Nathaniel Arcand has dozens of film and television credits. He’s shared the screen with Oscar winner Kathy Bates and 007 himself, Pierce Brosnan. He currently has recurring roles on two different television shows: CBC’s Heartland and APTN’s critically-acclaimed Blackstone.
So how come Arcand isn’t a household name? Well, maybe it has something to do with the fact he turned down a role that made Adam Beach a star in Hollywood.
”I was being faithful to Moose TV and they were shooting at the same time,” said Arcand, referring to a short-lived sitcom that he co-starred alongside Beach.
“When Flags of our Fathers came knocking, the Clint Eastwood movie, I said no because I was already committed to Moose TV,” he added.
‘When Flags of our Fathers came knocking, the Clint Eastwood movie, I said no because I was already committed to Moose TV.’- Nathaniel Arcand
Although Arcand said he regretted that choice for a while afterwards, he hasn’t really given it a lot of thought over the years. He would rather look forward than back. And part of looking forward for him is embracing sobriety and living drug-free.
“I lost sight of who I really was inside and how I grew up. Unfortunately, it took me almost 30 years to snap out of it, and I’m glad of where I am in my life,” said Arcand.
“In our culture — I’m Cree — there is no room for drinking and doing drugs if you want to be part of the culture and traditions and participant in things like sweats, powwow or round dances,” he added.
He said people will debate that. But for Arcand, who was brought up for the first decade of his life by his grandfather, who was a medicine man, he said those people would be wrong.
It’s accurate to say that this thespian is fierce when it comes to his sobriety. He is not afraid to call out others on drinking and drug-use, even if it has angered some of his longtime friends in the past.
Nathaniel Arcand as he appears on Heartland. (CBC)
“I looked at myself in the mirror and I didn’t like who I was looking at. My grandfather had bigger dreams for me. When I was a kid, he always told me I would do something great in my life. He had visions of it and dreams of it,” he said wistfully.
Now Arcand spends his time going to the gym, hiking, biking and swimming. It’s activities like this that keep the 43-year-old in top shape — a shape he’ll need if he ever wants to fulfill his dream role of an action hero.
The closest he has come to playing his dream role was in 2003 in a remake of The Lone Ranger in a made-for-TV movie starring Chad Michael Murray, where he exercised some of his martial arts skills.
“It was fun because I got to call some of my own shots,” he said. “They had me all in guns and I said, ‘No, I want to use bows and arrows. I want to be traditional.'”
After 24 years in the business, Arcand still wants to play the first indigenous action hero.
“Fighting for the good causes, but it could also be a Taken movie,” laughed Arcand, referring to the Liam Neeson film trilogy of a father protecting his family.
“Arnold Schwarzenegger, Stallone — being in a movie with them would be my dream,” said Arcand, adding Eastwood is one of his favourite actors of all time.
While Arcand has his role models, he also plays one on CBC’s Heartland. As the character Scott Cardinal, a veterinarian, Arcand will welcome actor Justin Rain (from Twilight fame) on the show as his nephew on March 1. Arcand’s character offers him guidance and gets to spend some time showing off his riding skills.
When Arcand is not on set, he is behind the scenes taking on his own projects. He says he is trying his hand at producing and trying to find monies to make movies.
“I’m wanting to do native action movies, starring yours truly.”
