Eugene Brave Rock Talks Importance of Native American Representation in ‘Wonder Woman’

Wonder Woman keeps smashing box office records, surpassing the first Spider-Man film’s domestic total and becoming the largest box office opening for a comic book movie featuring a female lead and the highest-grossing film ever directed by a woman.

But it’s more than girl power that makes Wonder Woman important. Actor Eugene Brave Rock, who played Wonder Woman’ ally Chief Napi in the film, told ComicBook’s Joseph Schmidt about the importance of Native American representation in the film.

Brave Rock, who hails from Alberta, Canada’s Blood Reserve, said that the inclusion of a Native demigod in the DCEU was a point of pride for Native people.

“It just brings some diversity, for me and my people again, it brings some pride and honor. It’s bringing a Native American in a positive light as a hero figure, again it’s time for a Native American superhero,” Brave Rock said.

In Wonder Woman Chief Napi introduces himself to Wonder Woman in the Blackfoot language. For Brave Rock, it was not only an incredible opportunity to use his native language, but the success of the film has allowed him to encourage Native youth.

“Honestly, the attention has allowed me to reach Blackfoot kids and reach children from other First Nations with a message of hope. Encourage them to be proud warriors and follow their dreams,” he said.

Brave Rock also is hopeful that he’ll have the opportunity to continue to inspire youth with Chief Napi and he’d even like to see the Chief get his own movie and place in the DCEU.

“It’s been an honor to share my culture. And who knows, maybe the Chief will get his own movie. That’d be awesome, that’d be great.”

Wonder Woman currently has a ComicBook.com Composite Score of 84.59, the eighth highest of any comic-book movie. The film also has a 4.25 out of 5 ComicBook.com User Rating, making it the fourth highest-rated comic book movie of all time among ComicBook.com readers. Let us know what you thought of Wonder Woman by giving the film your own Comicbook.com User Rating below.

In Wonder Woman, before she was Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets an American pilot (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that’s raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana leaves her home for the first time. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny.

Wonder Woman is directed by Patty Jenkins, with a screenplay by Allan Heinberg, from a story by Heinberg, Zack Snyder, and Jason Fuchs, and stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Connie Nielsen and Elena Anaya.

Wonder Woman is in theaters now.