Irene Bedard is an actress who rose to prominence as the voice actress for the title role in Disney’s 1995 animated film Pocahontas, becoming the first woman of color to do so. Bedard’s filmography also includes critically acclaimed films such as Smoke Signals, The New World, and Songs My Brothers Taught Me. “Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee,” “Into the West,” “The Stand,” and “Alaska Daily” are among her television credits. In 2018, Bedard was inducted into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Bedard is an activist for Native American issues in addition to acting.
When Was Irene Bedard Born?
Irene Bedard was born on July 22, 1967, in Anchorage, Alaska.
Carol Otton, Bedard’s mother, was Inupiat and Yup’ik. Her maternal grandparents were from the Koyuk village. Bruce Bedard, Bedard’s father, was Cree and French Canadian.
Early Life and Education
Bedard grew up in Anchorage, but her family spent time in Washington state for her father’s business. She graduated from Dimond High School in Anchorage.
Bedard enjoyed putting on plays for his friends and family when he was younger. She began her studies in philosophy and physics at a Pennsylvania college before transferring to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia to study theater.
Acting Career
Bedard moved to New York City after earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, where she co-founded the Native American-focused Chuka Lokoli theatrical company.
Bedard portrayed Mary Brave Bird (also known as Mary Crow Dog) in the 1994 television film Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Television Motion Picture. Bedard chose the role because she wanted to use Brave Bird’s autobiography as the basis for a one-woman show but couldn’t because Jane Fonda had already optioned the book for the TV film. Bedard was also cast as the title character’s wife in Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale the same year.
Bedard was cast in a career-defining film in 1995, Disney’s animated feature Pocahontas. Bedard became the first non-white actress to voice a Disney princess when she was cast in the title role. Bedard was also a model for some of the animated characters’ onscreen appearances.
The film deviated from historical accuracy because Pocahontas was a young girl when she met an adult John Smith. Bedard is aware of the film’s flaws but believes it still conveys an important message. “This was the very first positive representation of native culture,” Bedard said in 2020. “Respect for elders, respect for the environment, and respect for animals.”
Bedard reprised her role as Pocahontas in the 1998 animated sequel Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World and in the 2018 film Ralph Breaks the Internet.
Bedard has also appeared in Navajo Blues (1996) and Smoke Signals (1998), both of which were based on Sherman Alexie stories. Bedard played Pocahontas’ mother in The New World (2005), and in Chloe Zhao’s Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015), Bedard was one of the few veteran performers in a cast mostly made up of first-time actors. She narrated the Native American women documentary film A Thousand Voices (2014).
Crazy Horse (1996), Grand Avenue (1996), True Women (1997), and Into the West (1998) are among Bedard’s TV movies and miniseries (2005). Bedard has also appeared in television shows such as “Longmire, FBI: Most Wanted,” “The Stand,” and “Alaska Daily.”
Bedard appeared as a future co-president in the Ava DuVernay-directed video for Jay-“Family Z’s Feud” in 2017.
Activism
Bedard was taught the value of Native American activism as a child, and as an adult, she has continued to advocate for important causes. She founded Guardians of Sacred Lands to raise awareness about Native issues and protect spiritually significant Indian lands. In addition, Bedard has worked with the American Indian Enterprise and Business Council.
Bedard testified before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in 2011 in support of stronger protections for Native women in the Violence Against Women Act.
Personal Life
In 1993, Bedard married musician Dennis “Deni” Wilson. Quinn, their son, was born ten years later. Bedard and Wilson worked together on the album Warrior of Love and toured as a duo. The couple divorced in 2010. According to Bedard, the marriage was abusive. The couple divorced in 2012.
TMZ reported in 2020 that Bedard was arrested twice in November over a three-day period. These arrests occurred in Ohio, where her ex-husband and son resided. The first arrest occurred at her ex-home, husband’s and she was charged with assault, domestic violence, and resisting arrest. The second arrest was made at a hotel for disorderly conduct. The assault and domestic violence charges against Bedard were later dropped. She admitted to resisting arrest, criminal damages, and disorderly conduct.
In August 2022, Bedard was again arrested for disorderly conduct in Ohio.