TULSA, Okla. — Many indigenous actors and crew members attended their own red carpet ceremony ahead of a screening of Killers of The Flower Moon at Cinemark on 71st Street Friday after the main premiere in Hollywood was held earlier in the week.
With background cast and crew members who helped make the film possible during its shooting in Osage County, there are many stories within the story.
"(The casting director is) like, 'Hey do you want to come down for an interview?' Of course I am coming down for that interview. So I go down to that interview and they're like, 'Yeah, you're going to be standing in for Lily Gladstone,'" Iana Lee Wabskie recounted to 2 News.
"Oh, Brendan Fraser, he's amazing. I mean, he's the type of guy that's you know, down to earth. He'll come to you and just tap you on the shoulder (and say), 'Hey man, how's it going?'" Fellow background actor Eddy Moose said. Moose is an extra portraying a member of the Osage Nation council in the film.
There are also short segments in the film with Sapulpa-based Kelly Wilson and Osage Nation elder Louis Gray.
"It was very cool for everybody to be able to share their own personal traditions and different things like that with each other, and it just bonded us in an incredible way," Wilson said.
"Seeing (the hype for the film) every day in the news, in the newspapers, film, and internet, it's just kind of hard to believe," Gray said. "I'm just so excited and proud for our people."
Most if not everyone invited to Friday's red carpet premiere of the movie is from Oklahoma. It's a special accomplishment for them but it's also the end of a long wait.
"Some of us haven't seen each other since we wrapped the movie over two and a half years ago. So it is just amazing just to be back together again," Wilson said.
"I think telling this story as best they could is such an important effort, and I'm glad they did it," Gray said.
As of Friday night, Killers of The Flower Moon maintains a 92% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
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