Tantoo Cardinal is a renowned Native Canadian actress, member of the Order of Canada, and a pioneer in the growth and development of Aboriginal performing arts in Canada. With a career spanning numerous plays, television programs, and films, she has become one of the most widely recognized Native actresses of her generation.
Cardinal's impressive filmography includes notable roles in Legends of the Fall, Dances With Wolves, Black Robe, Loyalties, Luna, Spirit of the Whale, Unnatural & Accidental, Marie-Anne, Sioux City, Silent Tongue, Mothers & Daughters, and Smoke Signals, among others. Her recent work includes Eden, Maina, Shouting Secrets, and From Above.
Her outstanding performance in Loyalties earned her a Genie nomination, American Indian Film Festival Best Actress Award, People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival, and Best Actress Awards at International Film Festivals in Zimbabwe and Portugal.
Throughout her career, Cardinal has received numerous awards and honors, including the 2015 ACTRA Award of Excellence, Best Actress - Elizabeth Sterling Award in Theatre for All My Relations, First Americans in the Arts Totem Award for her portrayal of Katrina in Widows at the Forum Stage in Los Angeles, American Indian Film Festival's Best Actress Award, and the Rudy Martin Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Native American in Film for Where the Rivers Flow North.
She has also won a Gemini Award for North of 60, a Leo Award for Blackstone, and the Eagle Spirit Award for her contributions to the Native Artistic community. Additionally, Cardinal has been honored with the MacLeans' magazine Honor Roll as Actress of the Year, the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Toronto Women in Film and Television, an International Women in Film Award for her lasting contribution to the arts, and induction to the CBC/Playback Hall of Fame.
