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Adam Beach

Adam Beach never imagined he would one day work with the likes of Indiana Jones, Dirty Harry and James Bond when he started acting nearly 25 years ago.

"I never considered looking at the ladder I’ve been climbing," says Beach, who was born in Ashern but grew up in Winnipeg’s West End.

"All I was really trying to do was one movie. I started this all just wanting to be in one," he says.

Beach is currently playing the lead role of pilot Bobby Martel in Arctic Air on CBC TV. He says it was a perfect fit with his desire to work on a project with connections to Northern Canada.

"The focus of the show — that these planes are a lifeline to some remote areas — is something I think viewers are appreciating as well," says Beach, during a phone interview from L.A.

From a character point of view, he liked the idea of playing someone already established in life.

"The idea of a pilot running his own business in the north also appealed to me."

Beach, 39, caught his first acting break in Winnipeg at the age of 16. That’s when he met a casting director which led to him to being cast opposite Graham Greene in the film Lost in the Barrens.

After spending four years in Manitoba’s theatre scene, Beach was cast in the breakout role of Frank Fencepost in Canadian director Bruce McDonald’s Dance Me Outside, in 1994.

He didn’t think then it would lead where it has — most recently with a supporting role in last year’s science-fiction action flick Cowboys & Aliens with Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig.

In 2006 he played Ira Hayes, one of the famous Iwo Jima flag raisers on Mount Suribachi during the Second World War in Flags of Our Fathers, a film directed by Clint Eastwood.

Beach says the experience he gained from working with those three Hollywood heavyweights was invaluable.

"Each of those three guys bring such a unique perspective to their work. How can you not learn from all of them?

"Each of them relates to acting in a different way, but are all aware of the world and who they surround themselves with. It means adding personal growth to performance and finding emotions, facing fears."

Beach, who was born on Nov. 11, will soon be donning the fatigues of one of Canada’s most famous military figures. He has been cast as Sgt. Tommy Prince in an upcoming biopic about the First Nations soldier. A start date for the film has yet to be announced.

"There are many First Nations stories that are out there, leaders who have real stories that are dramatic.

Some should be books, some plays and some films. Tommy Prince is all these things and especially deserves a story told with the drama of a feature film," he says.  

While Beach is pleased with the increasing number of aboriginal actors working in the television and film industry, he hopes to see more First Nations people become involved behind the camera.

"Things like APTN put First Nations programming on the map, but it is the producing of content that we need to move on now.  APTN is a platform for all to compete on and perform on," he says.

"Now we need to learn the tools and, in hopefully about a decade, there will be more of the backbone to the industry, directors, producers, storytellers that are producing content and streaming it worldwide," he says.

Arctic Air isn’t the first time Beach has worked on the small screen. His previous TV credits include shows such as Hawaii-Five-O, JAG, The Dead Zone, Big Love and Walker, Texas Ranger.

And he admits he’s bullish about his current show’s future. "I’m waiting to get the call about a second season," he says.

Beach expects to spend more time in Winnipeg in the not too distant future.

"We’re in the process of working towards a film school in Winnipeg," he says.

When he does, Beach will be able to pass along his experiences of playing a pilot. He might even convince Han Solo to stop by and do likewise.

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rob.brown@canstarnews.com