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Elaine Miles

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Elaine Miles
Miles in 2001
Born
Oregon, U.S.
NationalityConfederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation,[1] American
OccupationActress
Years active1990–present

Elaine Miles is a Native American actress best known for her role as Marilyn Whirlwind in the television series Northern Exposure. She is an enrolled citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.[1]

Early life

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Elaine Miles was born and raised in eastern Oregon. She is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation with Cayuse/Nez Perce ancestry.[1] She lived on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Eastern Oregon until age three.[2] Her family then moved to Renton, Washington, where her father was a Boeing machinist.[citation needed]

She learned skills and Indigenous art techniques skills in her youth, such as storytelling, beading, pottery and weaving, and she is a prize-winning powwow dancer.[2]

Career

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Miles was offered the role of Marilyn Whirlwind when she was spotted in the waiting room at an audition. This came as a surprise as she had not come with any intent to audition—she was only there to give her mother, Armenia Miles, a ride.[2] She had no previous acting experience. She gained respect in the American Indian community, not only for portraying a Tlingit woman, but for her efforts to make sure the character was a culturally accurate representation. Miles was named Native American Woman of the Year in 1993, and America's Celebrity Indian of the Year in 1995.[citation needed]

In 1995, Miles was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the Northern Exposure cast in the category, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.[3]

Since Northern Exposure, Miles has done tours with her dancing and stand-up comedy, has emceed at numerous powwows, and had roles in independent films such as Smoke Signals, Skins and The Business of Fancydancing. With fellow comedian Drew LaCapa (Apache), she has made an exercise video ("RezRobics") addressing diabetes rates among Native Americans.[citation needed] The video mixes powwow dancing, martial arts, and aerobics moves with nutritional advice. In contrast to the usual FBI warning, the creators encourage people to copy the video freely and distribute it among friends and relatives in Indian Country.[4]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1990-1995 Northern Exposure Marilyn Whirlwind TV series, 110 episodes
1994 Bill Nye, the Science Guy self documentary, TV series, 2 episodes
1995 Mad Love Housekeeper feature film
1996 The Rez Mad Etta TV series, 18 episodes
1996 Pandora's Clock Housekeeper TV mini-series, 2 of 2 episodes
1998 Scattering Dad TV movie
1998 Smoke Signals Lucy feature film
2002 The Business of Fancydancing Kim feature film
2002 Skins Rondella Roubaix feature film
2003 Images of Indians: How Hollywood Stereotyped the Native American self, archive footage documentary, TV movie
2007 Tortilla Heaven Caridad feature film
2008 Fry Bread Babes self documentary, short film
2009 Wyvern Deputy Barnes TV movie
2012 Universal VIP N'ah short film
2012 By the Salish Sea Salish Woman voice, short film
2014 Four Quarters Mrs. Burke feature film
2015 Fishing Naked Louise 'Grandma' Ottertale feature film
2019 Juanita Mountain feature film
2023 The Last of Us Florence Episode: "Kin"

References

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  1. ^ a b c Amick, Jeremy (March 10, 2024). "Northern Exposure star represents Native Americans through acting career". Jefferson City News Tribune. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Taylor, Catherine "Marilyn Speaks Archived October 30, 2014, at the Wayback Machine! A Conversation with Elaine Miles", Radiance Magazine, Fall 1993 Issue
  3. ^ Awards for Elaine Miles at IMDbPro: Screen Actors Guild Awards. Access date 26 Sep 2009
  4. ^ Rez Robics Archived February 9, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
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