‘Reservation Dogs’: Paulina Alexis on Working Opposite Lily Gladstone & Saying Goodbye to Willie Jack

Reservation Dogs delivered some serious laughs and big tears throughout its three-season run, and one of the stars responsible for such strong reactions was Paulina Alexis who played Willie Jack, the outspoken member of the titular group in FX‘s original Hulu series.

Shining a light on the impact of youth suicide in Indigenous communities, Reservation Dogs delivered insightful stories and a rich look into reservation life through Willie Jack and her friends, Elora (Devery Jacobs), Bear (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), and Cheese (Lane Factor), who did their best to honor late friend and family member Daniel (Dalton Cramer) while also finding their way in the world.  In the show’s third and final season, Willie Jack follows a calling to become a medicine woman, seeking guidance from elder Fixico (Richard Ray Whitman) as she works toward becoming a pillar in her Oklahoma community.

Season 3 also saw her reunite with her onscreen aunt, Hokti, played by Oscar-nominated actress Lily Gladstone. Below, Alexis opens up about saying goodbye to Reservation Dogs, expressing grief onscreen, working opposite Gladstone, and much more.

So I guess I want to start with, you know, like, what has it been like, you know, closing this experience in your life?

Paulina Alexis: I hope it brings people together and they just realize how special and amazing this show is because it’s so real, it’s raw, it’s funny, and I’ve said this before in many interviews, but even if I wasn’t in it, I would probably still be obsessed with it. It’s my dream show. And when we started off, I think I was 19, and I’m 23 now. So I was still a teenager when we started filming it, and Willie Jack just had a lot of character development and it’s almost like I grew up with her too. I think it’s so cool how out of all the people in the group, Willie Jack wanted to become a medicine woman and it’s so unexpected for her, but she’s growing up. It’s kind of sad that it has to come to an end, but it’s okay. I’m so grateful for this opportunity.

 Shane Brown/FX

One aspect of this series that really resonates is its portrayal of grief, and Willie Jack is often a character who provides comedic relief. So when she gets emotional, it somehow hits harder. Was there ever pressure to approach those more emotional sequences?

Not really. I think it was also emotional because going through losing her cousin, Daniel… I went through the same thing as myself, so it wasn’t really hard to get into the headspace for it. And especially while filming. The suicide rate among the youth is really bad, especially back home where I’m from. And it makes me so sad that it has to be that way. And I just thought about everybody in the community, and putting myself through the things Willie Jack went through. The scene in Season 3 where Willie Jack is [crying at Fixico’s funeral and] those were real tears because I had actually been doing that the week before at my cousin/brother’s funeral. So it was all real. And that’s another reason why I think the show really special, because it’s real.

You act opposite Lily Gladstone more than once in the series. What was it like performing alongside her?

I remember the day I met Lily and we started working together. I remember being so starstruck when she came to set and I remember being so excited and looking forward to filming that episode with her. And when it came down to filming the episode, personally I was going through a tough time and this never happens, usually, I’m on the ball with all my lines and know what’s going on, but for some reason this time I wasn’t feeling my line. Usually, I’m a one-take wonder.

And I remember specifically that day I was doing more takes than usual and I remember people coming to me, like “What’s wrong,” and I was just like, “Oh my god, I don’t know what’s going on.” Then Lily came and she started working with me and helped me. She was so good. And as soon as I’d seen Lily, it all felt better and that’s probably my favorite part. But working with her… I don’t know how to explain it. Working with Native people half the time just felt like I was working with my relatives. We’re so close like that. And as I started working with her, I just lit up and she inspired me so much.

(Credit: Shane Brown/FX)

Most of the cast was newcomers, but you also played alongside legendary actors like Graham Green and Wes Studi. Did having that balance help you as a performer? 

I didn’t think about it too much. I did know D’Pharaoh from a previous movie that we did together called Beans in which we played siblings. And Devery, oh my god, I just remember fangirling so hard at the audition when I met her. She worked on a movie with my brother. And I remember when I saw that movie Devery was one the first people that I’ve seen, as a Native girl on TV, being rugged and ruthless and strong how I’ve always grown up to see native women.

I remember being a 12-year-old girl like, “Oh my god, I want to do that one day.” And when I found out auditioning for Elora and I was auditioning for Elora, I was like, “There’s no way I’m going to get it now. She’s a legend and I love her so much.” So then when they told me to read for Willie Jack, I was like, “Oh my god, okay, this is going somewhere.” Then we flew out for the last audition. That’s where I got to meet her. And I remember being so starstruck when I saw her. It actually was a good balance because, at the time, D’Pharaoh, Lane, and I were pretty new, especially coming into this show.

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Speaking of your brother Nathan Alexis, who played young Brownie in the final season’s flashback episode. What was it like getting to share the experience of Reservation Dogs with him? 

So cool. My brother did such a good job playing Young Brownie. That was a spot-on impression. “House Made of Bongs,” was one of my favorite episodes with Quannah Chasinghorse, Isaac [Arellanes], Mato [Wayuhi], and Shelby [Factor]. And it felt so cool going back to the seventies and my brother did an amazing job. My mom was on set so she got to come hang out with me, but then watch my brother on set and it was cool because he was making everyone laugh.

The show recently won another Peabody Award. What does it mean to be recognized in that way?

It felt good to be there. Even though we won last year, we couldn’t go because of the strikes, so it was pretty nice. The atmosphere there is always good and the show will forever impact my life and Indigenous TV. I want to thank Peabody and the Television Academy for the amazing opportunity.

What are you going to miss most about working on Reservation Dogs?

I miss Oklahoma. How beautiful it is, how chill it is, and hanging out with everyone between scenes. Everybody would just be there laughing.

FX’s Reservation Dogs, Seasons 1-3, Streaming now, Hulu