Five years ago, Canadian actor D害羞草研究所橮haraoh Woon-A-Tai never would害羞草研究所檝e expected to see a series like 害羞草研究所淩eservation Dogs害羞草研究所� south of the border.

But with it and several other Indigenous-led projects finally getting bigger platforms in the United States, change is afoot when it comes to such mainstream Hollywood representation, he says.

The 19-year-old, who grew up in Toronto and is of Oji-Cree, Anishinaabe and Guyanese descent, stars in the buzzy half-hour FX comedy as one of four Indigenous teens in rural Oklahoma mourning the death of a friend and resorting to petty crime to fund a getaway to California.

An Indigenous team including Oscar-winning 害羞草研究所淛ojo Rabbit害羞草研究所� filmmaker Taika Waititi and writer-producer Sterlin Harjo created the show, which debuts Wednesday on the Star section of Disney Plus in Canada. It premiered on Hulu in the United States in early August.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins and Emmy-nominated actor-screenwriter Mindy Kaling are among those who害羞草研究所檝e tweeted raves about the series, in which every writer, director and main cast member is Indigenous.

害羞草研究所淔ive years ago this would be not even rare 害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檇 be impossible,害羞草研究所� Woon-A-Tai said in a recent phone interview.

害羞草研究所淏ut now I think that害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所� definitely going to change.害羞草研究所�

Woon-A-Tai noted the series comes a few months after the Peacock streaming service debuted 害羞草研究所淩utherford Falls,害羞草研究所� which touts the largest Indigenous writing staff for an American TV show and stars another Toronto-based actor, Plains Cree performer Michael Greyeyes.

Then there害羞草研究所檚 Harjo害羞草研究所檚 upcoming Indigenous basketball film for Netflix, 害羞草研究所淩ez Ball,害羞草研究所� which he co-wrote with Navajo filmmaker Sydney Freeland, who is directing.

With so many Indigenous projects coming out, the word 害羞草研究所渞are害羞草研究所� won害羞草研究所檛 be attached to such shows in the future, Woon-A-Tai said.

害羞草研究所淚 feel like that害羞草研究所檚 going to be the normal thing, eventually. I害羞草研究所檓 so happy and proud to be a part of one of the first few projects to start that.害羞草研究所�

Of course, such representation isn害羞草研究所檛 new in Canada, where the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network has given a major national platform to Indigenous-led series for many years. Examples include 害羞草研究所淢occasin Flats,害羞草研究所� which also aired on Showcase Television, and 害羞草研究所淢ohawk Girls,害羞草研究所� which also aired on the CBC.

As it turns out, several actors from this side of the border are also in 害羞草研究所淩eservation Dogs,害羞草研究所� which was filmed and set in Okmulgee, Okla., and features characters of Muscogee Creek and Seminole Creek heritage.

Other homegrown performers include Devery Jacobs and Paulina Alexis, who co-star as two members of the friend group; Sarah Podemski, who plays the mother to Woon-A-Tai害羞草研究所檚 character; and Gary Farmer, who plays Uncle Brownie.

Woon-A-Tai plays Bear Smallhill, whose conscience weighs on him as he and his friends get up to mischief. Lane Factor plays the other member of the friend group.

害羞草研究所淲hen I first met Taika and Sterlin at the audition, at the end of the audition they told me that if Taika and Sterlin had a kid, I would be that kid,害羞草研究所� Woon-A-Tai said with a laugh.

Harjo, who is a member of the Seminole Nation and has Muskogee heritage, used his own upbringing in Oklahoma as inspiration for the story.

Woon-A-Tai said every main character is based on someone from the childhood of either Harjo or Waititi, who is of M膩ori descent. Farmer害羞草研究所檚 character, for instance, is inspired by Harjo害羞草研究所檚 dad, and the late friend was based on someone Harjo knew. But the creators also took inspiration from the actors, adjusting the scripts the more they got to know them.

害羞草研究所淓verything you see inside that show, which may seem ridiculous, it害羞草研究所檚 probably true, it probably happened,害羞草研究所� said Woon-A-Tai, whose mother害羞草研究所檚 family descends from Guyana, while his father害羞草研究所檚 family hails from the isolated Big Trout Lake reserve in northwestern Ontario.

This is Woon-A-Tai害羞草研究所檚 biggest TV role to date, after smaller parts on series including the CBC害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淢urdoch Mysteries害羞草研究所� and APTN害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淭ribal.害羞草研究所� He was also in Tracey Deer害羞草研究所檚 acclaimed 2020 Canadian film 害羞草研究所淏eans,害羞草研究所� which also starred Alexis.

He said he害羞草研究所檚 glad his first foray into comedy is this project, considering 害羞草研究所淚ndigenous communities are just so funny.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淵ou may hear that, but it害羞草研究所檚 very true. We tackle a lot of issues with comedy,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淎 lot of times when you speak to elders in traditional language, they害羞草研究所檒l always be cracking jokes.害羞草研究所�

Woon-A-Tai said he prepared for the role by learning Muscogee Creek words and traditions, and digging into the history of Oklahoma and its Indigenous communities, learning about tragedies including the genocidal forced displacement of tribes known as the Trail of Tears in the 1800s.

Overall, the series 害羞草研究所済ives people a chance to tear down misconceptions with Indigenous folks害羞草研究所� and is 害羞草研究所渘ormalizing害羞草研究所� Indigenous life, said Woon-A-Tai.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 very honoured just to be a part of this project,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭he fact that I get to represent a Nation that I害羞草研究所檓 thousands of miles away from 害羞草研究所� talking to locals, doing it accurately 害羞草研究所� that害羞草研究所檚 what the really important part was for me, because yes, we are all native but we come from very different diverse communities that have different traditions.害羞草研究所�

Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press