WILLIAM JOSEPH ELK III as TAVERN FATHER

William Joseph Elk III is a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla, Cayuse and Walla Walla Tribes and is finishing his academic career at Portland State University. He will accept two B.S. degrees in business advertising management and marketing with a minor in acting in June 2002. In addition to being a full-time scholarship student and active member of his tribe, at college William has been Speaker of the Senate, a student ambassador, the national representative for the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, national caucus chair for the United States Student Association in Washington, D.C., and raised $1.75 million of the $4 million needed to build the PSU Native American Student Center. He is a firm believer that Indian people must walk in both worlds and encourages Indian youth to pursue a higher education. William is the first of his family to make it past high school, setting an example for future generations to realize their abilities and natural talents to follow their dreams.

Living in Portland and attending PSU for the past six years has given William the opportunity to be a part of such film productions as Ricochet River, The Northwest Passage project and The Hunted. His television projects include State Police, the BBC's Extinct series and Final Justice. William was discovered while traditional Round Bustle dancing at the Pi-Umpsha Pow Wow in Warm Springs, Oregon. He worked with Kate Hudson on her first feature film project, Ricochet River, as a body double for Doug Spain. He delayed his business coursework to practice the art of acting and playwriting for two years, where he gained valuable stage experience paying dues and building a portfolio and headshot that was sent to Sherman Alexie's office, where it sat filed for four years.

link >> William Joseph Elk III's resume