Johnny Issaluk
{{Short description|Inuk actor, athlete, and cultural educator}}
Johnny Nurraq Seotaituq Issaluk (born August 1, 1973) is an Inuk actor, athlete, and cultural educator from Nunavut. He is best known for his roles in AMC's The Terror (produced by Ridley Scott), the film Indian Horse (produced by Clint Eastwood), and in the BBC program The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan. In May 2019 he was named Royal Canadian Geographical Society's Explorer-in-Residence.{{Cite web|url=https://nunavutnews.com/nunavut-news/canadian-geographic-society-names-johnny-issaluk-explorer-in-residence/|title=Canadian Geographic Society names Johnny Issaluk explorer in residence|last=Neary|first=Derek|date=2019-05-15|website=Nunavut News|language=en-CA|access-date=2019-05-16}}
Early life
He was raised in Igluligaarjuk (Chesterfield Inlet), Nunavut, on the west coast of Hudson Bay.
Career
= Acting =
His first acting role was in the short film titled Inuit High Kick which was played at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He later acted as the lead in the film Kajutaijuq: The Spirit That Comes, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014 as one of the first Inuit-made films to screen at a major international film festival.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nunavut-filmmakers-take-horror-short-kajutaijuq-to-tiff-1.2762933|title=Nunavut filmmakers take horror short, Kajutaijuq, to TIFF |date=September 11, 2014|website=CBC|language=en|access-date=2019-01-06}} Since then he has appeared in film, television, and in the play The Breathing Hole at the 2017 Stratford Festival,{{Cite web|url=https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/WhatsOn/PlaysAndEvents/Production/The-Breathing-Hole|title=The Breathing Hole|website=Stratford Festival|access-date=2019-01-06}} which was the first play at a major festival to cast Inuit actors in Inuit roles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2017/07/19/indigenous-actors-learn-at-stratford-festival-but-teach-too-wednesday-matine.html|title=Indigenous actors learn at Stratford Festival but teach too: Wednesday Matinée {{!}} The Star|website=thestar.com|date=19 July 2017 |language=en|access-date=2019-01-09}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2017/08/21/gasp-at-emotional-depth-of-breathing-hole-at-stratford-festival-review.html|title=Gasp at emotional depth of Breathing Hole at Stratford Festival: review {{!}} The Star|website=thestar.com|date=21 August 2017 |language=en|access-date=2019-01-09}} He appeared as Sam{{Cite web|url=https://www.indianhorse.ca/en/film/cast/johnny-issaluk|title=Indian Horse Feature Film|website=www.indianhorse.ca|language=en|access-date=2019-01-09}} in the Clint Eastwood-produced film of the bestselling Richard Wagamese novel Indian Horse, and toured indigenous communities screening the film in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/indian-horse-touring-indigenous-communities-993411|title=Indian Horse touring Indigenous communities|website=TBNewsWatch.com|date=24 July 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-01-09}}
In 2017 he was cast as the Netsilik Hunter in AMC's The Terror,{{Citation|title=The Terror|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2708480/|access-date=2019-01-06}} based on the novel by Dan Simmons; it was hailed as a significant step forward in Inuit representation in film and television.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/heres-how-amc-producers-worked-inuit-fictionalized-franklin-expedition-show-180968643/|title=Tales of the Doomed Franklin Expedition Long Ignored the Inuit Side, But "The Terror" Flips the Script|last=Eschner|first=Kat|website=Smithsonian|language=en|access-date=2019-01-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://nunavutnews.com/nunavut-news/nunavummiuq-actor-basks-in-the-terror/|title=Nunavummiuq actor basks in The Terror|date=2018-04-03|website=Nunavut News|language=en-CA|access-date=2019-01-06}}
Most recently he guest starred as himself alongside British comedian Romesh Ranganathan in The Christmas Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan (originally aired on the BBC on 20 December 2018){{Citation|title=The Christmas Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan: The Arctic|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9424594/|access-date=2019-01-06}} in which he visited locations such as Pond Inlet. Travelling "across frozen wastelands to spend a week in the largest territory of Canada, [Ranganathan] is guided by his host - Inuit athlete, movie star, youth ambassador and renowned hunter Johnny Issaluk," where he "witnesses an erosion and resurgence of Inuit traditions."{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bvxk3z|title=BBC Two - The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan, Christmas|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-01-06}} Both the Telegraph{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2018/12/20/christmas-misadventures-romesh-ranganathan-reviewan-enlightening/|title=The 'Christmas' Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan, review: an enlightening, amusing jaunt through the Canadian Arctic|last=Hogan|first=Michael|date=2018-12-20|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2019-01-06|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}} and Times{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/tv-review-the-christmas-misadventures-of-romesh-ranganathan-g5mh8t3gv|title=TV review: The 'Christmas' Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan|last=Midgley|first=Carol|newspaper=The Times |date=2018-12-21|access-date=2019-01-06|language=en|issn=0140-0460}} gave the episode four of five stars.
