Duane Howard, the Mowachaht/Muchalaht actor who played the lead aboriginal role Elk Dog in the film The Revenant, has been invited to attend the 88th annual Academy Awards. The 2016 Academy Awards is being held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on Sunday, Feb. 28.
Howard received his invitation to the Oscars on Feb. 18, when his publicist Holly Carinci called him as he was travelling back from the U.S.
“She said ‘I hope you’re sitting down’, and I asked her why and she said, ‘because you’re in! You’re going to the Oscars!’” Howard told Ha-Shilth-Sa.
“I was so happy, full of excitement and I screamed like a little girl,” he said.
His publicist shared the news on social media: “Very exciting news today! Duane E Howard was invited to The Academy Awards to join in support of The Revenant.”
Made in 2015 and directed by Oscar-winning director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, The Revenant has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director.
And Howard will be going in style. He has already gone in for a fitting with renowned Haida fashion designer Dorothy Grant. It will be the first time her designs will be worn on the red carpet and she is equally excited.
Grant had already offered up one of her designs before Howard received his invitation from Inarritu, but he told her he wasn’t nominated for an award so he wouldn’t be going.
After receiving the invitation he messaged her immediately and Grant got to work looking for something for Howard to wear on his big night.
Grant came up with a tuxedo, the jacket designed with eagle and raven crests.
“My great grandfather, Louis Howard, was Tlinkit and the family crest is the eagle and raven – it all fit,” said Howard, adding he will proudly wear Grant’s design as he walks down the red carpet.
Fellow Aboriginal actors Arthur Redcloud and Forrest Goodluck will join Howard with the cast of The Revenant. They will be leaving for Hollywood on Feb. 26 so that they can attend a Georgio Armani party on Feb. 27. They will also take part in panel discussions later that day.
“We will be the first Aboriginal actors to go to the Oscars since Dances with Wolves more than 25 years ago,” said Howard.
He went on to say that he will prepare a short speech because, if The Revenant wins Best Picture, Howard and other cast members will take the stage to accept the Oscar. And, judging by the extra efforts being taken to bring more than the usual number of cast members to Academy Awards, “I think they already know we won it,” Howard said.
