Rod Rondeaux


Rod Rondeaux is a Native American actor and stuntman. As an actor his work includes the 2005 miniseries, Into the West, Comanche Moon in 2008, The Cayuse in the 2010 film, Meek's Cutoff and the lead role in the 2015 film, Mekko. His stunt work includes Reel Injun and Comanche Moon.

Background

For years, Rondeaux was on the rodeo circuit as a horse rider, bull rider, steer wrestler and team roper. His entry into film stunt work was accidental. The film he was asked to be the double in was Crazy Horse. It was for actor Michael Greyeyes.
In 2001, he received the outstanding achievement in stunts award from the First Americans in the Arts.
Rondeaux won two awards for his role in the 2015 film, Mekko. He won the best actor award at the 40th Annual American Indian Film Festival and at the 2015 Red Nation Film Festival.

Career

Rondeaux's earliest role was as Tall Bull in the 1996 film, Crazy Horse which was directed by John Irvin.
For his role in Meek's Cutoff as the mysterious and sudden appearing Native American who joins the lost wagon train on the Oregon Trail, the language he spoke consisted of his own native tongue.
Rondeaux had his first lead role in the 2015 film, Mekko. He played a man who was jailed for murder. Released after serving 19 years, he discovers that his family don't want to have anything to do with him. He has to come to terms with his current situation. In addition to that he also has to deal with a violent man. Director Sterlin Harjo actually cast Rondeaux the night before the shooting began. Having talked to the actor a couple of times, Harjo had a good feeling about him and with Rondeaux's background of having been rodeo bull rider and Hollywood stuntman, he felt he had the right life experience for the role. Film critic Dennis Harvey of Variety complimented Rod Rondeaux's "soulful performance", and made comparisons the film to two classic films set on skid row, On the Bowery and The Exiles.
Rondeaux played Raymond in Babak Jalali's 2018 film, Land. Also in 2018, he was in Susanna White's Woman Walks Ahead''.

Filmography (actor)

TitleRoleDirectorYearNotes #
Crazy HorseTall BullJohn Irvin1996made for television
The MissingHudlao / 'The One Who Laughs'Ron Howard2003
Meek's CutoffThe IndianKelly Reichardt2010
MekkoMekkoSterlin Harjo2015
HostilesDerbyScott Cooper2017
Woman Walks AheadIndian RobberSusanna White2017
LandRaymond Yellow EagleBabak Jalali2018
The Ballad of Buster ScruggsSioux ChiefEthan Coen
Joel Coen		2018segment "The Gal Who Got Rattled"