Thread: Rough Draft, interview with Chaske Spencer of Twilight

I'm terrible with transcripts but I've done my best to edit and format this. Please let me know what changes you think I should make and what you think of the content of the article. It is primarily about media representation and Chaske's new charity and production company.


(A Twilight Journey With Chaske Spencer?) Working title

It is a long journey from the Northern Cheyenne and Nez Perce reservations of Chaske Spencer’s childhood to the red carpet premiers filled with screaming fans in Hollywood and across the globe. A journey through the games of Hollywood and one that saw Chaske in jail and confronting addiction on a path where he saw death looming in front of him. One constant for Chaske on his journey has been his traditional beliefs which helped him find his center through fame garnered as Sam Uley on the set of Twilight and the harrowing time he spent in jail in New York. Chaske took the time to discuss his journey with us starting with the whirlwind of the last year and what his current projects are.

CS: I just finished a movie called shouting secrets. I’m pretty proud of that one. We did it in Globe Arizona and I really liked the story. I found out that the script is also written by Steven Judd whose a native American screenplay writer and very talented. It was first written for a Dutch family and they were trying to get it financed and for some reason they switched over to a Native American family and I did not know that when I first read it so it doesn’t really read as a Native American movie. It is like a family movie and the people just happen to be Native American it was a different twist on things. It was totally a movie written for a Dutch family and you know it just interested me I really like the character I play.
I finished that project and I’m gearing up to do Breaking Dawn in November. I think we’re shooting through March. After that I’m gearing up doing Winter in the Blood the James Welch Novel with Andrew and Alex Smith the guys who did the Slaughter Rule.
GC: Sounds like alot on your plate this year as well
CS: Yeah, (laughter) yeah and then my production company gets started on the Block after that. I guess I do four movies back to back to back to back.
GC: Can you tell us more about your production company and it's new project The Block?
CS: The Block is about a writer who has a block and the only way he can cure the circumstances he’s in is by killing people. He finds that the more people he kills the more he has to write about and it becomes an addiction. It’s very dark and it’s not like any character I’ve ever played. I really like the script. Ted Cordallia one of my production partners brought the script to me. He had done Tigerland, Phone Booth, Once Upon A Time in America so he’ s a pretty heavy hitter. We had a few meeting ate dinner and lunch together and I guess he was really feeling me out and fortunately we hit it off and he brought me the part. The things that I’m really excited about for it is that it’s my first production for my production company, Urban Dreams. So a first for Josselyn, Ted, and Me working together.
GC: Do you feel your projects especially the success of the Twilight Franchise are opening eyes in hollywood? Or at least convincing them to make more contemporary roles available for native actors?
CS: Well yes and no. Hollywood has a very short memory. I still have to struggle. I’m still getting roles geared towards Native Americans but they’re not that great scripts so I have to navigate and find out what I really want to do. I have to see if the character is right and the story is right because I want to keep challenging myself as an artist. I have to be picky and it’s hard to find good roles and good scripts. I think that’s why a lot of crap being made out there in Hollywood but I think there are great stories and movies out there in the independent film world and I think that’s the way to go.
Pluss Twilight is so huge I don’t know where I could go or a bigger movie I could be in. I like the fact that I can somewhat control my career and not always be a product of Hollywood because it is a game as well as a business there. Also I want to make stories and movies not just for natives. I don’t want this to be just a Native American Production company it’s not about that it’s about finding talent and stories that appeal to me and hopefully help other artists as well.
GC: You have worked with some very influential directors. People like Chris Eyre and Steven Spielberg. Did you take away anything from working with them and do you see yourself working behind the camera now with your own production company?