He has also played a recurring role on the APTN comedy sketch show Qanurli? as "The Most Interesting Man in Nunavut."{{Cite web|url=http://qanurli.ca/pics-vids/|title=Pics & Vids – Qanurli|language=en-CA|access-date=2019-01-09}}
= Traditional Inuit Games and community work =
Before becoming an actor he was best known as a successful Traditional Inuit Games athlete, competing regionally and internationally for twenty years and winning over two hundred medals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/star-power-headlines-nunavut-get-active-campaign-1.2746592|title=Star power headlines Nunavut get active campaign|date=Aug 25, 2014|website=CBC}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2014/08/15/canadian-athlete-looks-back-at-beringia-arctic-games/|title=Canadian athlete looks back at Beringia Arctic Games|website=www.rcinet.ca|date=15 August 2014 |access-date=2019-01-06}} He stars in the short film Inuit High Kick{{Citation|last=Hamilton|first=Mark|title=Inuit High Kick|date=2013-04-22|url=https://vimeo.com/64586456|access-date=2018-10-03}} which was played at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, which was also featured at festivals worldwide including the Tromso International Film Festival.{{Cite web|url=https://tiff.no/program/2012/inuit-high-kick|title=INUIT HIGH KICK|date=2011-12-07|website=Tromsø International Film Festival|language=nb|access-date=2019-01-06|archive-date=2019-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106153223/https://tiff.no/program/2012/inuit-high-kick|url-status=dead}} He is now retired from competing but visits one hundred schools per year throughout Canada teaching students about Inuit games and culture,{{Cite news|url=https://www.mississauga.com/community-story/3834284-inuit-arctic-games-come-to-mississauga/|title=Inuit Arctic Games come to Mississauga|last=Dean|first=Jan|date=2013-06-11|work=Mississauga.com|access-date=2018-10-03|language=en-CA}} and he is the author of the book Traditional Inuit Games for Elementary Students.{{Cite book|title=Games of Survival : Traditional Inuit Games for Elementary School Students|last=Issaluk|first=Johnny|publisher=Inhabit Media|year=2013|isbn=978-1927095218|location=Iqaluit|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/gamesofsurvivalt0000issa}}{{cite journal |last1=Campbell |first1=Sandy |date=23 January 2014 |title=Games of Survival: Traditional Inuit Games for Elementary Students by J. Issaluk |journal=The Deakin Review of Children's Literature |volume=3 |issue=3 |doi=10.20361/G27P5M |doi-access=free }}{{cite journal |last1=Meloche |first1=Katherine |date=2017 |title=Playing in the Digital Qargi: Iñupiat Gaming and Isuma in Kisima Inŋitchuŋa |url=https://journals.kent.ac.uk/index.php/transmotion/article/view/246/1018 |journal=Transmotion |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=1–21 |access-date=17 January 2019|doi=10.22024/UniKent/03/tm.246|doi-access=free }}
He was one of the first sixty Canadians (and the first Nunavummiuq) to receive the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013 for his advocacy of the people of Nunavut.{{Cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/queen-elizabeth-diamond-jubilee-medal-given-to-60-canadians|title=Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal given to 60 Canadians|date=2012-02-06|work=National Post|access-date=2018-10-03|language=en-US}} He was a member of the 2012 Arctic Jubilee Expedition that successfully climbed the highest point of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Nunavut, and sent a video greeting to Queen Elizabeth II. The expedition, sponsored by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, was followed by schools in the UK and Canada and allowed approximately 17,400 students to learn about Inuit culture.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rcgs.org/programs/expeditions/2012_arctic_jubilee.asp|title=Arctic Jubilee Expedition (Royal Canadian Geographical Society)|access-date=2 October 2018|archive-date=6 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106204311/http://www.rcgs.org/programs/expeditions/2012_arctic_jubilee.asp|url-status=dead}}
He has also been an ambassador for the #Canada150 celebrations (including issuing one of the #Next150 national challenges{{Cite web|url=https://next150.indianhorse.ca/challenges/inuit-games|title=Inuit Games|website=#Next150|language=en|access-date=2019-01-06}} and demonstrating Inuit Traditional Games at the Canadian Parliament{{Cite web|url=https://passport2017.ca/|title=Passport 2017|website=passport2017.ca|access-date=2019-01-06}}) and has been active with many educational programs including Students on Ice and the [https://www.sednaepic.com Sedna Epic Expedition]. In 2018 he was inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society for his role in The Terror and his community advocacy, and in 2019 he was named the RCGS's sixth Explorer-in-Residence.{{Cite news|url=https://www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/actor-jared-harris-awarded-rcgs-louie-kamookak-medal|title=Actor Jared Harris awarded RCGS' Louie Kamookak Medal|date=2018-11-05|work=Canadian Geographic|access-date=2018-11-21|language=en}}{{Cite news|title=Featured Fellow: Interview with Johnny Issaluk|last=Pope|first=Alexandra|work=Canadian Geographic Magazine|issue=January 2019|pages=80–83}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.islamicreliefcanada.org/saskatchewan-tour-begin-monday-gifts-love-friendship-distributed-20-indigenous-communities-across-canada-national-school-celebration-tour/|title=Saskatchewan Tour to begin this Monday! Gifts of love and friendship to be distributed to 20 Indigenous communities across Canada during National School Celebration Tour {{!