Esk’etemc’s (Alkali Lake) William Belleau has been cast in a Martin Scorsese film Killers of the Flower Moon.
Based on American journalist David Grann’s book about the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation in the early 1920s in Oklahoma, Belleau is playing the role of Henry Roan, an Osage rancher.
This latest role adds to a long list , including The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Blackway starring Anthony Hopkins, The Killing and Netflix’s Frontier, just to name a few.
Big name actors in the Apple TV and original movie are Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Lily Gladstone and Tantoo Cardinal.
“It fills my heart to be working on this project with not one of my idols attached but three! This feels like a dream,” Belleau noted on his Facebook page.
It is finally my great honour to announce being attached to “Killers of flower Moon” being Directed by Martin Scorsese….
Posted by William Belleau on Tuesday, April 6, 2021
On location in Oklahoma, Belleau told Black Press Media he cannot discuss details of the film, but was happy to share other aspects about his life, through a messenger conversation.
He was born and raised at Esket and attended Williams Lake Junior Secondary (WLJS) and Columneetza Secondary.
“I graduated from acting school in 2008 at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts,” he said.
Growing up he did a little bit of theatre for his elementary school Sxoxomic and at WLJS in the play, Arsenic and Old Lace.
“My school NYCDA specialized in acting for film and television,” he added, noting while some years have been better than others for obtaining acting jobs 2021 is a good year.
Sending a shout out to the Cariboo, Williams Lake, surrounding First Nations communities and Esket, Belleau said while people keep telling him not to forget about them, he will always remember where he came from.
Going to WLJS. The old food court in Boitanio Mall back in its hey day. Watching hockey at the arena and even playing goalie with his brother’s equipment when there was ice time, are all fond memories.
“Ball hockey tourneys at Columneetza and Sugarcane and the rink on my Rez. Hunting in the fall and dipnet fishing and packing salmon up to the truck in the summer. The Williams Lake Stampede. The rides when they came to town. The pow wows. It all holds a place in my heart. Where I came from. Where I’m from. I will never forget it. I will always hold being from there, and the people in my heart,” he said.
In March 2020, he led a film mentoring workshop with a class of students at Sxoxomic Community School, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
Read more: Esk’etemc students embrace chance to create short film with William Belleau
Belleau will celebrate his 39th birthday on Thursday, April 15.
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William Belleau, left, on the set of Diablo with Scott Eastwood, Clint Eastwood’s son. (Photo submitted)
