don't see? And if he could magnify that with a damned megaphone, he was happy as hell. MP: Any plans of showcasing them, or giving them their day in the sun? Eric Schweig The Missing Interview - YouTube 0:00 / 2:10 Eric Schweig The Missing Interview Ogichidaawi 414 subscribers 174K views 14 years ago Eric Schweig interview from The. I'm not an Indian actor. Available - Free Downloads Only! I get to wear my hair in braids, a black bolero hat and chaps, and I get to ride! MP: Where as a well made period piece, showing history as realistically as can be, is good. They don't have anybody to talk to and nobody to listen to them. Eric is certainly a personable, well-spoken & easy-to-talk-to person. If you want to turn things around, maybe children are where you need to do it. STOREFRONT || Lots of it, and we have to control it. It looks like this interview was written very tongue in cheek, so don't take everything too seriously. Our intent is not to criticize or alienate, rather to wonder why? A third manolder, earringed and wearing an indigo shirtappears to be after the two younger men, who pause to scope the object of their pursuit. COLLECTIBLES || Yeah, you know, just like locusts. MP: As a follow-up to that many people who have seen the movie have been inspired to learn more about the period. Not to portray these times would be to "twist" history. Okay, you recently turned your attention to yet another craft; wood carving. It's so big. MP: Okay. MP: Okay.. again, regarding art.. a strong quality of any artist's work is the individuality of their creations. I love. They could either. because they'll wind up either dead or in jail. They scratched the money together and made T-shirts. MENUS! I think a lot of them are. STUDIO: 20th Century Fox. ES: Yeah. It's not a monumental, you know, a paradigm change, but it effects them. it's getting much better here. E: Michael Mann was running around behind everyone in the editing room making them do it shouting, "What are you doing?". And it seems to me, we could have been more of a family unit. Deidre phoned me up and told me . it's a contemporary thing where I play a sheriff. I don't think. He said it's kind of a double Madeleine Stowe. We hope this helps you to know him as he is MOHICAN PRESS: We've read many bits and pieces of information, in print and on the Internet, by people who claim they know who you are. MP: Are the original masks, the ones you are recreating are they in museums in Russia? I thought it would stink! Either your adopted or your natural family? I: Well, obviously you did most of all the work yourself, but did you have a stunt person? ES: Yeah.it's a.. yeah. So, gradually it will get better and .. we won't be so misunderstood and maligned. A GUEST AT THE GREAT MOHICAN GATHERING OF 1999. We actually talked them out of that! And I'm waiting to see if I can get the role of Joseph Stone, a cop who's been to Lebanon and all that. MP: Well, would that be something you would consider? Was that ever filmed? think I'd hesitate. in place of the word. MP: You know, in some ways though, contemporary pieces are worse because they're filled with all sorts of horrors and things that wouldn't happen in a million years. I: When you go down to L. A., do you mix in with the other actors or stay to yourself? Suddenly, surprisingly, Alice gives a look to her sister and jumps off after him. And you take care of yourself Whew! I: Well, that explains that! MP: That's about a hundred years or so. MP: I know you've had experience framing houses. couple of days we had it down to 20 or 30 seconds. By the way, you did a play called The Cradle Will Fall. They were the two stars so they couldn't take the focus off of them. 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