}}|date=2018-03-20|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-09|archive-date=2019-01-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109110931/https://www.islamicreliefcanada.org/saskatchewan-tour-begin-monday-gifts-love-friendship-distributed-20-indigenous-communities-across-canada-national-school-celebration-tour/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/mr-awesome-johnny-issaluk-honoured-1.5141073|title='Mr Awesome' now even more awesome: Johnny Issaluk named explorer-in-residence}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/explore-canadian-geographic-podcast-episode-6-johnny-issaluk|title=Explore: A Canadian Geographic podcast - Episode 6: Johnny Issaluk|last=Pope|date=2019-05-13|website=Canadian Geographic|language=en|access-date=2019-05-24|archive-date=2019-05-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524043744/https://www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/explore-canadian-geographic-podcast-episode-6-johnny-issaluk|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/geographical-society-welcomes-its-first-inuk-explorer/|title=Geographical society welcomes its first Inuk explorer|date=2019-05-22|website=Nunatsiaq News|language=en|access-date=2019-05-24}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.rcgs.org/about/honorary/explorer-in-residence_issaluk.asp|title=Explorer in Residence: Johnny Issaluk - The Royal Canadian Geographical Society|website=www.rcgs.org|access-date=2019-11-20}}{{Dead link|date=November 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
= Order of Canada and assault allegations =
In 2019, Issaluk received the Order of Canada.{{cite web |last1=Zimonjic |first1=Peter |title=Nobel laureate Donna Strickland, James Cameron, Inuk actor Johnny Issaluk among Order of Canada appointees |url=https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5409261 |website=CBC News |accessdate=28 December 2019}} On February 4, 2020, Indspire announced that Issaluk was a winner of one of its 2020 awards.{{Cite news|last=Deer|first=Jessica|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/indspire-awards-2020-winners-1.5450203|title=Inuit games athlete, Anishinaabe midwife, Blackfoot filmmaker among this year's Indspire winners|date=February 4, 2020|work=CBC News|access-date=February 7, 2020}} Indspire suspended this award on February 6{{Cite web|url=https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/i-stand-by-alethea-male-inuit-leaders-speak-out-in-support-of-account-of-alleged-sexual-assault/|title="I stand by Alethea": Male Inuit leaders speak out in support of account of alleged sexual assault|last=Deuling|first=Meagan|date=2020-02-06|website=Nunatsiaq News|language=en|access-date=2020-02-09}} after Nunavut filmmaker Alethea Arnaquq-Baril alleged that Issaluk had made an unwanted sexual advance toward her at a party several years ago. On 7 February, Issaluk issued an apology,{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/johnny-issaluk-responds-to-allegations-1.5456752|title=Johnny Issaluk responds to allegations|date=2020-02-07|website=CBC|language=en|access-date=2020-02-08}} in a widely distributed open letter.{{Cite web|url=https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/letter-from-johnny-issaluk/|title=Johnny Issaluk issues public apology|last=Issaluk|first=Johnny|date=2020-02-07|website=Nunatsiaq News|language=en|access-date=2020-02-09}} Issaluk's appointment to the Order of Canada was terminated on 31 August 2022.{{cite web | url=https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2022/2022-10-15/html/gh-rg-eng.html | title=Canada Gazette, Part 1, Volume 156, Number 42: GOVERNMENT HOUSE | date=15 October 2022 }}
Filmography
= Film =
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Film !Role |
| 2018
|Albert |
| 2017
|Sam |
| 2016
|Charlie |
| 2014
|Kajutaijuq: The Spirit That Comes |Man |
| 2014
|The Orphan and the Polar Bear |Narrator |
= Television =
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Program !Role !Episodes |
| 2018
|Netsilik Hunter |"Go for Broke" (S1/E1) "The C, the C, the Open C" (S1/E9) "We Are Gone" (S1/E10) |
| 2016
|Nuniq |"The Big Chill" (S9/E10) |
| 2018
|The Christmas Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan |Himself |"The Arctic" (S1/E4) |
Theatre
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Production !Role !Company |
| 2017
|The Breathing Hole |Nukilik/Totalik |Stratford Theatre Company/Stratford Festival |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|6136090}}
- [https://www.qaggiavuut.ca/en/artist-world/johnny-issaluk Johnny Issaluk] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106104457/https://www.qaggiavuut.ca/en/artist-world/johnny-issaluk |date=2019-01-06 }} at Qaggiavuut
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Issaluk, Johnny}}
Category:21st-century Canadian male actors
Category:21st-century Inuit people
Category:Male actors from Nunavut
Category:Canadian male film actors
Category:Canadian male television actors
Category:People from Chesterfield Inlet