Elva Guerrais a young Native American actor who has been making a name for themselves in a big way in the 2010s and 2020s. Born in Oklahoma in 2004, Native American actor Elva Guerra has already become a memorable part of the television landscape. Guerra is two-spirit, a term in the Indigenous community that describes someone who considers themselves to have both a masculine and feminine spirit (viaThe Direct). As a two-spirit person,Guerra uses the pronouns they/them, and it ties back to them identifying as non-binary.
Guerra went to school in McAlester, Oklahoma, and as the only Native kid at the school, they were often mistaken for Asian (viaNativeHustle). However, Guerra noted that in recent years, they’ve been recognized as Native American. Guerra began their career in 2020 (viaCastingNetworks). Though they had never acted before, Guerra went to an open acting call forReservation Dogs. They thought they were auditioning for a background character but ended up being cast as Jackie, and that one audition completely altered their life.
Elva Guerra Has Appeared In Dark Winds & Rutherford Falls
Guerra Frequently Plays Characters More Mature Than Their Age
While most viewers will recognize Elva Guerra for their role inReservation Dogs,Guerra has quickly accumulated a growing number of notable performances. In 2021, Guerra appeared in an episode ofRutherford Fallsas Young Charlotte Thomas, and then in 2022, she had a leading role in the short filmYou and Me This Summeras Regan. Their biggest performance, sansReservation Dogs, came whenthey were cast inDark Windsas Sally Growing Thunder. Sally is a pregnant Navajo teenager who is taken in by the Leaphorn family.
You and Me This Summer(2022)
Dark Winds(2022-2023)
Sally Growing Thunder
Whether their character only appears for a brief moment, like inRutherford Falls, is a young woman about to leave her hometown, or is a Native American looking for some kind of sanctuary,every one of Guerra’s characters is wise beyond their years. Generally, their characters face the difficulties that come with growing up combined with the issues living in poverty can germinate. Guerra brings almost a world-weariness to these parts and makes it clear that despite what the character may be saying, there is much more roiling behind their eyes.
Guerra Is Most Famous For Playing Jackie On Reservation Dogs
Jackie Goes From An Enemy To A Friend Of The Rez Dogs
Elva Guerra is, of course, most famous for their portrayal of Jackie inthe cast ofReservation Dogs. The award-winning FX series follows a group of four Native American teenagers who live on a reservation in Oklahoma committing petty crimes to try and earn enough money to leave their town behind. Guerra plays Jackie, the leader of the “NDN Mafia”, a group of four high school toughs who are constantly at odds with the “Rez Dogs”. Jackie is originally from the city and has a particular dislike for the rural and lonely reservation.
Reservation Dogs: The 10 Best Songs (& When They Play)
Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi’s Reservation Dogs has some fantastic music on soundtrack, and the songs perfectly complement the Hulu comedy series.
Though Jackie isn’t one of the “Rez Dogs”, she travels with her rival, Elora (Devery Jacobs), to California. On the way, the two grow close andJackie becomes a friend to the Rez Dogs in later episodesofReservationDogs. Guerra plays the part of a bored bully excellently. She doesn’t hate the Rez Dogs in particular, she just hates living on the reservation, and fighting Elora and her friends is better than nothing. It’s a performance that keeps getting deeper as the show goes on and signalsElva Guerrahas the chops for a long future in Hollywood.
Reservation Dogs
Cast
Reservation Dogs is a Hulu original series about teenage Native American friends who grow up together on a reservation in Oklahoma. The series stars D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Paulina Alexis, Lane Factor, and Devery Jacobs as the four friends and was created by Sterlin Harjo and Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi.
