Paulina Alexis

Paulina Jewel Alexis, also known as Wǎgíyaŋ Čížaŋ or Young Eagle, is a First Nations (Alexis Nakota Sioux) actress best known for her role as Willie Jack in Reservation Dogs (2021–2023). She won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series in 2022 and in 2023 and 2024 was nominated for the Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. The series won a Peabody Award.

Alexis was raised on a Alexis Nakota Sioux First Nation reserve in Alberta. As a child, she played hockey and attended school in Edmonton. At age 18, she landed her first professional film role as a minor character in Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), and later featured in the 2020 Canadian film Beans. She had her breakout role as the two-spirit character Willie Jack on Reservation Dogs, a performance which garnered critical attention.

Early life and education

Paulina Jewel Alexis, or Young Eagle, "Wǎgíyaŋ Čížaŋ" in Íhârne Stoney Nakoda, was born in and raised on a Alexis Nakota Sioux First Nation reserve in Alberta, Canada. Her family tree includes Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8 Territories in Canada. During her childhood, Alexis went to many casting calls for commercials and acting roles; After signing with Nathan's agent, she had a video audition; director Jason Reitman was sufficiently impressed to invite her to a live audition. Alexis' next role was as April in the award-winning Canadian film Beans (2020), a semi-autobiographical story written and directed by Tracey Deer (Mohawk) about the Oka Crisis at Kanesatake, Quebec. Alexis has said that being on the set of Beans was incredibly fun, Deer allowed her to improvise some of her lines, and she met her future Reservation Dogs co-star D'Pharaoh Woon-a-tai.

Reservation Dogs Alexis originally auditioned for the role of Elora, a female lead in Reservation Dogs, Alexis described developing her vision of Willie Jack for the audition process: "I just created Willie Jack how I think she would be, with her braids, she's always loud, with her bros, she loves hard, and just did it like that."

After Alexis was given the role, she was encouraged by the show producers to improvise lines for her character and helped develop the wardrobe. Alexis sometimes consulted with her brother on the development of lines for Willie Jack.

Bones of Crows Alexis is also featured as the character Immpy in the film Bones of Crows (2022), an inter-generational tale about a family of Indigenous women, who are living with the traumas inflicted by genocidal Indian residential schools.

Inkwo for When the Starving Return Alexis had a voice acting role in Inkwo for When the Starving Return, a stop motion animation interpretation of Richard Van Camp's short story "The Wheetago", presented by Spotted Fawn Productions. Wheetago, also known as wendigo, are supernatural beings from Indigenous lore, and the name Wheetago translates to "body eater" in the Dene language, which the producers of the film say "have existed across indigenous cultures to teach us about greed". The producers confirmed in early 2023 that Alexis was cast as the gender-switching character Young Dove.

Personal life Alexis plays hockey, She announced her pregnancy through Instagram on August 18, 2024.

Filmography Film + Year Title Role Director Notes 2020 Beans April Tracey Deer 2021 Ghostbusters: Afterlife Bunny Jason Reitman Filmed in 2019 2026–present Anna Pigeon Zoey Bear Child

Awards and nominations + Year Award Category Work Result 2022 Independent Spirit Awards Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series (Shared with the cast) Reservation Dogs Pena de Prata Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series (Shared with the cast) 2023 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series 2024 Critics' Choice Television Awards