Billy Merasty
Billy Merasty is an actor, playwright, Cree translator, and language keeper. He was born to Viola and Pierre Merasty in 1960 in Brochet, Manitoba. His grandfather was Joe Highway, a famous caribou hunter and champion dogsled racer. He moved to Toronto at age eighteen in search for his uncle René Highway, who was at the time working for the Toronto Dance Theatre. At age twenty-three Billy launched his acting career after graduating from the Native Theatre School for aspiring Indigenous artists. He then went on to work for the renowned Indigenous performing arts company Native Earth Performing Arts. Billy has worked as a film, television, and stage actor for decades and notably played the first Indigenous gay character on television on the CBC series, Liberty Street, in the role of Nathan. Billy received the Order of Manitoba (Order of the Buffalo Hunt) in recognition for his many years as an Indigenous role model in 2010.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · Aberdeen as Alfred
- 2023 · Café Daughter as Amos Horseknife
- 2022 · Acting Good as
- 2022 · Stellar as Auntie 1
- 2019 · The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw as William Bearclaw
- 2019 · It Chapter Two as Shokopiwah Man
- 2019 · Diggstown as Chief Thomas
- 2013 · Heritage Minutes: Queenston Heights as John Norton
- 2011 · Moby Dick as Tashtego
- 2009 · Northern Lights as Jacob
- 2008 · Elijah as Elijah Harper
- 2007 · Moose TV as
- 2007 · Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee as Young Man Afraid
- 2005 · The New World as Kiskiak
- 2005 · The Big White as Cam
- 2004 · Battle of the Brave as Owashak
- 2004 · Wonderfalls as Jerry
- 2004 · This Is Wonderland as Brian Perot (as William Merasty)
- 2000 · Stardom as
- 1999 · Relic Hunter as Inuit Hunter
- 1998 · Honey Moccasin as Zachary John
- 1995 · The Confessional as Moose
- 1995 · Pocahontas: The Legend as Kocoum
- 1995 · Les Légendes du Grand Nord as Mawaki
- 1995 · Liberty Street as Nathan Jones
- 1995 · No Price Too High as
- 1994 · Exotica as Man at opera
- 1994 · X-Rated as Nathan Jones
- 1992 · The Broken Cord as Frank Cree
- 1990 · The Shaman's Source as Mathew Hare
- 1989 · Snake Treaty as