Rodney is a member of the Omaha Tribe(Originators of the Pow Wow) and was raised in Macy, Nebraska. According to several articles I've read, he spent 6 months in the Marines and 6 years in the reserves which gave him discipline and helped him in the outside world. He has been mostly known for his portrayal of "Wind in His Hair", in Dances with Wolves starring Kevin Costner, Graham Greene, Tantoo Cardinal and others. He strongly believes that Native Americans should play Indians. He is the National Spokesman for the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Rodney was also chosen as one of 1990's People's magazine most beautiful people.(<----Click here to see picture)

"He was born, the youngest of five children, in Macy, Nebraska. When he was 6 months old, his grandparents took over his upbringing. "All I know," says Grant ,"is that my parents were having problems and left me , my two brothers and two sisters with my grandparents." When his grandfather died 3 years later, his grandmother raised him. She died in 1982. The article goes on to say that his first marriage failed. He had 3 children (daughters) from that marriage, & they live with their mother. He has a son, Walter, who was 3 in 1991, by a former girlfriend. The article mentioned his drinking problems and how he was ordered to undergo counseling. "He stopped drinking, moved into a halfway house & found work moving furniture. A fan read somewhere else about how he cut his hair when he was taking classes at the University of Nebraska. The article says 1989's War Party was his first film. It also says he wound up in the hospital with pneumonia after filming the vision scene in Son of the Morning Star, because it was shot in -25 F & he wore only a breechcloth.The article ends with Rodney saying, "A lot of people told me I was never going to be anybody, but here I am.

Note: The above is based again on articles, if at any time Rodney or his agent ask me to remove anything that is incorrect or that they prefer I not include here, then I will abide by their wishes and remove them.

I have had the pleasure of receiving a phone call from this busy man on March 3rd and believe me when I say, I was unprepared for it! What a great person he is to have taken the time out to call me regarding this web-site. He was so gracious, and willing to help! I will tell you that he strongly does not believe in web-sites that center around gossip and that is the one thing I never envisioned on my web-site and will continue to strive to keep it gossip free. His wife's name is Lee-Anne. He is on the Board of Directors for "Boys and Girls Clubs in Indian Country and still is the spokesperson for FAS. He owns three horses and has been active in various sports such as basketball, softball and was a long distance runner in High School. One of his favorite hobbies/pasttime is motorcycle riding and just got a brand new 99' Harley Road King (All black with gold trim)for his birthday and he is thrilled with it! He speaks English and is familiar with (Apache/Sioux/Russian/Spanish). His favorite basketball team are the Lakers.He likes a variety of music, especially anything having to do with Elvis Presley. He has two films that are to be aired this spring and summer so please check out the filmography page for the dates. One being "The Jack Bull" which premiered April 17 and got a great review from the NY Daily News (See on contents page). Mr. Grant is personally endorsing my site and I am thrilled that he values my efforts. Here are Rodney word's, "I am all Jazzed up over this site"!!

A note from Rose:

In a taped interview during the making of the filming of "Dances with Wolves", Rodney states that what he knew of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska of whom he is a member, is they were not a warring tribe but a genereous people. He chose to through one way or another to surrender his heritage and it is one of the mistakes in life that he regrets but it could be changed. The only thing he could do was to pick up where he left off. He also goes on to say that the Lakota language used during the film which he had to learn by taking language courses for the part to understand it, also helped bring him back into wanting to get back to his heritage, culture, his tribal ways and wisdom."

There was also a taped interview during the making of "Son of the Morning Star", where he tells us that he the opportunity to portray the least photographed famous Native American, "Crazy Horse", and wanted to make a good impression to the best of his abilities. He goes on to say that this being his contribution to Native Americans to portray this role to the best of his abilities especially because there is not enough said about Native Americans in a favorable light.

©Rose 99

Here is some information I found in Encarta Encyclopedia 98 regarding the Omaha people:

The Omaha (people), Native American tribe of the Siouan language family and of the Plains culture area. They are closely related to the Kansa , Osage, Quapaw , and Ponca tribes and formerly inhabited an extensive territory west of the Missouri River, between the Platte and Niobrara rivers, within present-day Nebraska. The Omaha economy was based on the cultivation of corn and vegetables and the hunting of buffalo. Their dwellings were generally earth-covered lodges, but they also built bark lodges and used skin tepees on hunting expeditions. The Omaha were considerably reduced in number by an 1802 epidemic of smallpox and by incessant warfare with the Sioux , which ended through the intervention of the U.S. government. In 1854 the tribe ceded much of their territory to the United States; the rest was retained as a reservation, part of which was later sold to the government as a reservation for the Winnebago tribe. In 1882 the Omaha were granted the right to hold land individually. In 1990, 4143 people claimed to be of Omaha descent.

Copyright-Encarta Encylopedia 98 1993-1997© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

More on the Omaha| And still more links on the Omaha

(Picture is owned by Laila Zamata who has exclusive rights, copying picture prohibited)

Thanks to Martha for her contribution of the 1991 article information

Background Music(Eagle by Abba) courtesy of Sound Gallery

(Wolf Creek Background courtesy of Ladi Kali from her Native American Gallery)

(Copyright ©Rose 99)All rights reserved