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Where You've Seen The Cast Of Prey Before

Out of all the '80s sci-fi classics that have managed to still garner genuine fan excitement after all this time, the "Predator" films might be top on the list. Starting with the original 1987 classic that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, the film series spawned multiple sequels that have managed to entertain audiences for decades — sometimes regardless of quality. The franchise even crossed over with the "Alien" films in not one, but two different feature films that pit a Yautja against a Xenomorph. While not all the "Predator" sequels have been good, The Hulu original prequel "Prey" offers something new and different from what's come before.

Helmed by "10 Cloverfield Lane" director Dan Trachtenberg, "Prey" is a stand-alone survival story set in the American past, with members of the Comanche Nation facing off against an otherworldly hunter looking for blood. From the get-go, fans have been excited about "Prey," which will hopefully help keep the franchise going by opening up new possibilities for the future. With a largely Indigenous cast, "Prey" is an ambitious project that could very well enrich the careers of the film's stars and shed some more light on undiscovered Native talent. While they're still on the rise, some of the actors in this "Predator" prequel might already look familiar. Here's where you've seen them before.

Amber Midthunder (Naru) last encountered aliens in Roswell

Headlining the entire "Predator" prequel is the Native New Mexican actress Amber Midthunder, who plays the main character Naru, a young girl looking to prove herself to her tribe. Midthunder has been in a variety of film and television productions since the early 2000s, getting her start in the movie business with a small role in the film "The Homecoming of Jimmy Whitecloud." Eventually, Midthunder would find work on shows like "Longmire" and "The Originals," as well as parts in films like the human trafficking drama "Priceless," Taylor Sheridan and David Mackenzie's "Hell or High Water," and a few Liam Neeson movies. But her big break came when she landed the role of Kerry Loudermilk, a mutant who shares a body with Bill Irwin, on the hit Marvel FX series "Legion." 

As it turns out, 2022's "Prey" isn't the first time that Midthunder has gone up against some pretty powerful aliens. Playing the role of Rosa Ortecho on The CW's "Roswell" revival, she starred opposite Jeanine Mason, who played her sister (and series lead) Liz throughout all four seasons — and what an emotional rollercoaster it was. Her work as Rosa on "Roswell" was a breakout success for Midthunder, and while "Roswell, New Mexico" was sadly cancelled, her career has only just begun. After "Prey," there's no doubt that we'll be seeing Amber Midthunder again soon — hopefully fighting more aliens.

Dane DiLiegro (The Predator) played monsters in American Horror Stories

Some people find their way in front of a camera even though their first career choice wasn't acting, and that's certainly true of Dane DiLiegro. According to his IMDb bio, DiLiegro was a starter on the University of New Hampshire Wildcats — a Division I team in the NCAA — and would go on to not only win international medals in basketball, but play professionally for teams in Italy and Israel. But all that changed at the end of the 2010s when DiLiegro decided to leave the glamor of the game behind and pursue a career in acting. It didn't take long before DiLiegro landed roles on primetime shows like "American Horror Stories" (opposite Billie Lourd), the long-running "The Walking Dead," and the Netflix series "Sweet Home." Clearly, he has a type and he sticks to it.

Naturally, that type makes DiLiegro the perfect fit for the Predator in "Prey," especially given his previous work with prosthetics. The Predator's stoic prowess is captured perfectly by DiLiegro, who has plenty of experience playing dastardly monsters, demons, alien warlords, and other horrific creatures from otherworldly realms. DiLiegro has also appeared on the Disney+ series "The Quest," in the Doja Cat music video "Get Into It," and even as the "Halo" legend Master Chief in an Xbox ad directed by Taika Waititi. Needless to say, he specializes in playing large-and-in-charge characters, so the Predator is obviously a perfect fit.

Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat (Itsee) starred on a Letterkenny spin-off

Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat landed the role of Itsee in "Prey," the first feature film of his relatively short career. Known best for his work on the "Letterkenny" spin-off "Shorsey," Kytwayhat — himself of Kree descent, per Entertainment Tonight Canada – is just starting out in the film business, and so far his career looks promising. On "Shorsey," he played the brand new and not-so-assertive coach of the Sudbury Bulldogs hockey team named Sanguinet, who struggles to command respect from his team while also hoping to push them to work better together. As he explained to The Lede, it was Kytwayhat's own introverted nature that helped land him the part of "Sanger" in the first place. Who knew shyness could help you in front of the camera?

