Jana Schmieding

Jana Schmieding is a Native American comedian, actor, podcaster, and writer known for her roles hosting the podcast Woman of Size and as a writer and actor on the sitcom Rutherford Falls.

Jana Schmieding
NationalityCheyenne River Sioux Tribe
OccupationComedian, actor, podcaster, writer
Years active2017–present
Notable work
Rutherford Falls

Early life and education

Schmieding is a Lakota woman who grew up in Canby, Oregon, where she says she was raised "pretty traditionally in the Lakota ways." She studied theater at the University of Oregon.[1]

Career

Post-college

After college, Schmieding moved to New York City to pursue her acting dreams. To earn a living, she spent ten years teaching middle and high school, while performing improv in the evenings with Magnet Theater.[1]

In 2016, Schmieding moved to Los Angeles, where she worked at an education-related nonprofit and shifted gears from acting to writing.[1] Between 2017 and 2019, Schmieding hosted "Woman of Size," a podcast in which she and guests discussed experiences of discrimination related to body size.[2][3]

Rutherford Falls

After three years of working on her writing, Schmieding was hired as one of 12 writers on Rutherford Falls, a Peacock original sitcom. The show focuses on relationships between characters in a Northeastern town and the Indian reservation it borders.[4][5] She was hired by the show's co-creator, Sierra Teller Ornelas (Navajo Nation), who had previously been a guest on Schmieding's podcast.[1] On August 10, 2020, it was announced that Schmeiding would co-star in the show opposite Ed Helms in addition to serving as a writer.[5] She has praised the show for featuring a modern Native woman rather than those confined to the Old West.[6]

Rutherford Falls launched with its entire first season available on demand on April 22, 2021. Early reviews praised Schmieding's performance on screen. Writing for The A.V. Club, Saloni Gajjar called Schmieding a "breakout performer," saying that "comedy vet [Ed] Helms...meets his match in co-star and relative newcomer Schmieding, who balances his rigor with a down-to-earth and equally captivating performance."[7] Jen Chaney of Vulture also named Schmieding the show's "breakout star," calling her "a natural."[8]

Other work

Schmieding appears in the second episode of Reservation Dogs.[9]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
2015 I Love War Video short
2016 Broad City Camp Counselor Episode: "Game Over"
2016 Abortion Party Michelle Short film
2017 Blast Diva Television miniseries
2018 New Growth Short film
2019 Rom-Commentary Jana Video short
2021–present Rutherford Falls Reagan Wells Main role, also writer
2021 Reservation Dogs Receptionist Episode: "NDN Clinic"

References
  1. "Life and Work with Jana Schmieding". VoyageLA. March 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  2. Byrne, Matt (January 15, 2020). "Funny Human of the Week: Jana Schmieding". Brightest Young Things. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  3. "Woman of Size". Stitcher. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  4. Tennant, Zoe (February 7, 2020). "Rutherford Falls brings Indigenous writers together for new NBC sitcom". CBC. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  5. White, Peter (August 10, 2020). "'Rutherford Falls': Sierra Teller Ornelas Lauds Comedy For Native American Representation As Peacock Series Scheduled To Shoot In Three To Four Weeks". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  6. Aleiss, Angela (August 5, 2021). "From The Squaw Man to Rutherford Falls: The Rise of Hollywood's Contemporary Native American Woman". Bright Lights Film. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  7. Gajjar, Saloni (April 19, 2021). "Peacock's Rutherford Falls is a joyous, barrier-breaking addition to the Mike Schur TV universe". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  8. Chaney, Jen (April 20, 2021). "Rutherford Falls Reckons Optimistically With America's Flawed Past and Present". Vulture. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  9. "Reservation Dogs Is (Finally) Bringing Indigenous Humor to TV". Vogue. Condé Nast. August 9, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
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