Tantoo Cardinal
Biography
Tantoo Cardinal, CM, is a Native‑Canadian actress of Cree and Métis heritage born on July 20 1950 in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Over a career spanning five decades she has amassed more than 130 screen credits, including roles in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and the series Stumptown, as well as appearances in Legends of the Fall and Dance. She is slated to appear in the Marvel series Echo and the animated feature Wendell and Wild. Cardinal has been honored with the Earle Grey Award and was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2009 for her contributions to Aboriginal performing arts and for helping found the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company. She is also credited as Tantoo Martin and Tantoo Martin‑Cardin.
Career overview
Tantoo Cardinal, born on July 20 1950 in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, is a Native‑Canadian actress of Cree and Métis heritage. Over a career spanning five decades she has amassed more than 130 acting credits, reflecting a prolific presence in film, television and stage productions. Her body of work includes roles in a range of genres and formats, establishing her as a versatile performer with a substantial résumé.
Cardinal’s contributions to Aboriginal performing arts have been recognized through several honors. She has received the Earle Grey Award, and in 2009 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada for her impact on the growth and development of Indigenous theatre and screen acting, as well as for her role as a founding member of the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company. These accolades underscore her influence both as an artist and as an advocate for Indigenous representation in the arts.
In recent years Cardinal has appeared in high‑profile projects such as Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.” She is also attached to upcoming productions, including the Marvel series “Echo” and the animated feature “Wendell and Wild.” Earlier work that contributed to her reputation includes appearances in “Stumptown,” “3 Pines,” “Legends of the Fall,” and “Dance,” illustrating a career marked by both critical acclaim and a broad range of storytelling.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
127 titles- Wildwood (2026) as (voice)
- The American Revolution (2025) as (voice)
- Bearing Witness Native American Voices in Hollywood (2025) as Self
- Echo (2024) as Chula Battiest
- An Ode for Leviticus (2024) as Luna
- Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Echo (2024) as Self - Chula
- Inkwo for When the Starving Return (2024) as Auntie (voice)
- Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) as Lizzie Q
- The American Buffalo (2023) as (voice)
- Three Pines (2022) as Bea Mayer
- Spirit Rangers (2022) as Moon (voice)
- The Boss Baby: Back in the Crib (2022) as Marie Chalifoux (voice)
- ONI: Thunder God's Tale (2022) as Principal (voice)
- Wendell & Wild (2022) as Ms. Hunter (voice)
- The Last Manhunt (2022) as Ticup
- Tantoo Cardinal (2021) as self
- Back Home Again (2021) as Mrs. Grey Horns (voice)
- However Wide the Sky: Places of Power (2021) as Self - Narrator
- Sisters Rising (2020) Executive Producer
- The Corruption of Divine Providence (2020) as Juniper Fairweather
- See (2019) as The Dreamer
- Stumptown (2019) as Sue Lynn Blackbird
- Through Black Spruce (2019) as Mary-Lou
- The Grizzlies (2019) as Janace
- Red Snow (2019) as Grandmother Ruth
- New Amsterdam (2018) as Jane Munsee
- Corner Gas Animated (2018) as Real Estate Agent (voice)
- Hold the Dark (2018) as Illanaq
- Falls Around Her (2018) as Mary Birchbark
- Abandoned: Angelique's Isle (2018) as Green Thunderbird Woman
- Wind River (2017) as Alice Crowheart
- Cardinal (2017) as Nookomis
- Godless (2017) as Iyovi
- The Great Northern Candy Drop (2017) as Narrator / Louisa (voice)
- Westworld (2016) as Ehawee
- Bull (2016) as Chief Tsosie
- Frontier (2016) as Kamenna
- ARQ (2016) as The Pope
- On the Farm (2016) as Ada Taylor
- Hope Bridge (2015) as Lana
- Outlander (2014) as Adawehi
- Penny Dreadful (2014) as Old Native American Woman
- Mohawk Girls (2014) as Zoe’s Mom
- Strange Empire (2014) as Pichette
- Rez Carz (2014) as (voice)
- Down Here (2014) as Stella Mitchell
- Chasing Shakespeare (2014) as Older Venus
- Eden (2013) as The Nurse