Outside of "Shorsey," Kytwayhat had one other role on the Canadian series "Tribal," which follows the divide between the Metro and Tribal Police as they investigated a series of murders surrounding a tomb of Indigenous bodies. Kytwayhat only appears in one episode of the Jessica Matten and Brian Markinson-led series as a boy named Jonas Takosin, who is feared to have been abducted after a series of protests — and he does an excellent job. No doubt, his work on "Tribal" helped get him noticed in the first place, and with such a strong opening to his career, here's hoping we see even more of Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat in the future.

Geronimo Vela (Comanche Warrior) played a Native warrior on Westworld

A character actor and a director himself, Geronimo Vela has been working in the film industry for nearly 20 years. From an uncredited role as an "Asian Pirate" in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," Vela continued to land small roles in features, short films, dramatic television, and even reality TV. Many of his roles relate directly to his Native heritage, such as his work as Geronimo on "Lost Gold," a Seminole Indian Scout in "Their Eyes Were Watching God," and an Indigenous Shaman in "Pink Elephant." In fact, he's been cast as a Native warrior in three different high-profile projects — the hit HBO series "Westworld," "Adam Ruins Everything," and of course, "Prey."

Aside from his work in front of the camera, he also spends quite a bit of time behind it. Vela has directed and produced two documentary films, "Traditional Indigenous Ways of Being" (which can be found for free on his YouTube Channel) and "The Spirit of New Mexico Through the Lens of Ed Breeding," which is more about humanity's ties to nature than specifically Native history and culture. He was also a co-producer and the host of the documentary "The Human Effect," which focuses heavily on taking better care of the Earth, and hosted the documentary "Unshackled," which centers around the same themes.

Dakota Beavers (Taabe) is the new kid in town

Of all the actors appearing in 2022's "Predator" prequel, Dakota Beavers is the freshest. With his first breakout Hollywood role in "Prey," Beavers plays Taabe, a Comanche warrior and kinsman to the semi-rebellious and adventurous Naru. According to his IMDb bio, Beavers — who is Arizona born and raised — comes from mixed descent, with some Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo and Mexican heritage on his mother's side, and English and Scottish blood on his father's. Having been a musician since the age of 13, Beavers made a name for himself under the stage name "WesternBoy" long before he began the transition into acting. In fact, Beavers' live Nashville performances can be found on his own official YouTube Channel

Outside of that, Beavers' career is a clean slate, though we hope to see him in more work sooner rather than later. More updates from the actor can be found on his Instagram page, which he seems to update pretty sparingly — though always whenever there's something new going on with his career.

Mike Paterson (Big Beard) worked with Denis Leary

Although Mike Paterson plays "Big Beard" in "Prey," his career is longer than his facial hair. Having worked in the film industry since the late 1990s, one of Paterson's biggest breaks came when he played a Hotel Manager in Marvel's action thriller "Punisher: War Zone," which starred Ray Stevenson as the titular antihero. Afterwards, Paterson broke into TV and video game voice acting, which lead him to roles on the short-lived sitcom "18 to Life," the college dramedy "Blue Mountain State," and the supernatural comedy "Being Human" before working on both "Outlast" and "Outlast: Whistleblower" as the scientist Andrew. While his work on "Outlast" is probably his most recognizable role, Paterson has managed to largely remain out of the Hollywood spotlight.

In the late 2010s, Paterson played Tony on the Denis Leary-helmed series "The Moodys" and voiced the titular character in 39 episodes of the Canadian children's series "Raven's Quest." But Paterson isn't just an actor — he's also worked as a writer, producer, and director on the wrestling comedy "Quebexit." The series, which can be found on YouTube, centers around a group of Russian Oligarchs who want to use their wrestling career to politically dominate Canada. Paterson plays a fictionalized version of himself, named Michael "The Mind" Paterson, who has a bit of a screw loose.

