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, .