Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs (born August 8, 1993) is a First Nations (Mohawk) actress, writer, and director. For her performance in Rhymes for Young Ghouls (2013), she garnered a Canadian Screen Awards nomination for Best Actress.[1] In 2023 and 2024, for her role on Reservation Dogs, she was nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.[2][3]

Devery Jacobs
Jacobs at SXSW 2024
Born (1993-08-08) August 8, 1993 (age 30)
Kahnawake, Quebec, Canada
Other namesKawennáhere Devery Jacobs
OccupationActress
Years active2007–present
Known forRhymes for Young Ghouls, Mohawk Girls, American Gods, The Order, Reservation Dogs

Career edit

Jacobs began acting in the late 2000s with roles in the television series The Dead Zone (2007) and Assassin's Creed: Lineage (2009).[citation needed] In 2013, she played the lead character in Rhymes for Young Ghouls, which premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. For her work in the film, Jacobs was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Actress in a leading role.[1] The following year, she appeared in the music video for A Tribe Called Red's "Sisters".[4]

In 2019, in the second season of American Gods, Jacobs played a young Cherokee college student, Sam Black Crow, who identifies as "two-spirited". In an interview, she said that Neil Gaiman (author of the novels on which the series is based) advocated strongly for her to be cast in the role, but noted, "I identify as queer, and not two-spirited, because I'm Mohawk and we don't have that."[5][6]

Also in 2019, Jacobs played a recurring role as Lilith Bathory in the first and second season of the Netflix series The Order.[7] Since 2021, she has played a leading role on the acclaimed TV series Reservation Dogs about a group of Indigenous teenagers growing up on a reservation in rural Oklahoma. For the role, she was nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series in 2023.[2] In season 2, she also joined the writer's room of the show.[8] In season 3, she directed episode 7, 'Wahoo!'.[9]

Personal life edit

Jacobs is Kanien'keha:ka (Mohawk).[10] At the time of her performance in Rhymes for Young Ghouls, Jacobs was a student at John Abbott College, studying correctional intervention.[10] She identifies as queer.[11] Jacobs collaborates with Canadian filmmaker D. W. Waterson through their production company called Night is Y.[12][13]

Filmography edit

Year Title Role Note
2007 The Dead Zone Monique TV series
2008 South of the Moon Alexa Dumont Film
2009 Assassin's Creed: Lineage Claudia Auditore TV miniseries
2012 Exploding Sun Nourhan TV film
2013 The Blanketing Seniya Short film
Rhymes for Young Ghouls Aila As Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs
2013–2015 Mohawk Girls Lollipop TV series
2015 A Big Black Short Jess Short film
2016 The Sun at Midnight Lia
The Land of Rock and Gold Andrea
Running Eagle Judith Short film
Another WolfCop Daisy
Level 16 Vivien
The Walking Dead: Michonne Sam Video game
Stolen Director Short film
2018 The Lie Britney Ismali
2019 Blood Quantum James As Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs
Rustic Oracle Older Ivy As Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs
2019–2020 The Order Lilith Bathory TV series; recurring role
2019–2021 American Gods Sam Blackcrow TV series; recurring role
2021 Rutherford Falls Jess Wells TV series; recurring
The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards Self (Presenter) TV special
Bootlegger Mani
We Burn Like This Chrissy B
2021–2023 Reservation Dogs Elora Danan TV series; main role[14] also writer and director
2022 Spirit Rangers Wind Eagle
This Place Kawenniióhstha
2023 Backspot Amanda Also producer[15]
What If...? Kahhori Voice role; 2 episodes[16]
2024 Echo Bonnie Miniseries[17]
Ark: The Animated Series Alasie Voice role[18]

