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PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 28 october 2019
Wes Studi to make Oscars history for Native American actors

By LINDSEY BAHR phone call from Santa Fe,
Associated Press New Mexico, which he has
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When called home for the past
Cherokee actor Wes Studi 26 years. He just feels more
was thinking about mov- comfortable living outside
ing to Los Angeles to take of Los Angeles, he said.
a shot at being an actor in Studi came to acting some-
the 1980s, he asked a friend what late in life. He went to
if it was a good idea. The agriculture school, served
friend said "why not? There in the Oklahoma National
aren't many Native Ameri- Guard and even went to
can actors." Vietnam before he stated
Instead of a deterrent, Stu- dabbling in theater and lo-
di took that as a plus. cal educational television.
"I thought, 'OK, so not a "I had a life before get-
whole lot of competition ting into this business. A
then,'" Studi, 71, said laugh- non-acting life," Studi said.
ing. "I thought why not take "And it turns out that life
a leap and I did. And things has served me well. I can
turned out well." connect with characters I
Although there was no way play simply by referencing
he could have known it at real life. It's been very help-
the time, the Tulsa, Okla- ful over the years to have
homa native came at the experienced life outside of
perfect time too. Holly- This March 4, 2018 file photo shows Wes Studi, left, and Maura Dhu at the Oscars in Los Angeles. entertainment."
wood had started to move Associated Press When he arrived in Los An-
beyond its deplorable past geles, a now defunct orga-
of casting white actors for An American Legend" that ent at the 11th annual Gov- ada, became the first in- nization called the Ameri-
indigenous roles and look- would lead to a fruitful 30- ernors Awards, alongside digenous Oscar winner for can Indian Registry helped
ing for more authenticity year career that's still very fellow honorary Oscar hon- co-writing the music to best him get his start. The group
in casting. Some of his first active. orees David Lynch and Lina song winner "Up Where We promoted Native Ameri-
films included "Dances With This Sunday, Studi will make Wertmüller. (In 1982, Cree Belong.") can actors and made op-
Wolves," ''The Last of the history as the first ever Na- musician Buffy Sainte-Ma- "I feel very honored about portunities for them to meet
Mohicans" and "Geronimo: tive American Oscar recipi- rie, who was born in Can- it," he said on a recent agents. q

NY ballet crowd fetes Herman Cornejo on 20th ABT anniversary

By JOCELYN NOVECK an 8-year-old boy in Bue-
NEW YORK (AP) — On a nos Aires, when he saw a
night full of balletic leaps, production of "Spartacus."
the most joyous came He spoke of the influence
during curtain calls, when of his sister, Erica Cornejo,
iconic American choreog- a former ABT dancer who
rapher Twyla Tharp bound- recently retired from Boston
ed into the arms of dancer Ballet.
Herman Cornejo to cel- Then Erica Cornejo her-
ebrate his 20th anniversary self came onstage for
on the New York stage. "El Chamuyo," a tango-
Cornejo, a dashing figure inspired duet with her
with a mop of dark hair brother, a brief but crowd-
and a breathtaking leap pleasing piece to music
himself, has been a favor- by Francisco Canaro and
ite of New York ballet au- choreography by Ana Ma-
diences ever since he set ria Steckelman.
foot on the American Ballet The evening ended with
Theatre stage as a teen- Tharp's new work, a whimsi-
ager from Argentina two cal piece in which Cornejo,
decades ago. in a matador-like jumpsuit
On Saturday night at Lin- in black and shiny silver,
coln Center's David H. Koch played "host" to ghosts in-
Theater, the company cluding Louis XIV, Marie
honored his milestone with In this Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, photo provided by the American Ballet Theatre Herman Cornejo Antoinette, Proust and a
showers of confetti, gar- performs in Twyla Tharp's A Gathering of Ghosts in New York. character called "Greased
lands of flowers and a spe- Associated Press Lightning."
cial ballet choreographed Then came the curtain
by Tharp, "A Gathering of "Apollo," debuting in the and superb control. Danc- which Cornejo, as narrator, calls, the ovations, the con-
Ghosts." classic role at the seasoned ing opposite him as Terpsi- introduced himself. "Dance fetti descending from the
The evening began with age of 38. It proved a per- chore was ballerina Misty has given me a beautiful rafters, and Tharp, extreme-
Cornejo, all in white, per- fect match for his dramatic Copeland, a longtime and way of living," he said, not- ly limber at 78, leaping into
forming the title role in sensibilities and his physical frequent partner. ing how he first became Cornejo's arms and wrap-
George Balanchine's gifts of a feather-light jump Next came a short film in enamored with ballet as ping her legs around him.q