Gil Birmingham

Comanche · actors

Gil Birmingham (born July 13, 1953) is a Comanche actor known for his powerful on-screen presence across film and television. He is best known for his role as Tribal Chairman Thomas Rainwater on the hit Paramount series "Yellowstone" (2018–present), where he plays a shrewd and determined leader fighting to reclaim ancestral lands. Birmingham also played Billy Black in the "Twilight" saga films and delivered a critically acclaimed performance in Taylor Sheridan's "Wind River" (2017). A former petroleum engineer who pivoted to acting, Birmingham has built one of the most impressive careers of any Native actor in Hollywood. He is a strong advocate for authentic Native representation in media and has spoken about the importance of complex, fully realized Indigenous characters on screen.