- Maïna (2013) as Tekahera
- Longmire (2012) as Marilyn Yarlott
- Arctic Air (2012) as Aunt Mary
- The Killing (2011) as Hooker
- Blackstone (2011) as Wilma Stoney
- Shouting Secrets (2011) as June
- Shattered (2010) as Carol
- Fathers & Sons (2010) as Gordon’s Sister
- Every Emotion Costs (2010) as Aunt Marcy
- Changing Climates, Changing Times (2009) as Grace Lajoie
- The Guard (2008) as Ursula
- Mom, Dad and Her (2008) as Heather
- Mothers & Daughters (2008) as Celine
- The Englishman's Boy (2008) as Little Soldier's Wife
- Older Than America (2008) as Auntie Apple
- Dear Prudence (2008) as Ruth Vigil
- Luna: Spirit of the Whale (2007) as Gloria Maquinna
- The Road to Christmas (2006) as Sioux Woman
- Indian Summer: The Oka Crisis (2006) as Iba Beauvais
- Unnatural & Accidental (2006) as Aunt Shadie / Rita
- H2O (2004) as Grand Chief Katie Blackfire
- H2O (2004) as Grand Chief Katie Blackfire
- A Thief Of Time (2004) as Irene Musket
- Dreamkeeper (2003) as Old Pawnee Woman
- Moccasin Flats (2003) as Betty
- Dreamkeeper (2003) as Old Pawnee Woman
- Dances with Wolves: The Creation of an Epic (2003) as Self
- Tom Stone (2002) as Judge Crowfoot
- Edge of Madness (2002) as Ruth
- How the Fiddle Flows (2002) as Narrator (voice)
- MythQuest (2001) as Walloha
- Dodson's Journey (2001) as Waitress
- In the Light of Reverence (2001) as Narrator (voice)
- Canada: A People's History (2000) as Plains Storyteller
- Postmark Paradise (2000) as Reenie
- Navigating the Heart (2000) as Mary
- The Hi-Line (2000) as Singing Bird
- The Lost Child (2000) as Aunt Mary
- Family Law (1999) as Mrs. Grant
- A Stranger in the Kingdom (1999) as Heaven Fontaine
- Cold Squad (1998) as Theresa Sandiman
- Honey Moccasin (1998) as Honey Moccasin
- Smoke Signals (1998) as Arlene Joseph
- Heartwood (1998) as Violet Boucher
- Big Bear (1998) as Running Second
- The Education of Little Tree (1997) as Nonna
- Grand Avenue (1996) as Nellie
- Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years (1995) as Gabe LaRoche’s Mother
- Tecumseh: The Last Warrior (1995) as Turtle Mother
- Nobody's Girls: Five Women of the West (1995) as Sarah Winnemucca
- Prophecy, Milestones & Challenges (1995) as Alive
- Legends of the Fall (1994) as Pet
- Sioux City (1994) as Dawn Rainfeather
- Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee (1994) as Mary's Mother
- Silent Tongue (1994) as Silent Tongue
- Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993) as Snow Bird
- Harts of the West (1993) as Helen
- Mustard Bath (1993) as Sister Amantha
- Where the Rivers Flow North (1993) as Bangor
- Spirit Rider (1993) as Marilyn St. Claire
- North of 60 (1992) as Betty Moses
- Black Robe (1991) as Chomina's Wife
- The Lightning Incident (1991) as Vivian
- Dances with Wolves (1990) as Black Shawl
- Divided Loyalties (1990) as Molly Brant
- The Making of 'Dances with Wolves' (1990) as Herself
- War Party (1988) as Sonny's Mother
- Candy Mountain (1988) as Annie
- Street Legal (1987) as Renee Stonehouse
- Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge (1987) as Little Doe
- Loyalties (1987) as Rosanne Ladouceur
- The Campbells (1986) as Maria Brant
- Places Not Our Own (1986) as Rose (as Tantoo Martin-Cardinal)
- Running Brave (1983) as Caroline
- Death Hunt (1981) as Indian Woman
- Marie Ann (1978) as Tantou, Indian princess
- For the Record (1976)
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Aunt Mary
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Tantoo Cardinal best known for?
Tantoo Cardinal is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Wildwood (2026), Echo (2024), Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), Wendell & Wild (2022).
When and where was Tantoo Cardinal born?
Tantoo Cardinal was born on July 20, 1950 in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada.
How many credits does Tantoo Cardinal have?
Tantoo Cardinal has accumulated over 127 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1951 to 2026.
What is Tantoo Cardinal's background in cinema and television?
Tantoo Cardinal, CM, is a Native‑Canadian actress of Cree and Métis heritage born on July 20 1950 in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Over a career spanning five decades she has amassed more than 130 screen credits, including roles in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and the series Stumptown, as well as appearances ...