Jaguar Paw

I've never been able to understand how this film never translated into stardom for Rudy Youngblood, because his performance is so mesmerizing. Devastatingly powerful.

On the one hand, it probably has something to do with the fact that Hollywood is notorious for its liberal hypocrisy, that they can't bring themselves to move a minority actor like Youngblood beyond the status of "token" minority and recognize him for the legitimate talent he is.

But, more likely, his association with Mel Gibson and crew, fresh off of the Passion of the Christ controversy, rendered him vulnerable to virtual character assassination (and Gibson's people from the looks of it didn't do much to help him out). He was subjected to an obsessive interrogation over whether or not he "lied" about being Native American/Half-Black/Hispanic, which apparently stunted any traction he should have made in Hollywood. But, I'm shocked at the effectiveness of the campaign waged by some against him. That's like Bea Arthur failing to get on television because she lied about not being in the marines.

Actually, that Youngblood may likely never achieve the type of success he probably deserves in Hollywood is bittersweet in that he will forever be solely associated with the noble and heroic "Jaguar Paw" and for no other role, thereby making the performance that much more iconic.

Just as Mark Hamill will always be Luke Skywalker; Marlon Brando, Don Corleone; Vivien Leigh, Scarlet O'Hara; Alan Ladd, Shane; Judy Garland, Dorothy Gale; Rudy Youngblood will always be Jaguar Paw. Nothing wrong with being associated with a survivor.