CS: Yeah, I do. I do see myself doing that at some point. I really pay attention when I’m on set with the directors. I just watch how they maneuver and how they take the shots and how they direct actors as well. Some directors aren’t actor directors they don’t know how to talk to actors. Which I understand I think it’s up to the actor to come in ready for their job and that’s what they hired you to do to bring something to the table. It’s really easy to work with directors who were actors because they know how to talk to you and what they want from you. So being an actor if I ever go into directing I think I’d bring a lot to the table. It’s something I really want to do. It would have to be the right story something that really appeals to me maybe an actors or writers voice needing to be heard.
GC: In previous interviews you've talked about the fact statistically you shouldn't be here. Can you elaborate for those unfamiliar with life on a reservation what those statistics are and what you meant by that.
CS: Coming from a reservation the chances of people getting out and becoming successful is pretty rare. The people who do it’s almost like jumping off a waterfall you just jump and see if you land and we will see if your ok but at least you made the jump.
When I talk about giving back to the community I think it’s a responsibility for myself to do that. I’ve experiences a lot living on reservation. There is poverty and abuse physical, domestic and sexual. A lot of people don’t know that. It’s not just to raise an awareness but also I can’t do it alone. Some actor getting on a stage as a PSA. The people in the family structure in their own homes have to take up for themselves, take responsibility. I could just be a broken record playing over and over again. I had people like that come to my school when I was growing up and it did have an influence on me but it’s really up to the people themselves to do something about it. There is only so much someone can do to make an awareness but if I can inspire someone to do that to maybe make a change in their life than I think I’ve done my job but it’s not easy.
Also being in the spotlight as a Native American actor your already being put on a pedestal as being a role model which I don’t think anyone really ever wants but your thrust on there anyway so you might as well make do with it what you can but I’m not a perfect angel.
I think there is a responsibility there to raise awareness or help my community out in the best way I know how. It’s not just about Native Americans either I experienced poverty on both sides. I used to live in a place called Kristy Idaho which is on the Nez Perce reservation but it’s mainly a white community. I had friends who didn’t have the help from the government with dental or commodities. I experienced very loving giving people who were white who were poorer than Indians people who didn’t even have shoes or help with medical and dental insurance from the government.
GC: What role do you have to bring media representation to issues of poverty? Do you think there is a general hesitancy to talk about issues of poverty in general as well as with native peoples?
CS: To shift the power to the people, that it’s up to them. We can only do so much. So many systems focus on being a band aid on it and hoping it goes away but you really need a shift. It’s about looking yourself in the mirror and saying did you do the right thing today. It is a big path to ask but It’s all about baby steps. If you start out with those you can get to your destination your goal and help people. It isn’t easy if it was everyone would be doing it but I’m glad I have the media spotlight to do this. I couldn’t look at myself if I had these two number one box office movies and I was riding around in limos and all that if I didn’t do anything to give back I would just
be a douche bag.
GC: Is part of it that philosophy that your parents were educators?
CS: Yeah. My mother and Father were teachers. They’ve gone off reservation but came back to teach at tribal schools. My Dad was a Superintendent and a Dean of Students at a college my mom was a principle and vice principle and now teaches at an alternative school for kids who need alternative means for learning. It all started with my parents having a good home life. As much as is possible, again I’m no perfect angel it wasn’t like Beaver Cleaver but it was enough to get me to where I needed to go
GC: I'm curious, did your parents being educators talk about Indian Boarding Schools. Was that something that drove them to say maybe make a positive change to address some of those issues to do good in the community.

