Adam Beach Biography

Adam Beach is a Golden Globe-nominated Canadian actor. He is best known for his roles as Marine Private First Class Ira Hayes in "Flags of Our Fathers," Private Ben Yahzee in "Windtalkers," and Dr. Charles Eastman (Ohiyesa) in "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee."

Born in Ashern, Manitoba, Adam Beach grew up with his two brothers on the Dog Creek Indian Reserve. In high school (Gordon Bell High School), he attended a drama class. He began performing in local theatre productions, and eventually dropped out of school to take a lead role at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People. At age 18, he won a small role in the miniseries "Lost in the Barrens," based on the Farley Mowat novel. In the following years, he continued to work in local theatre and guest-starred on television shows like "Walker, Texas Ranger" and "Touched by an Angel." Shortly afterwards, Beach was cast as a regular on the television shows "North of 60" and "The Rez."

After his roles in "Dance Me Outside" and "Smoke Signals" brought international attention to him, there was a call for Beach in Hollywood, but he took his time in answering it. He took a small role in Disney's "Mystery, Alaska" in 1999 and in 2000 accepted a role in the thriller, "The Last Stop." Comedy-wise, Beach displayed his skills in "The Art of Woo" and the 2001 hit "Joe Dirt" as Kicking Wing, a Native American who sells fireworks.

In 2002, "Windtalkers," starring Beach, came out in theaters. To prepare for this role, Beach spent six months learning the Navajo language. He was also able to use this skill in his next project, "Skinwalkers," directed by Chris Eyre, who gave him his breakout role in "Smoke Signals."

Between large-scale projects, he made small appearances on television on such shows as "JAG" and "Third Watch." Also, in 2003, he returned to his character that he first portrayed in "Skinwalkers" in the movie "Coyote Waits." He also made a quest appearance in the hit show "The Dead Zone" as an Indian shaman (in the episode "Shaman").

In 2006, Beach portrayed Ira Hayes in Clint Eastwood's featured film "Flags of Our Fathers." The movie won two Academy Award nominations, and Beach was nominated for numerous Best Supporting Actor honors from many different organizations.

In 2007, Beach starred in HBO Films' adaptation of Dee Brown's novel, "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee." In the film, Beach portrays the Sioux advocate, author and medical doctor Ohiyesa (Charles Eastman) and his changing understanding of Indian-US relations during the period leading up to the Wounded Knee Massacre.

He joined the cast of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" as Detective Chester Lake as well as starred in the Canadian television series "Moose TV." Adam was also executive producer and starred in the movie "Older Than America," the independent feature shot in Cloquet, Minnesota mostly on the Fond du Lac Ojibwe reservation.

Most recently, Beach has been cast in 2016's "Suicide Squad" as Christopher Weiss/Slipknot.

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