Billy Merasty
Biography
Billy Merasty is an actor, playwright, Cree translator, and language keeper. He was born to Viola and Pierre Merasty in 1960 in Brochet, Manitoba. His grandfather was Joe Highway, a famous caribou hunter and champion dogsled racer. He moved to Toronto at age eighteen in search for his uncle René Highway, who was at the time working for the Toronto Dance Theatre. At age twenty-three Billy launched his acting career after graduating from the Native Theatre School for aspiring Indigenous artists. He then went on to work for the renowned Indigenous performing arts company Native Earth Performing Arts. Billy has worked as a film, television, and stage actor for decades and notably played the first Indigenous gay character on television on the CBC series, Liberty Street, in the role of Nathan. Billy received the Order of Manitoba (Order of the Buffalo Hunt) in recognition for his many years as an Indigenous role model in 2010.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Murdoch Mysteries (2008) as Gravekeeper Gary Cardinal
- American Experience (1988) as Warrior
- Relic Hunter (1999) as Inuit Hunter
- This Is Wonderland (2004) as Brian Perot (as William Merasty)
- It Chapter Two (2019) as Shokopiwah Man
- Cardinal (2017) as Billy Ralph Northwind
- SkyMed (2022) as Glen
- Diggstown (2019) as Chief Thomas
- Wonderfalls (2004) as Jerry
- Exotica (1994) as Man at Opera
- The New World (2005) as Kiskiak
- Moby Dick (2011) as Tashtego
- Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) as Young Man Afraid
- Casino Jack (2010) as Bartender
- The Big White (2005) as Cam
- Battle of the Brave (2004) as Owashak
- Mixed Blessings (2007) as Mark
- Moose TV (2007)
- Acting Good (2022) as Roger Laughingstick
- Stardom (2000)
- Liberty Street (1995) as Nathan Jones
- No Price Too High (1995)
- Indian Summer: The Oka Crisis (2006) as John Cree
- Stellar (2022) as Auntie 1