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Billy Merasty

Billy Merasty

Actor · Born January 1, 1960 (66) · Brochet, Manitoba, Canada

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.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 1, 1960 (66)
From
Brochet, Manitoba, Canada
Works as
Actor
Titles
23 on MovieCove · 44 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 64 days to Oct 27Down 19% in 30 days

What are Billy Merasty's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.

Genres

Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 31st percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 35th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy 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
Bonds
35%
Society
30%
Self
13%
Survival
7%
Ideas
6%
Power
6%
Morality
3%
Romantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTradition vs change2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 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 4 · Serious 2 · Dark 1

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

Grounded 5 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 5 · Intense 0

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

Steady 3 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 0 · 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 1 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 0

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 2 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles
Ally
1 of 3
Hero
1 of 3
Herald
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Contemplative
7
Romantic
3
Melancholic
2
Bittersweet
2
Other
6

How their films linger

Bittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet5
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

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 Billy Merasty's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 23 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Billy Merasty'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

44 credits, 23 with a MovieCove page.

  • Aberdeen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Alfred

  • Café Daughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Amos Horseknife

  • Acting Good (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 40 episodes · as Roger Laughingstick

  • Stellar(2022)

    as Auntie 1

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • SkyMed(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Glen

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

  • The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw(2019)

    as William Bearclaw

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • It: Chapter Two(2019)

    as Shokopiwah Man

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Diggstown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Chief Thomas

  • Falls Around Her(2018)

    as Draven

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Cardinal(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Billy Ralph Northwind

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Heritage Minutes: Queenston Heights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as John Norton

  • Moby Dick(2011)

    Show 4 episodes · as Tashtego

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all shows

  • Casino Jack(2010)

    as Bartender

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Northern Lights(2009)

    as Jacob

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Elijah (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Elijah Harper

  • Murdoch Mysteries(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Gravekeeper Gary Cardinal

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Mixed Blessings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 13 episodes · as Mark

  • Moose TV (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 8 episodes · Actor

  • Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee(2007)

    as Young Man Afraid

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

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

    Show 2 episodes · as John Cree

  • The New World(2005)

    as Kiskiak

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Big White(2005)

    as Cam

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Battle of the Brave(2004)

    as Owashak

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · as Jerry

  • This Is Wonderland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Brian Perot (as William Merasty)

  • Chiefs(2002)

    Show as Black Hawk

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Stardom(2000)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Virginian(2000)

    as Lee Talltrees

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Relic Hunter(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Inuit Hunter

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • War of 1812(1999)

    Show as John Norton (Indian chief)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

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

    as Zachary John

  • The Confessional (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Moose

  • Pocahontas: The Legend(1995)

    as Kocoum

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Les Légendes du Grand Nord (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Mawaki

  • Liberty Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 26 episodes · as Nathan Jones

  • No Price Too High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

  • Exotica(1994)

    as Man at Opera

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • X-Rated (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Nathan Jones

  • The Broken Cord (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Frank Cree

  • Heritage Minutes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · as John Norton

  • The Shaman's Source (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Mathew Hare

  • Justice Denied (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Donald Marshall, Jr.

  • Red Earth, White Earth(1989)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • American Experience(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as Warrior

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 82nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 42 titles from 1988 to 2024; peak year 2006.

Biggest box office

The Big White (2005)

$542K worldwide

Highest rated

The Big White (2005)

Midcredits 51st

Film career

19882024

Peak 2006 · steadily prominent in film for years. 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
Acting42 of 42: 42 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score40th

By decade

1980s3 · acting1990s12 · acting2000s14 · acting2010s8 · acting2020s5 · acting

Billing

usually 13th · top billed in 0% of 6 roles

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.

How do Billy Merasty's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 40th percentile, the median of all 15; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 30th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

30thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

32ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

29thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 23 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw (2019)

90th percentile spread · 44% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Exotica (1994)

Midcredits 81st · 69% liked

Reviewers score the acting 61/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles; fans 72, detractors 38. 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.

Who does Billy Merasty work with?

People who share at least 2 of Billy Merasty's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Darlene Naponse shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers