In Episode 93 of “Red Hoop Talk,” host Jennifer welcomes Gary Farmer (Cayuga/Mohawk/Tuscarora), a celebrated actor, musician, and trailblazer in Native media. With a career spanning nearly five decades, Gary has left a powerful mark on Indigenous storytelling across film, television, music, and radio. Best known for iconic roles in Powwow Highway, Dead Man, and Smoke Signals—films that transformed Native representation in Hollywood—he has also earned multiple Independent Spirit Award nominations.

Born in Ohsweken, Ontario and raised in Buffalo, New York, Gary studied film and photography at Syracuse and Ryerson Universities before taking the stage in On the Rim of a Curse. His influence has continued through recent standout roles as Uncle Brownie in Reservation Dogs and Dan Twelvetrees in Res ...