Stormee Kipp is just starting out

Just like Dakota Beavers before him, Stormee Kipp is just starting out in the Hollywood business himself, with his role in "Prey" being his very first professional acting gig. But just because "Prey" is his first doesn't mean there isn't anything else to talk about. Alongside the streaming-based "Predator" prequel, Kipp is set to star in the Kriztian Kery-directed film "Sooyii." This Montana-based production is the story of a young Pikuni called Older Brother who is the only survivor of a curse that has destroyed his people. In the chaos, he teams up with "an unlikely ally to face the unknown," as the cryptic IMDb synopsis says. The role even earned Kipp an award for Best Actor at the American Indian Film Festival. (via Sho-Ban News).

According to Kipp's Instagram page, he also races horses, is a professional chess player, and was the 2022 Ultimate Warrior champion. What more could you ask for from an up-and-coming actor? There's no doubt that we're excited to see more of Stormee Kipp in the near future.

Stefany Mathias (Sumu) was on Longmire

Stefany Mathias portrays Sumu in "Prey," and she's no rookie. Mathias has been actively working in the entertainment industry since the mid-1990s when she guest starred on an episode of the short-lived series "Hawkeye" (no, not the Marvel character). Since then, Mathias has worked through plenty of guest stints on various shows and films, including the supernatural series "The Collector," the short-lived "Blood & Oil," the fantasy mini-series "Knights of Bloodsteel," and the Viking epic "Pathfinder." One of Mathias' most notable guest appearances, though, was on the hit A&E drama-turned-Netflix Original "Longmire," where she played the role of the abusive Linda Langton, a woman seemingly unconcerned with finding justice for her traumatized daughter.

Outside of "Longmire," Mathias' biggest long-term role was as Brenda Eberhart on "Da Vinci's Inquest," a Canadian crime drama starring Nicholas Campbell as the titular character, a former cop-turned-coroner attempting to find justice for his victims. Appearing in seven episodes of the series, Mathias would go on to have a brief and unrelated guest role on "Da Vinci's City Hall," a sequel series following Da Vinci's journey as Vancouver's mayor. Aside from acting, Matthias has also written and directed two short films — "Only on Mondays" and "Here We Are" — and has directed two others since, with her latest "Good Grief" having been released in 2022. Post-"Prey," she is also set to appear in the 2023 mini-series "Bones of Crows."

Nelson Leis (Waxed Mustache) has been all over TV

If you recognize the Wax Mustache guy in "Prey," chances are you've seen him on TV before. Nelson Leis has been working in television since the turn of the century, with plenty of guest roles, recurring roles, and even lead roles under his belt. Leis might be most well known for his recent work as Beelzebub on the hit Netflix series (and "Riverdale" spin-off) "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina," where he terrorized audiences for 12 episodes. Before that, Leis played the lead role of Jim Maynes on the short-lived and aptly titled "The Jim," a series he also wrote and produced. The show was a comedy in the style of "The Office" about an ex-pro athlete who runs his own gym. If Leis can play convincing demons after that, he's got one heck of a range.

Leis has also starred in various short filmed and landed guest roles on popular shows like "Jeremiah," "The 4400," "Supernatural," "Hell On Wheels," "The Killing," and in the pilot episode of "The Flash." His latest short film "A.T.T.A.C.K." (for which he received both acting and co-writing credits) was released in 2022. Although "Prey" is Leis' most recent work, he's set to appear on the upcoming HBO series "The Last Of Us," based on the popular video game series of the same name, as well as the FX historical drama mini-series "Shogun."

Troy Mundle (Spyglass) is a TV character actor

Known as Spyglass in "Prey," Troy Mundle is a character actor known best for playing one-off parts on various television shows, short films, and features. From shows like "Supernatural" and "Continuum" to "Riverdale" and the Paramount+ adaptation of Stephen King's "The Stand," Mundle has made his rounds across both American and Canadian productions. In fact, he even starred in his own Canadian series — which he also wrote and directed — "Single & Dating in Vancouver," where he played Troy McMaster, one of three friends trying to find love and happiness in the city. The series only lasted nine episodes, but it was nominated for 13 awards in that time.

Mundle's career has also included some Hallmark movies like "The Bridge" and its sequel, DC Comics shows like "Peacemaker" and "Legends of Tomorrow," and plenty of short films. He also served as a writer and producer for the series "Ghost Unit" (where he also guest starred) and produced the web series "Trigger Me" about three Gen Z-ers dealing with their problems during pandemic lockdown. After "Prey," you can see Mundle in the upcoming shows "Washington Black" and "Bones of Crows," along with a few other projects in production.