WLM | arts
Shawn Michael PERRY
By Kati Hime
Images by Nancy Smith & Neda Atash Photography as noted
The seeds of Shawn’s future in music
were planted during his childhood
in Casper. “My father loved country
music and would not let any rock ‘n
roll in the house,” Shawn explains.
“I bought a Sam Cooke Live album
from Peaches Music in Casper, and
after listening, I knew I wanted to
perform as a singer/entertainer.”
Shawn was influenced by long-time
Casper families that taught him
valuable lessons. “I want to thank
the Sandoval, Servantez, Costalez,
Lara, Lujan and Aguilar families for
showing me their love of music, food,
culture and a strong work ethic that
I carry with me to this day.”
Shawn attended both Natrona
County and Kelly Walsh High
Schools, leaving to work in the oil
fields. Later he attended Trapper
Creek Job Corps in Darby,
Montana in 1983, and Hellgate High
School in Missoula, receiving his
high school diploma in 1985. “When
I was in high school and college in
Missoula I studied music and drama.
My good friend Steve Reevis, a
Blackfoot Indian, convinced me to
go to Hollywood in 1990 to get into
show business.”
Shawn enrolled in the Musicians
Institute in Hollywood in 1991,
graduating with honors in the
vocal program. With some friends,
Shawn formed a heavy metal band,
Sovereign Reign, which was voted
Best Band of the Year at the school.
The move to Hollywood also brought
Shawn new opportunities. “One
day I was walking up Hollywood
Boulevard, and an American Indian
woman, Casey Camp-Horinek, saw
me and asked if I was American
Indian. I said yes, and she asked, ‘I’m
working on casting for a film called
Last of the Mohicans – would you like
to try out?’” Quickly Shawn said yes
– three callbacks later, the Casting
Director, Bonnie Timmerman, told
him that he wasn’t tall enough.
Fortunately for Shawn, the stunt
coordinator came out of his office,
asking about Shawn’s note on his
resume of being in gymnastics in high
school. He offered Shawn a stunt
position in the film, which he gladly
accepted. “I worked on that film
for six months – it was an awesome
experience! I went to the premier at
the Chinese Theater and was one of
two American Indians that attended,
the other being Russell Means.”
Shawn’s career in acting has also
included roles on Murder She Wrote
in 1994 (the “Northern Explosion”
episode, playing Bill Nahanee), and
extra roles in movies such as Forrest
Gump. Three years after his Last of
the Mohicans experience, Shawn had
the opportunity to work opposite
Patrick Stewart on Star Trek: The
Next Generation. Stewart had come
by the Last of the Mohicans casting
office the day Shawn was offered
the stunt position, sharing that he
had been asked to play the role of
the English colonel, but that he
planned to decline the opportunity.
Stewart was casting the Star Trek
episode that Shawn tried out for,
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