Eric Schweig


Eric Schweig is a Canadian Inuvialuk actor best known for his role as Chingachgook's son Uncas in The Last of the Mohicans.

Early life

Schweig was born in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. He is of mixed race. He is the oldest of seven children, who were all adopted out as part of the Canadian government's failed attempt at forcing Inuit and First Nations children to assimilate into white society. Schweig's biological mother died of alcoholism in 1989. He never met her. "She didn’t drink a drop of alcohol until we were taken away," says Schweig. "We were part of the whole assimilation program—forcibly taken away, although my adoptive parents told me I wasn't." His maternal uncle is musician Willie Thrasher. Schweig was adopted at six months of age by an English-speaking German-French family. He spent his childhood in Inuvik until he was six, when his family moved to Bermuda. They moved back to Canada after a year.
He described his adoptive parents as having discouraged him from connecting with his Inuit heritage. Schweig said, "I eventually grew tired of living in a prison without walls and ran away when I was 16. What transpired between then and now has been a roller coaster of alcohol, drugs, violence, failed relationships, despair and confusion. Who am I? Where do I come from? Where is my family? Where do I belong? When life's mystery has been shattered by strangers watching over you, a lot of these questions are lost."
After running away, he experienced homelessness and supported himself by framing houses. In 1985, he was part of the cast of The Cradle Will Fall, an experimental adaptation of Frank Wedekind's Spring Awakening produced by Theatre of Change at the Actor's Lab; this was his first experience as an actor. He was later approached by a producer who suggested he audition for a role in the movie called The Shaman's Source. The film launched his career in the film industry.

Career

Schweig's numerous screen credits include his portrayal of Uncas in the epic motion picture The Last of the Mohicans and Pike Dexter in the movie Big Eden, for which he won the Outstanding Actor Award at the Outfest film festival. In 1992, he was cast as Black Thunder in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation mini-series By Way of the Stars. Among his period film credits since The Last of the Mohicans, Eric became the famous Mohawk leader Joseph Brant/Thayendanegea for TNT's telefilm The Broken Chain, playing for the first time the main character in a movie. It was shot primarily in North Carolina. He starred in Disney's The Scarlet Letter and Tom and Huck with Amy Wright in 1995. In 1996 he appeared as a Comanche protagonist, Buffalo Hump, in the Larry McMurtry miniseries Dead Man's Walk. More recently, he played the lead role in films addressing more contemporary issues facing aboriginal and Native American people: Skins, Cowboys and Indians: The J.J. Harper Story and One Dead Indian.

Personal life

Schweig was interested in the arts in childhood, and has since become a master carver. Under the tutelage of artist Vern Etzerza, he studied traditional Pacific Coast carving before directing his talent specifically towards custom and traditional Inuit Spirit Masks, in collaboration with master carver Art Thompson.
Schweig previously struggled with alcoholism, which he attributed to trauma from his abusive childhood. He has stated that Big Eden was the first movie in which he was entirely sober.
In 2017, Schweig adopted two foster siblings.

Awards

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987The Shaman's SourceRobert Crow
1992By Way of the StarsBlack ThunderTV mini-series
1992The Last of the MohicansUncas
1993For Love and GloryMoses MoonTV movie
1993The Broken ChainJoseph Brant / ThayendanegeaTV movie
1994Due SouthInuit HunterEpisode: "Pilot"
1994Squanto: A Warrior's TaleEpenow
1994Pontiac MoonErnest Ironplume
1995500 NationsTV mini-series
1995Follow the RiverWildcatTV movie
1995The Scarlet LetterMetacomet
1995Tom and HuckInjun Joe
1996Red RiverNapoléonTV mini-series
1996Dead Man's WalkBuffalo HumpTV mini-series
2000Big EdenPike Dexter
2002SkinsRudy Yellow Lodge
2003 Mr. BarringtonSamuel
2003Cowboys and Indians: The John Joseph Harper StoryHarry WoodTV movie
2003The MissingClub Foot El Brujo / Pesh-Chidin
2005Into the WestSitting Bull
2005It WaitsJoseph Riverwind
2005Shania: A Life in Eight AlbumsJerry TwainTV movie
2006One Dead IndianSam GeorgeTV movie
2006Indian Summer: The Oka CrisisTerry DoxtatorTV mini-series
2006Not Like Everyone ElseTim Blackbear
2006Mr. SoulSteve Lonethunder
2007Bury My Heart at Wounded KneeGall
2009–2014Cashing InMatthew TommyTV series
2009Kissed by LightningSolomon 'Bug' King
2009–2015BlackstoneChief Andy Fraser
2010A Flesh OfferingMishomis
2010Casino JackChief Poncho
2013MaïnaQuujuuq
2013LongmireDolan Lone Elk
2014ElementaryLeon MoodyS3 E6: Terra Pericolosa
2017SupernaturalSergeant Joe PhilipsSeason 13 Episode 6
2018The GrizzliesHarry Aviak
2020BarkskinsChief TehonikonhrakenSeason 1, Episodes 7 & 8
2020Brother, I CryDean
2023Little BirdAsinTV series
2025One Battle After Another Avanti