It’s Tokala Black Elk, of course …
From the NBC press announcement:
Tokala Black Elk plays Takoda in the new NBC comedy “Happy’s Place.”
Elk appeared in the limited series “1883” and also recurred in the first season of “Yellowstone.” In addition, Elk’s TV’s work includes “Outer Range,” “Lewis & Clark,” “Into the West,” “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”
On the feature side, Elk got his start in “Wind River,” a role that garnered him much critical acclaim. He co-starred in “The Bygone,” “The Valley of the Gods” and “The Dark Foe,” for which he was nominated for best supporting actor at the Madrid International Film Festival.
As a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and a direct descendant of Lakota holy man Black Elk, Tokala grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and speaks in several Native languages.
An interview with Tokala Black Elk
About Happy’s Place
Bobbie (Reba McEntire) inherits her father’s tavern (Happy’s Place) and is surprised to discover that she has a new business partner, Isabella (Belissa Escobedo), a twentysomething half-sister she never knew she had.
The series stars Reba McEntire, Belissa Escobedo, Melissa Peterman, Pablo Castelblanco, Tokala Black Elk and Rex Linn.
Writer Kevin Abbott executive produces with Reba McEntire, Michael Hanel, Mindy Schultheis, Matt Berry and Pamela Fryman.
“Happy’s Place” is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. The series is created by Kevin Abbott and Julie Abbott.
Vincent Schilling, Akwesasne Mohawk, is the founder and editor of Native Viewpoint. With nearly 20 years of experience as a Native journalist and former member of the White House Press Pool, Vincent works to uplift underrepresented voices in the world of media and beyond. Follow Vincent on YouTube.com/VinceSchilling, on Twitter at @VinceSchilling or on any other of his social media accounts by clicking on any of the icons below.
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