Moses Brings Plenty | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1969-09-04)September 4, 1969 (age 55) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Notable work | Yellowstone |
Moses J. Brings Plenty (born September 4, 1969) is anOglala Lakota television, film, and stage actor, as well as a traditional drummer and singer. He is best known for his portrayal as Mo in theParamount Network seriesYellowstone.[1]
Moses Brings Plenty was born on thePine Ridge Reservation, inSouth Dakota.[1] He is a direct descendant of Brings Plenty, anOglala Lakota warrior who fought in theBattle of Little Big Horn.[2][3]
His nephew Cole Brings Plenty portrayed Pete Plenty Clouds in two episodes of1923.[4][5] Cole was found dead on April 5, 2024, at the age of 27, after having been reported missing five days prior.[6]
As an actor, Brings Plenty has played bit parts inHidalgo,Thunderheart, andPirates of the Caribbean.[7] He also playedQuanah Parker in theHistory Channel documentaryComanche Warrior, which was filmed on the Wild Horse Sanctuary in the southernBlack Hills;Crazy Horse on History Channel'sInvestigating History documentary "Who Killed Crazy Horse"; and theBBC documentary seriesThe Wild West. He acted inRez Bomb, considered to be the first movie with a universal storyline set on a reservation.Rez Bomb has been part of the international film festival circuit instead of playing strictly to Native American film festivals, which is a major breakthrough for Native cinema.[8]
In addition to doing theater work in Nebraska, he also portrayed anApache warrior in the 2011science fiction western filmCowboys & Aliens[7] and Shep Wauneka inJurassic World Dominion in 2022.[9]
Brings Plenty plays Mo in theParamount seriesYellowstone. His role has grown through each season, finally becoming a series regular in season five. He is also the show's Native affairs coordinator, working with tribes to ensure that the Native languages and cultures are represented correctly.[10]
Moses Brings Plenty was one of the experts who tested and displayed the weapons and tactics used byOglala Lakota war leaderCrazy Horse in an episode of the third season ofSpike TV'sDeadliest Warrior. He appeared in the sixth episode of the fourth season of AMC'sHell on Wheels. He also appeared in all seven episodes of the 2020historical dramaminiseries,The Good Lord Bird.[11]
Moses has also appeared in 2023'sLawmen: Bass Reeves, on Paramount Network.[12]
Brings Plenty played drums for the bandBrulé, who combines traditional Native American drums and flute with contemporary musical instruments.[13] He performs with and drums for the Many Moccasins Dance Troupe,[14] based inWinnebago, Nebraska, that combines modern Native American dance withpowwow dances.[7]
Brings Plenty has modeled forEd Hardy and John Yaeger.[7]
Brings Plenty is concerned about providing accurate representations of Native peoples in mass media. He stated in a 2008 interview, "Young people told me they don’t see our people on TV. Then it hit me, they are right. Where are our indigenous people, people who are proud of who they are?"[1] Brings Plenty also works behind the scenes onYellowstone and its spin-off prequels1883 and1923 asTaylor Sheridan's American Indian Affairs Coordinator to make sure that each show appropriately represents Native culture.[15][16]
He has performed for charity events such as Project Lighthouse, who provides warm clothing and bedding to northernIndian reservations.[17]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Rez Bomb | Johnny | |
| 2011 | Cowboys & Aliens | Apache Warrior #2 | |
| 2013 | The Cherokee Word for Water | Charlie Soap | |
| 2022 | Jurassic World Dominion | Shep Wauneka | |
| 2023 | Dead Man's Hand | Mahto |
| Year(s) | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | The Wild West | Crazy Horse | Episode: "Custer's Last Stand" |
| 2011 | Deadliest Warrior | Himself | Episode: "Crazy Horse vs. Pancho Villa" |
| 2012 | American Experience | Crazy Horse | Episode: "Custer's Last Stand" |
| 2014 | House of Cards | Chief Whitehall | Episode: "Chapter 21" |
| Hell on Wheels | White Feather | Episode 6: "Bear Man" | |
| 2016 | The American West | Sitting Bull | 8 episodes |
| 2018–2024 | Yellowstone | Mo | 39 episodes |
| 2020 | The Good Lord Bird | Ottawa Jones | |
| 2023 | Lawmen: Bass Reeves | Minco Dodge |
On April 12, 2024, Brings Plenty was honored with a New Horizon Award, a lifetime achievement award given out at the annualWestern Heritage Awards at theNational Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Brings Plenty dedicated the award to his nephew, Cole.[18]
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