Evan Adams

Tla'amin (Coast Salish) · actors

Evan Adams (born November 15, 1966) is a Coast Salish actor, playwright, and physician from the Tla'amin (Sliammon) First Nation in British Columbia, Canada. He is best known for his beloved portrayal of Thomas Builds-the-Fire in the groundbreaking film "Smoke Signals" (1998), written by Sherman Alexie — the first feature film written, directed, and acted entirely by Native Americans. Adams won a Special Jury Award at Sundance for the role. Beyond acting, he earned his medical degree and has served as Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia. He exemplifies the power of Indigenous people excelling in multiple fields and using every platform to uplift their communities.