Kiawentiio
First Nations actress (born 2006)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kiawenti:io Tarbell[1] (/ˌɡjɑːwənˈdiːjoʊ/,[2] born 28 April 2006),[3] known mononymously as Kiawentiio, is a Mohawk Canadian actress and singer. She made her television debut in the third season of the CBC series Anne with an E (2019) and her film debut in Beans (2020). She currently stars as Katara in the Netflix live-action remake of Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024–present).
Early life and education
Kiawentiio is a Mohawk Wolf Clan member.[4] She was born into a Mohawk family in Akwesasne, a reservation that is located on both sides of the Canada–United States border, spanning the St. Lawrence River in Quebec province and New York State.[5][6] On the US side, this is also known as the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation.
Her first name means "nice morning" in Kanienʼkéha (Mohawk language).[7] She grew up in a house on Kawehno:ke (also known as Cornwall Island) and attended Akwesasne Freedom School and Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School.[8] She is based between Ontario, Quebec, and New York, and has dual citizenship in Canada and the United States.[9]
Career
Tarbell was one of 200 indigenous Canadian actresses to audition for the role of Ka'kwet, who is featured in an indigenous story line in season three of Anne with an E, a television series that is set in Prince Edward Island.[10] She had to learn to speak the Miꞌkmaq language and obtain an understanding of the tribe, and their history and culture.[11]
She also starred in the title role of the film Beans (2020) as a 12-year-old Mohawk girl living in Kahnawake in 1990, at the time of the Oka Crisis. The semi-autobiographical film was written and directed by Tracey Deer (Mohawk). The film was featured in the opening of the New York International Children's Film Festival that year.
Kiawentiio has appeared as recurring character Maya Thomas in the Peacock sitcom Rutherford Falls (2021). In 2021, she was selected to portray Katara in the Netflix live action version of Avatar: The Last Airbender series.[12]
Filmography
Film
| Year(s) | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Beans | Beans / Tekehentahkhwa | |
| 2022 | N'xaxaitkw | Zarya | Short |
Television
| Year(s) | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Anne with an E | Ka'kwet | 5 episodes |
| 2021 | Rutherford Falls | Maya Thomas | 2 episodes |
| 2023 | What If...? | Wahta (voice) | Episode: "What If... Kahhori Reshaped the World?" |
| 2024–present | Avatar: The Last Airbender | Katara | Main role |
| 2025–present | It: Welcome to Derry | Necani | 2 episodes |
Discography
EPs
Singles
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Vancouver Film Critics Circle | One to Watch | Beans | Won | [15] |