Oscars: Wes Studi stands for service
Oklahoma's own
With grateful heart, we celebrate today Oklahoma Actor and Veteran Wes Studi.
In his Oscar presentation Studi, who has starred in “The Last of the Mohicans, Heat, Avatar, Hostiles” and a myriad other titles, took the stage and revealed he entered the National Guard at age 18 and served in the Vietnam War.
“I’m proud to have served there for 12 months,” he said.
After waiting a beat, he asked, “Anyone else?” Tellingly — there was no reaction at all from the Hollywood audience Zachary Leeman wrote for LifeZette.com, click here for video.
Studi congratulated artists who had chosen to recognize the harrowing stories of veterans from every war through their work. He introduced a film montage that included such movies as "Full Metal Jacket," "A Few Good Men," "American Sniper," "Saving Private Ryan," Black Hawk Down," and many others.
Though the moment was brief and minuscule compared to all the political speeches earlier on, it was wonderful to see an actual veteran artist tip his hat to both this country's servicemen and women — and the artists who choose to tell their stories.
One of Studi's early acting experiences was on stage in Tulsa with the American Indian Theatre Company. This writer shares that cast experience, but that is another story for another time.
The point here is to simply note Wes Studi is an honorable man, a skilled actor, and a honest, humble human being we are proud to know and we thank him for his service to America as a Vietnam Veteran.