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Tantoo Cardinal

Tantoo Cardinal

Actor · Born July 20, 1950 (76) · Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Screen Actors Guild Award nominee

Tantoo Cardinal CM is a Native-Canadian actress of Cree and Métis heritage. With over 130 credits in 50 years, she's received numerous awards, including the Earle Grey Award, and in 2009, she was made a member of the Order of Canada "for her contributions to the growth and development of Aboriginal performing arts in Canada, as a screen and stage actress, and as a founding member of the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company." She starred in Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon," and her upcoming projects include the Marvel Series "Echo" and the animated feature "Wendell and Wild." Known for her work in Stumptown and 3 Pines, she has a rich history in films like "Legends of the Fall," "Dances with Wolves," and "Wind River," and TV shows such as "SEE," "Westworld," and "Frontier." Tantoo Cardinal has multiple honorary doctorates.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 20, 1950 (76)
From
Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada
Works as
Actor
Titles
74 on MovieCove · 120 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 24% in 30 days

What are Tantoo Cardinal's films like?

Across their 49 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Bonds.

Genres

Drama22 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
28%
Bonds
18%
Survival
16%
Self
15%
Morality
13%
Power
8%
Ideas
3%
Family bonds16 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity16 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity11 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice9 titles, browse their movies with this themePrejudice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief8 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 45 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 13 · Serious 11 · Dark 21

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 36 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 12 · Charged 17 · Intense 16

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 23 · Shifting 19 · Whiplash 3

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 34 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 29 · Even-paced 16 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 19 · Engaged 22 · Full focus 4

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 8 · Affecting 17 · Heavy 20

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 30 · Open-ended 11 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

23 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 9 of 23 analyzed roles.

Mentor
9 of 23
Ally
8 of 23
Herald
2 of 23
Shapeshifter
1 of 23
Threshold guardian
1 of 23
Hero
1 of 23
Shadow
1 of 23
Show the 23 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
31
Melancholic
27
Contemplative
17
Hopeful
19
Warm
12
Other
27

How their films linger

Hopeful22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet29
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous7

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Tantoo Cardinal's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 53 of their 74 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (24).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Tantoo Cardinal's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

120 credits, 74 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Wildwood(2026)

    as Iphigenia (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The American Revolution(2025)

    Show 2 episodes · as (voice)

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Inkwo for When the Starving Return (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Auntie (voice)

  • An Ode for Leviticus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Luna

  • Echo(2023)

    Show 5 episodes · as Chula Battiest

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all shows

  • Killers of the Flower Moon(2023)

    as Lizzie Q

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The American Buffalo(2023)

    Show 2 episodes · as (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Three Pines(2022)

    Show 6 episodes · as Bea Mayer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • The Last Manhunt(2022)

    as Ticup

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Oni: Thunder God's Tale(2022)

    Show 4 episodes · as Principal (voice)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Wendell & Wild(2022)

    as Ms. Hunter (voice)

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Spirit Rangers(2022)

    Show 3 episodes · as Moon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • The Boss Baby: Back in the Crib(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Marie Chalifoux (voice)

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Back Home Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Mrs. Grey Horns (voice)

  • The Corruption of Divine Providence(2020)

    as Juniper Fairweather

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Sisters Rising (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Executive Producer

  • See(2019)

    Show 4 episodes · as The Dreamer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Red Snow(2019)

    as Grandmother Ruth

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Stumptown(2019)

    Show 18 episodes · as Sue Lynn Blackbird

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • The Grizzlies(2018)

    as Janace

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Through Black Spruce(2018)

    as Mary-Lou

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Abandoned: Angelique's Isle(2018)

    as Green Thunderbird Woman

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • New Amsterdam(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Jane Munsee

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Hold the Dark(2018)

    as Illanaq

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Falls Around Her(2018)

    as Mary Birchbark

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Corner Gas Animated (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Real Estate Agent (voice)

  • The Great Northern Candy Drop(2017)

    as Narrator / Louisa (voice)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Godless(2017)

    Show 7 episodes · as Iyovi

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Wind River(2017)

    as Alice Crowheart

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Cardinal(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · as Nookomis

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Frontier(2016)

    Show 7 episodes · as Kamenna

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • Westworld(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Ehawee

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Bull(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Chief Tsosie

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • ARQ(2016)

    as The Pope

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • On the Farm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Ada Taylor

  • Hope Bridge(2015)

    as Lana

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Mohawk Girls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 6 episodes · as Zoe’s Mom

  • Strange Empire(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Pichette

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Outlander(2014)

    Show 2 episodes · as Adawehi

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Penny Dreadful(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Old Native American Woman

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Rez Carz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as (voice)

  • From Above(2013)

    as Older Venus

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Down Here(2014)

    as Stella Mitchell

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Maïna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Tekahera

  • Eden(2012)

    as The Nurse

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Longmire(2012)

    Show 4 episodes · as Marilyn Yarlott

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Arctic Air(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Aunt Mary

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Shouting Secrets(2011)

    as June

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Killing(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Hooker

