Into the West

Background:

Tonantzin Carmelo is an American actress of television, film and stage, a dancer and a musician. She is maybe best known for her roles as Thunder Heart Woman in the Emmy Award winning television miniseries “Into the West” (2005), for which she shared a Western Heritage Award and a Screen Actors Guild nomination, and Shayla Stonefeather in the critically acclaimed Chris Eyre film “Imprint” (2007), where she won an American Indian Film Festival Award for her performance.

In 2009, Carmelo was assigned by L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to serve on the Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Affairs Commission.

USC Irvine Alum

Childhood and Family:

Tonantzin Carmelo was born to a leader of an American Indian dance troupe and a professional Latin musician. She graduated from University of California, Irvine with a BA degree in Environmental Anaysis and Design with a minor in Dance. She grew up performing in her mother's dance troupe, and branched out to acting during college.

Into the West

Career:

Tonantzin Carmelo started her career as a native dancer and musician. She recorded three CDs under Canyon Records. Carmelo began acting in theater and has performed in a number of professional theater productions. She is a member of the Los Angeles based professional theater company Native Voices. She played Lisa Yellowtree in the world premiere production of “Carbon Black” and Victoria Roubideux in the world premiere production of “Eventide.”

In 2002, Carmelo broke into the big screen with a significant role as Anita in “King Rikki,” opposite Jon Seda and Mario López. She followed it up with another important role in the forgettable drama film “187 Shadow Lane” (2003), opposite Danny Romo and Robert Zepeda. The same year, hse also played Erika Sanchez in an episode of “ L.A. Dragnet” called “ Coyote.”

Carmelo's big breakthrough arrived when she was cast as Thunder Heart Woman in three episodes of the Steven Spielberg produced television miniseries “Into the West,” which was first broadcast in the U.S. on TNT between June 10 and July 22, 2005. She jointly netted a Bronze Wrangler for Outstanding Television Feature Film at the 2006 Western Heritage Awards and a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for her work in the show.

In 2007, Carmelo had a supporting role as Nodin in the horror/mystery film “Unearthed,” which was directed and written by Matthew Leutwyler and starring Emmanuelle Vaugier, Luke Goss and Beau Garrett. The same year, she also starred as Shayla Stonefeather in the independent thriller/drama film “Imprint,” which was co-written and directed by Michael Linn and produced by Chris Eyre. The film won three American Indian Movie Awards for Best Actress for Carmelo, Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for Carla-Rae. It also won the Best Feature award at the the 2007 Cherokee International Film Festival, the Best Cinematography Award at the 2008 Hoboken International Film Festival and the Best Feature at the 2008 South Dakota Film Festival. On the small screen, she made a guest appearance as Adrienne Veston in an episode of “ CSI: Miami” called “ Bloodline” (also 2007).

In 2008, Carmelo provided the voice of Kendra Daniels in the best selling EA Video Game “Dead Space.” The following year, she appeared in the TV series “Freedom Riders,” in an episode of the TV series documentary “ The American Experience” called “We Shall Remain: Part I - After the Mayflower” As well as in the pilot of “ Dark Blue.” In addition, she played the role of Miakoda in the direct to video drama/western film “Shadowheart” (2009), starring Angus Macfadyen, Justin Ament and Marnie Alton. In 2010, she provided the voice of Sooleawa'uha in the episode “There Will Be Bad Blood” of the Fox animated series “ American Dad!”

Carmelo will play Isabella in the upcoming drama film “Periphery” (2011), starring Jesse Garcia, Tessa Thompson and Steven Grayhm. She is also set to play Caitlyn in another forthcoming drama film, “Shouting Secrets.” Costars in the later include Chaske Spencer, Q'orianka Kilcher and Tyler Christopher.

Awards:

• American Indian Film Festival: American Indian Movie Award, Best Actress, “Imprint,” 2007

• Western Heritage: Bronze Wrangler, Outstanding Television Feature Film, “Into the West,” 2006