Chaske Spencer
Encyclopedia
Chaske Spencer is an American
actor of Native American
heritage.
, Kooskia
, Lapwai
, and Lewiston, Idaho
. His heritage includes Lakota, Nez Perce, Cherokee
, Creek, French
, and Dutch
. He has two younger sisters. He graduated from Clearwater Valley High School in 1994, where he went by the name James Spencer, and acted as a young teen at the Lewiston Civic Theater. Spencer went to college at Lewis Clark State College for a year before dropping out to pursue his acting career.
He struggled doing odd jobs and taking lessons from coaches like David Gideon and Ed Kovens. Then he got a role in the 2002 film Skins, which then lead to Dreamkeeper
, and Into the West
.
In 2009, Spencer played werewolf
Sam Uley in New Moon
, based on Stephenie Meyer
's novel of the same name
. He finished filming Eclipse
in October 2009, reprising his role as Sam.
He is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. He celebrated his one-year anniversary of being sober when he signed his contract for New Moon
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor of Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
heritage.
Life and career
Spencer was born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and grew up in MontanaMontana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, Kooskia
Kooskia, Idaho
Kooskia is a city in Idaho County, Idaho, United States. The population was 675 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Kooskia is located at ....
, Lapwai
Lapwai, Idaho
Lapwai is a city in Nez Perce County, Idaho, United States. The population was 1,137 at the 2010 census. It is the seat of government of the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.Lapwai is part of the Lewiston, ID-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, and Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston is a city in and also the county seat of Nez Perce County in the Pacific Northwest state of Idaho. It is the second-largest city in the northern Idaho region, behind Coeur d'Alene and ninth-largest in the state. Lewiston is the principal city of the Lewiston, ID - Clarkston, WA...
. His heritage includes Lakota, Nez Perce, Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
, Creek, French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, and Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
. He has two younger sisters. He graduated from Clearwater Valley High School in 1994, where he went by the name James Spencer, and acted as a young teen at the Lewiston Civic Theater. Spencer went to college at Lewis Clark State College for a year before dropping out to pursue his acting career.
He struggled doing odd jobs and taking lessons from coaches like David Gideon and Ed Kovens. Then he got a role in the 2002 film Skins, which then lead to Dreamkeeper
Dreamkeeper
Dreamkeeper is a 2003 film written by John Fusco and directed by Steve Barron. The main plot of the film is the conflict between a Lakota elder and storyteller named Pete Chasing Horse and his Lakota grandson, Shane Chasing Horse...
, and Into the West
Into the West (TV miniseries)
Into the West is a 2005 miniseries produced by Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks, with six two-hour episodes . The series was first broadcast in the U.S. on Turner Network Television on six Fridays starting on June 10, 2005...
.
In 2009, Spencer played werewolf
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
Sam Uley in New Moon
New Moon (2009 film)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon, commonly referred to as New Moon, is a 2009 American romance fantasy-vampire film based on Stephenie Meyer's 2006 novel New Moon. It is the second film in The Twilight Saga film series and is the sequel to 2008's Twilight. Summit Entertainment greenlit the sequel in...
, based on Stephenie Meyer
Stephenie Meyer
Stephenie Meyer is an American author known for her vampire romance series Twilight. The Twilight novels have gained worldwide recognition and sold over 100 million copies globally, with translations into 37 different languages...
's novel of the same name
New Moon (novel)
New Moon is a romantic fantasy novel by author Stephenie Meyer, and is the second novel in the Twilight series. The novel continues the story of Bella Swan and vampire Edward Cullen's relationship. When Edward leaves Bella after his brother attacks her, she is left heartbroken and depressed for...
. He finished filming Eclipse
Eclipse (2010 film)
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, commonly referred to as Eclipse, is a 2010 American romantic vampire film based on Stephenie Meyer's 2007 novel, Eclipse. It is the third installment of The Twilight Saga film series, following 2008's Twilight and 2009's New Moon. Summit Entertainment greenlit the film...
in October 2009, reprising his role as Sam.
He is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. He celebrated his one-year anniversary of being sober when he signed his contract for New Moon
New Moon (2009 film)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon, commonly referred to as New Moon, is a 2009 American romance fantasy-vampire film based on Stephenie Meyer's 2006 novel New Moon. It is the second film in The Twilight Saga film series and is the sequel to 2008's Twilight. Summit Entertainment greenlit the sequel in...
.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2002 | Skins (film) Skins (film) Skins is a 2002 feature film by Chris Eyre and based upon the novel of the same name by Adrian C. Louis. The film is set on the fictional Beaver Creek Indian Reservation in South Dakota near the Nebraska border, a place very much like the actual Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, the setting in the... |
Teen Rudy | Movie |
| 2003 | Dreamkeeper Dreamkeeper Dreamkeeper is a 2003 film written by John Fusco and directed by Steve Barron. The main plot of the film is the conflict between a Lakota elder and storyteller named Pete Chasing Horse and his Lakota grandson, Shane Chasing Horse... |
Eagle Boy | Movie |
| 2004 | Red Dead Revolver Red Dead Revolver Red Dead Revolver is a western third-person shooter video game published by Rockstar Games and developed by Rockstar San Diego. It was released in North America on May 4, 2004, for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.... |
Voice | Video game |
| 2005 | Into the West Into the West (TV miniseries) Into the West is a 2005 miniseries produced by Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks, with six two-hour episodes . The series was first broadcast in the U.S. on Turner Network Television on six Fridays starting on June 10, 2005... |
Voices That Carry | Mini series |
| 2009 | The Twilight Saga: New Moon | Sam Uley | Movie |
| 2010 | The Twilight Saga: Eclipse | Sam Uley | Movie |
| 2011 | Shouting Secrets | Wesley | post-production |
| Winter in the Blood Winter in the Blood Winter in the Blood is the first novel of James Welch. The Native American author won several national literary awards for his later novel Fools Crow, as well as receiving positive reviews for Indian Lawyer and The Death of Jim Loney. Winter in the Blood was published in 1974 by Harper & Row... |
Virgil First Raise | pre-production | |
| The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, commonly referred to as Breaking Dawn, is a 2011/2012 two-part romantic fantasy film directed by Bill Condon and based on the novel Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. The two parts form the fourth and final installment in the The Twilight Saga series... |
Sam Uley | post-production |