Awards edit

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2014 Canadian Screen Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Rhymes for Young Ghouls Nominated
2016 Whistler Film Festival Best Performance in a Canadian Film The Sun at Midnight Won [19]
2017 American Indian Film Festival Best Actress Won [20]
Yorkton Film Festival Best Aboriginal Film Stolen Won [21]
ImagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival Ellen Monague Award for Best Youth Work Rae Won [22]
2018 Palm Springs Shortfest Shortlisted [23]
2021 Gotham Awards Outstanding Performance in New Series Reservation Dogs Nominated [24]
2023 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated [2]
2024 Critics' Choice Television Awards Nominated [3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Canadian Screen Awards recognize Aboriginal talent". CBC News. January 13, 2014. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Nordyke, Kimberly (January 15, 2023). "Critics Choice Awards: Full List of Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Brathwaite, Lester Fabian (January 14, 2024). "Oppenheimer, Barbie, The Bear lead 2024 Critics Choice Awards: See the full winners list". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  4. ^ "Watch A Tribe Called Red's 'Sisters' Turn Their Day Into a Dance Party". Spin. April 9, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  5. ^ Radish, Christina (March 24, 2019). "'American Gods' Season 2: Devery Jacobs on Bringing Sam Black Crow to Life". Collider. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  6. ^ "'American Gods' Casts Mr. Town, Sam Black Crow & New Media Roles For Season 2 On Starz". Deadline Hollywood. June 4, 2018. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  7. ^ Ellenbogen, Rachael (March 6, 2019). "Meet 'The Order' Cast Before Netflix Series Premiere". International Business Times. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  8. ^ Patten, Dominic (September 21, 2021). "'Reservation Dogs' Star Devery Jacobs Joins Expanded All Indigenous Writers Room For Season 2". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  9. ^ ""I'm Not Just Here to Smile": Jenna Ortega, Elle Fanning and the THR Comedy Actress Roundtable". The Hollywood Reporter. June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Ghoul Power!: Actress Devery Jacobs Discusses Her 'Badass' New Movie". Indian Country Today. October 18, 2013. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013.
  11. ^ "American Gods' Devery Jacobs is a Queer Indigenous TV Star". The Advocate. June 19, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  12. ^ "About Us – Night Is Y". Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  13. ^ Dowling, Amber (February 15, 2023). "Elliot Page's Queer Cheer Drama 'Backspot' Starts Shooting in Canada (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  14. ^ White, Peter (December 22, 2020). "'Reservation Dogs' From Sterlin Harjo & Taika Waititi Receives Series Order At FX". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  15. ^ Vlessing, Etan (October 13, 2022). "Elliot Page to Executive Produce 'Backspot' Cheerleading Drama (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  16. ^ Scott, Lyvie (December 21, 2023). "What If? Season 2 Release Date, Time, Trailer, and Plot for the Marvel Series". Inverse. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  17. ^ 'Reservation Dogs' Devery Jacobs Joins 'Echo' Marvel Series For Disney+
  18. ^ "Studio Wildcard Announces ARK: Survival Evolved Animated Television Series, Featuring Unprecedented Voice Cast, Including Gerard Butler, Michelle Yeoh, Madeleine Madden, Elliot Page, David Tennant, Jeffrey Wright, With Russell Crowe and Vin Diesel". Global Newswire. Studio Wildcard. Archived from the original on July 10, 2022. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  19. ^ "Previous Winners". Whistler Film Festival. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  20. ^ "Theatrical, Awards & Festivals". The Sun At Midnight Movie. February 26, 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  21. ^ "2017 Winners & Nominees". Yorkton Film Festival. March 22, 2017. Archived from the original on November 8, 2019. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  22. ^ "imagineNATIVE 2017 Award Winners". imagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival. January 9, 2019. Archived from the original on January 9, 2019. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  23. ^ Jacobs, Devery. "Devery Jacobs: The Indigenous Actress You Need to Know". Reader's Digest Canada. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  24. ^ Lewis, Hilary (October 21, 2021). "Gotham Awards: 'The Lost Daughter,' 'Passing' Lead Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 21, 2021.

External links edit