‘1923’: Aminah Nieves on Teonna Rainwater and Season 2

Not a single character had it simple in 1923‘s grueling first season. However whereas varied member of the Dutton clan skilled moments of pleasure interspersed among the many loss of life and heartbreak of life on the Montana plains, Teonna Rainwater received little reprieve.

We met the Native American teen when she was a scholar held towards her will at a Catholic boarding faculty. The entire college students had been indigenous kids who’d been taken from their households and compelled to desert their language and tradition in an try at assimilation. Teonna made the selection to run away after repeated bodily, emotional and sexual abuse by the hands of the nuns and monks who ran the power. On the run and hunted after killing Sister Mary, Teonna spent all the season in peril; the one non permanent respite got here within the finale, when her father, Runs His Horse, and good friend Pete Lots Clouds caught as much as her and had been in a position to present some safety and luxury. (Learn a full recap.)

TVLine lately caught up with Aminah Nieves, whose Teonna is a forebear of Yellowstone‘s Chief Thomas Rainwater, to course of the harrowing first season. Learn on for her ideas/hopes for Teonna in Season 2 and extra.

TVLINE | I’ve seen and heard lots of people discussing the present and saying that they didn’t learn about indigenous kids being taken from their households and despatched to boarding faculties just like the one Teonna was in. How does that hit you as somebody who did learn about that?
The federal government does a very good at retaining issues hidden that they don’t need the world to know, and it’s loopy. However for me, I thought of all indigenous communities as a complete, and never simply right here on Turtle Island, however around the globe… After I first learn these [audition] pages after which I received the script it simply hits you abruptly. Since you don’t usually see indigenous tales being advised so in truth, you understand? And so actually. It damage studying it at first. It brings up numerous feelings, and it brings up numerous worry and simply, the whole lot. However I believe it’s crucial, and I’m so blessed that I’m in a position to share our tales and be right here, actually.

TVLINE | Teonna has some heavy scenes within the first season — all of her scenes, actually. Speak to me about the way you transitioned out of these emotions, being in that way of thinking once you had been completed for the day.
Every part we felt and the whole lot you see is so actual, and our physique instinctually resides in it. So, when Leenah [Robinson, who plays Baapuxti] was right here with me, we’d speak about it, since you could be in the identical little automotive on the way in which house. So, we’d drop Sebastian [Roché, who plays Father Renaud] off, after which we’d drop Jennifer [Ehle, who plays Sister Mary] off and Kerry [O’Malley, who plays Sister Alice], after which it’d simply be Leenah and I. We’d type of simply have a very huge hug collectively and be like, “We did it. Now, let’s simply relaxation and fall asleep…” It’s exhausting, although. It’s exhausting discovering that dance typically, however we had been very supported, for positive. I imply, I leaned on Leenah and the remainder of the solid so closely, they usually had been there each time.

TVLINE | At the same time as somebody who could be very conscious that tales on TV usually are not actual, I’m having a very exhausting time processing the concept of you and Sebastian in the identical automotive, joking round on the finish of a day.
Yeah. [Laughs] Dude, I really like that man with my complete coronary heart. He’s so cool. He’s so candy. However yeah, I can see how it’s bizarre. I imply, my mother and father are nonetheless, like, I’ll be on the cellphone with Sebastian or one thing and my Dad’s like, “Oh, hell no!” [Laughs]

TVLINE | I’ve seen you point out that the primary type of leisure, once you weren’t capturing, was going to a close-by Walmart. I must know particulars. Have been you getting Slurpees? Operating across the aisles?
[Laughs] Oh, my gosh. If you happen to would see our pictures in Walmart, we’d simply be attempting various things on, sun shades, hats. We might be working up and down aisles. I imply, all we needed to do [for fun during breaks in shooting] was experience horses, mountaineering and Walmart, you understand? So, I imply, there have been occasions the place they noticed us about 4 occasions a day, particularly Julia and I. When she was there, we’d go so typically it was loopy. Slurpees had been positively a sure. Popcorn, ice cream, the whole lot dangerous for you.

TVLINE | You want some vice! Some strategy to self-soothe.
Proper? Thanks. I believe so.

TVLINE | More often than not that 1923’s viewers has spent with Teonna, she’s been below assault. In your estimation, what’s she actually like at her core? What’s her essence when she’s not in fight-or-flight mode?
Yeah. I believe you type of noticed slightly tiny piece of it when she was speaking with Pete [in the Season 1 finael]. She’s nonetheless exploring what it’s to be a baby and the way that feels and appears wish to her, however she’s slightly sassy one, man. [Laughs] She’s sensible, you understand what I’m saying? She’s sensible in all of the methods. She’s smart-mouthed a tiny bit. She likes to ruffle some feathers in the absolute best method. I actually hope which you could simply see a few of the comedy behind her, the refined comedy that she has inside herself, in Season 2. However who is aware of, man? Who f–king is aware of? …I would like you guys to see all of her in Season 2. I’m simply praying. However she’s witty, man. Teonna’s very witty.

TVLINE | That scene by the fireplace, when she’s basically telling her father he can’t inform her what to do, was nice — but it surely additionally made me unhappy, since you notice how a lot of her persona she’s pushed down and hidden for her personal survival.
And I believe that’s why that final little second is type of particular too. With Pete, that little tender second by the fireplace the place she type of simply surrenders into him, I imply, that’s the primary, like, trustworthy human contact that she’s felt in 5 years. And my prediction is, due to that, I hope that firstly of Season 2 you’re going to begin to see her guard be let down slightly bit extra. As a result of when she was with Hank, she nonetheless had a really enormous protection mechanism up, as a result of she nonetheless doesn’t know who that is, and she or he actively is defending herself. She additionally doesn’t know what he’s able to and defending her and defending them as a unit.

However once you see her together with her dad, with Runs His Horse, she subtly lets her guard down slightly bit, however is actively attempting to show to him that she’s highly effective, that she’s filled with energy, that she will do that, and she or he may help, and that they’re going to get by it and are going to be secure.

TVLINE | Teonna has been away from her household for 5 years, and she or he’s 15?
Yeah, Teonna is about 15, 16. In Season 2, she ought to be 16.

TVLINE | That’s a major period of time for anybody, however she’s a baby — she’s actually been gone for a 3rd of her life. That’s such a theft. Anyway, I’m simply getting offended once more in your character’s behalf, months after the episodes aired.
Dude. However you understand it is a theft, and also you’re proper. I imply, it’s one thing that sadly indigenous kids are nonetheless being confronted with as we speak. We’re going to know in June what’s happening with ICWA. [Editor’s note: ICWA stands for the Indian Child Welfare Act, a law passed in 1978 to address the high numbers of Native American children taken from their homes and placed with non-Native American families. The United States Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a case that has the potential to overturn the law.]  ICWA is mainly a regulation that may take indigenous kids from their households and put them within the foster-care system. And thus it’s stripping them of their tradition and their indigeneity. You’re simply taking their youngster over again, so we’ll see what occurs. It’s a f–king crime.