CS: I remember hearing stories from my mother and father about their parents and grandparents when they were taken of the reservation and took to the boarding schools and pretty much taught to be ashamed of who they were as native Americans. You can feel that impact today. I think that’s why there is so much alcohol and drug abuse on reservations because the self esteem of those people. They were robbed of the self esteem from who they are. Our people were a beautiful people and they still are. The impact of that has affected generations. You had abuse, sexual abuse at these boarding schools pluss they were forced to cut their own hair be ashamed of who they were and if they spoke their own tongue their mouths were washed out with soap. You can feel that affect today. It’s very sad but it’s an awareness I think our people do know but some are ashamed to talk about it. If you start talking about it you realize that's a key point in our history where we turned, something happened. I believe it’s coming back with the Sundances, The Sweat Lodges and Native American spirituality coming back. We were just granted our rights here in the seventies. { 1975 the year Chaske was born }
GC: Do you think that media representation plays a role in this. That so many overtly racist practices were allowed to continue well after segregation and other practices had stopped because there is a lack of positive portrayals in the media?
CS: Yeah. I went to all white school where I dealt with racism. There was a point when I was a kid where I said I wanted to be luke Skywalker with blonde hair and blue eyes. My mom right there told me never be ashamed of who I am and it was just conditioning. You see it everywhere in Hollywood you know in the media in general it’s conditioning, conditioning everywhere you look. It took somewhere into my teens for me to really understand who I was and to start being proud of who I was.
I can’t imagine what its like for people who grew up in the time of the boarding schools where there was a lot of racism towards people of color and minorities in general. I’m fortunate to have friends of all races and orientations. I live in New York city so the people I hang with come from all different walks of life. I’m able to maneuver that way and have lots of different types of friends. The big picture is acceptance but I think we’re a long way from that. If you make an awareness of that and acknowledge it than maybe that’s a first step.
As a Native American actor and role model it can be tough because there has not been positive role models out there. There have been some but it’s Hollywood and there is propaganda and bull that goes on sometimes and it can be difficult maneuvering through that type of life here.
GC: What role have your traditional beliefs played in your life and in relation to your own personal struggles.
CS: It’s helped me stay very grounded it keeps me into reality because I know the films I make it’s all very lucky. Not a lot of people get to do what they love for a living and I’m a very lucky person to get to do what I’m doing. My traditional beliefs are what I do to stay centered to stay grounded in my tradition. I’m glad that I’m at a place now in my life where I can acknowledge that and know I rely on that a lot today. Especially with all the success and everything because it lets me realize what’s important in life. It’s just a movie and a fad that will go away at some point. I’ve been making movies for twelve years now and I’ve had ups and downs in my career. There are ups and downs mountains and valleys it’s up right now but it’ll be down again and then it’ll get up again that’s just show business
GC: Much of your fanbase are teenagers and one of the issues you've talked about in the past is the dramatic increase in teenage suicides. Is this an area you hope to have an impact in for Native American youth and for youth in general?
CS: I hope so. It’s gotten worse. When I was a kid it wasn’t that bad or at least I was sheltered from it. But lately the suicide rate is so high. I understand being on reservation especially the ones I grew up on the Ft. Peck and Northern Cheyenne there is nothing to do there NOTHING going on for the youth. There is lot of drugs lot of crystal meth lot of peer pressure all that stuff. I just don’t think in high school kids understand. I remember being a kid you think that’s it that’s life the end all be all but sometimes on a reservation that is all. I think it’s up to the teachers the parents the real educators to give them another outlook on life to say this is not the end. You can get off the reservation you can go and do something with your life. When you die that’s it there is no coming back and you forget about the people who love you and cared for you.
GC: What is it that helped bring you out of your own personal struggles with addiction and what would you say to those who are struggling with those issues now?
CS: What helped me? There were several things that helped me sober up. When I came to New York I always had a mentality of work hard play hard. My work never really suffered from my drug and alcohol usage but it could have I always walked that fine line of I could go either way. As I got deeper into addiction I started noticing that work was suffering relationships were falling apart and I found myself more and more alone. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I hated waking up needing something in my system just to get up and face the day.
Everyone has there own journey in how they sober up but for me it was I could keep going down this road but I could see that death was going to happen. I understood what they meant when they talk about death institutions and jail and I’d already been to jail. I could just see death looming somewhere around there because of the poor decision I was making under the influence. It wasn’t like a big dramatic thing just one night something clicked I’d had enough I was done and I couldn’t do this anymore and I can’t quit on my own. I’ve gotten so deep into it and trying to stop on my own is useless so I asked for help and I received help.
The thing is when I go back to my home reservation I don’t think I could have sobered up on reservation. I can see where it’s hard for someone to stay sober on reservation especially the ones I grew up on. If I had to go back and live there I don’t know if I would be able to stay sober in those situations its just too big and there is nothing there to help people with drug addictions. There are facilities and stuff there but the moral support you need from family and friends is not there because everyone is doing it.
GC: Once again thank you for your time. It sounds like having that family foundation is very important to you and I appreciate you sharing your personal experiences with us today. I'm curious does any of this come out in your acting. Even in Twilight or other roles is there anything that relates back to these personal experiences?

CS: No not in Twilight (laughter)
GC: That’s more battle of shirt vs. no shirt that good vs. evil isn’t it.
’
CS: (laughter) Yeah the only thing I’m going through pain right now is physical it’s training for Breaking Dawn. In fact I just started going back to the gym. I’m going to the gym tomorrow and I know I’m going to be soooooo sore tomorrow.
The movie I really liked the most of all the films I’ve done is probably Skins. I really liked that movie and I liked the actors who are in it and I like the story because I think it captures life on a reservation really well. I think it’s something people who lived on a reservation can really relate to. I’m also not in it all that much which I like but I get really caught up with Graham Greene and Eric Schwieg who are really powerful actors. I really tip my hat to those two actors because working with them and being around them being a young man learning to act and in seeing the final product I could see the intensity in how they work their craft.