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Blackstone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 18 episodes · as Wilma Stoney

  • Fathers & Sons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Gordon’s Sister

  • Shattered (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · as Carol

  • Every Emotion Costs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Aunt Marcy

  • Changing Climates, Changing Times (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Grace Lajoie

  • Mothers & Daughters(2008)

    as Celine

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Dear Prudence(2009)

    as Ruth Vigil

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Just Breathe(2008)

    as Heather

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Older Than America(2008)

    as Auntie Apple

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Englishman's Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 2 episodes · as Little Soldier's Wife

  • The Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 4 episodes · as Ursula

  • Luna: Spirit of the Whale(2007)

    as Gloria Maquinna

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Road to Christmas(2006)

    as Sioux Woman

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Indian Summer: The Oka Crisis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · as Iba Beauvais

  • Unnatural & Accidental (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Aunt Shadie / Rita

  • H2O (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Grand Chief Katie Blackfire

  • H2O (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · as Grand Chief Katie Blackfire

  • A Thief of Time(2003)

    as Irene Musket

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Dreamkeeper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 2 episodes · as Old Pawnee Woman

  • DreamKeeper(2003)

    as Old Pawnee Woman

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Moccasin Flats (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 15 episodes · as Betty

  • How the Fiddle Flows(2002)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Edge of Madness(2002)

    as Ruth

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Tom Stone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Crowfoot

  • MythQuest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Walloha

  • In the Light of Reverence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Dodson's Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Waitress

  • The lost child(2000)

    as Aunt Mary

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Canada: A People's History (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Plains Storyteller

  • The Hi-Line (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Singing Bird

  • Postmark Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Reenie

  • Navigating the Heart(2000)

    as Mary

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • A Stranger in the Kingdom(1999)

    as Heaven Fontaine

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Family Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Grant

  • Smoke Signals(1998)

    as Arlene Joseph

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Heartwood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Violet Boucher

  • Big Bear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Running Second

  • Cold Squad(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Theresa Sandiman

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Honey Moccasin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Honey Moccasin

  • The Education of Little Tree(1997)

    as Nonna

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Grand Avenue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Nellie

  • Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Gabe LaRoche’s Mother

  • Tecumseh: The Last Warrior(1995)

    as Turtle Mother

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Nobody's Girls: Five Women of the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Sarah Winnemucca

  • Prophecy, Milestones & Challenges (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Alive

  • Legends of the Fall(1994)

    as Pet

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee(1994)

    as Mary's Mother

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Sioux City(1994)

    as Dawn Rainfeather

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Silent Tongue(1993)

    as Silent Tongue

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Harts of the West(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Helen

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • Spirit Rider(1993)

    as Marilyn St. Claire

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Where the Rivers Flow North(1993)

    as Bangor

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Mustard Bath (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Sister Amantha

  • Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman(1993)

    Show 6 episodes · as Snow Bird

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • North of 60 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 7 episodes · as Betty Moses

  • Black Robe(1991)

    as Chomina's Wife

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Lightning Incident (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Vivian

  • Dances with Wolves(1990)

    as Black Shawl

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Divided Loyalties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Molly Brant

  • War Party(1988)

    as Sonny's Mother

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Candy Mountain(1987)

    as Annie

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Loyalties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Rosanne Ladouceur

  • Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge(1987)

    as Little Doe

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Street Legal(1987)

    Show 4 episodes · as Renee Stonehouse

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • The Campbells (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Maria Brant

  • Places Not Our Own (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Rose (as Tantoo Martin-Cardinal)

  • Running Brave(1983)

    as Caroline

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Death Hunt(1981)

    as Indian Woman

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Marie-Anne(1978)

    as Tantou, Indian princess

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • For the Record (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Aunt Mary

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 120 titles from 1951 to 2026; peak year 2023.

Biggest box office

Dances with Wolves (1990)

$424M worldwide

Highest rated

Dances with Wolves (1990)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Film career

19512026

Peak 2023 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 5 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting119 of 120: 119 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score58thProducing1 of 120: 1 only producing, 0 with another role

By decade

1950s1 · acting1970s2 · acting1980s9 · acting1990s27 · acting2000s28 · acting2010s37 · acting2020s16 · 15 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 0% of 16 roles
8106

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

Nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2024, Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Tantoo Cardinal's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 57th percentile, the median of the 48 of 49 with a score; across their 45 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Approval · how many liked their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Reach · how many have seen their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Midcredits score across 73 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up28
  • 50th to 74th22
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th10

Shape of the crowd

31 of their 73 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved12
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic6
  • Crowd Pleaser31
  • Mixed21

Most divisive · actor

Hope Bridge (2015)

97th percentile spread · 43% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Wildwood (2026)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 37 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 41. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Tantoo Cardinal's work okay for kids?

Across up to 12 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore9 titles66–88 · median 83 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity12 titles25–66 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity9 titles35–68 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs8 titles12–43 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense8 titles54–81 · median 63 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Tantoo Cardinal work with?

People who share at least 2 of Tantoo Cardinal's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Graham Greene shares the most, 10.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers