D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai on ‘Reservation Dogs’ Finally Getting It Due

Before FX gave us The Bear, it first introduced us to Bear Smallhill, the unofficial leader of a quartet of Native misfits at the heart of FX’s Reservation Dogs. Exuding equal parts warmth and extreme mischievousness, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai is the only actor from the comedy’s three-year run to earn an Emmy nomination — an honor the 21-year-old Oji-Cree First Nations actor isn’t taking for granted. Here, Woon-A-Tai talks about working on the Sterlin Harjo comedy that’s competing for the first time in the Best Comedy category, and how he hopes this won’t be the last time he works on a series that offers a fresh view of Native American Life.

DEADLINE: So where were you when you found out that you had been nominated for the Emmy?
D’PHARAOH WOON-A-TAI: I just got back to LA from visiting friends and family in Oklahoma. I woke up to a notification from my friend Michael, who was like, “Congratulations, next time I’m in LA we have to celebrate.” I had no Idea what he was talking about. I was very confused. He was like, “Man, your Emmy nomination!” It was the best news to wake up to. Actually, that’s how I first found out that I was cast in Reservation Dogs.

DEADLINE: Wait, what?
WOON-A-TAI: My mom woke me up from a deep sleep to tell me I got the job. I was like, “Oh, cool.” And I just fell back asleep. So, my idea is just to sleep and hopefully wake up to good news every single time.

DEADLINE: How much did you and the other Rez Dogs cast members talk about the Emmys?  Did you wonder why the show was overlooked in its first two seasons?
WOON-A-TAI: We’re one of only a few Native shows ever to accomplish what we have accomplished. So even if I wasn’t on the show, I would feel the same way… we were overlooked for both Season 1 and Season 2, which I felt like were amazing. The cast and crew put their hearts into it. It was something that people have never seen before. So yes, we had our little conversations about getting snubbed, but I’m happy the voters are recognizing how great the show was. 

DEADLINE: Did creator Sterlin Harjo warn you ahead of time that Season 3 would be the last? How did that make you feel?
WOON-A-TAI: It’s funny. When we shot the very first episode in Season 1, we all thought this was going to be a limited series. Little did we know that it would be picked up. But by the end of Season 2, Sterlin said it was coming to an end. It was a bittersweet moment, but I accepted it because the writers and directors knew what they were doing. It was beautiful because we weren’t doing it for money. If we were, we would be still on the air. They knew that every story has a beginning, middle and an end. We opened that door for more Native representation on the screen to be presented later. 

DEADLINE: What was that last day on set like? What did you shoot and where were you?
WOON-A-TAI: Tears, just tears. Everybody from the stand-ins to the extras, to the lighting crew… just everybody. I cannot stress it enough. Everybody was crying. The last scene that we shot was the last scene of the series, which was the funeral episode. We really got to show a whole community coming together in Season 3. Everybody who was there the whole time for the past three years came together as one big happy family. And as soon as they said “cut”, there were hugs and tears were all around.

DEADLINE: What an extraordinary experience you had on Reservation Dogs, being surrounded by an all-indigenous cast and crew. That must be so sad to walk away from.
WOON-A-TAI: It really is. But one thing I do know is that if I ever get the chance and opportunity again to be a part of a cast that has a full Native writers’ room, a full Native directors’ room, and a full Native cast, it will turn out the exact same way. When you put a bunch of Native Americans in one room together and give them a camera and some dialogue, they will make the best show.

DEADLINE: Can you talk about Bear’s journey since Season 1?
WOON-A-TAI: I have a very big connection with Bear. We are very similar. I think he’s a really, smart kid. He’s learned a lot, trying to figure out his path. In the beginning, he saw his best friend’s death. He blamed that on the Native community. Just like his friend, Bear felt trapped in this community, and he put all of that guilt onto the people. He didn’t realize that the community is what helps us and makes us heal. That was his arc, really. In the beginning, he thought the community wasn’t right for him. He thought that he could be better off with his father in California. And when he left to go to California, his dreams were shattered. He realized the biggest thing that was keeping him sane was his community in Oklahoma. You can see it in the last few episodes. He accepted the fact that home was where he’s supposed to be. When we’re on reservations or in urban communities that are very poor, we feel like the grass is always greener on the other side. And then when you go there, you realize it was way better where we’re from, where your community is.

DEADLINE: So, if Bear was a real person, do you think he’d still be back on the rez today?
WOON-A-TAI: Yes. I mean, honestly, I think Bear is a real person. It sounds corny but these characters really do represent a good portion of the Native community in urban cities. Every character you see on that show is real. We didn’t just create them out of thin air.

DEADLINE: The laughs on the show were top notch. Would you often break character because of how funny it would be?
WOON-A-TAI: All the time. I would hear everybody behind the camera dying of laughter. That’s what broke me a lot more than the actual scenes. In the first episode, when we steal a truck and the driver goes into the store and talks about his truck being stolen, there’s a cutaway scene where he’s sitting right next to me, telling me I’m a bad guy [for stealing it]. That scene was very hard to do because originally it wasn’t even in the script, they just added it on the spot. They were like, “It would be so funny if he just came up right next to you and told you all the bad things you did wrong and how you have messed up your life.” I wasn’t prepared to shoot that! I was just cracking up laughing the whole time.

DEADLINE: You were the first Bear on FX. Were you worried that the Bear on The Bear would take away your thunder?
WOON-A-TAI: I was like, “Who’s this guy?” No, not at all. I got to meet Jeremy Allen White a few times when we were at award shows. He’s an amazing, talented actor. I love The Bear. I just am honored to be in the same category as those guys.

DEADLINE: What is next for you?
WOON-A-TAI: I recently finished Warfare directed by Alex Garland. I spent a few months in England, my first time. I went to Amy Winehouse’s house, her grave site, the bar where she would chill at. I also went to Abbey Road. I did the whole tour that I always wanted to do since I was a little kid.