Misty Anne Upham (July 6, 1982 – October 5, 2014) was an American actress. She attracted critical acclaim for her performance in the 2008 film Frozen River, for which she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female. She also appeared in Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian and August: Osage County.
Early life Misty Anne Upham was born on July 6, 1982, in Kalispell, Montana, and raised in Auburn, Washington. A Native American, she was a member of the Blackfeet Nation.Schmidt, Rob. " Blackfeet Actress Misty Upham On Filming 'Jimmy P.' with Benicio Del Toro." Indian Country Today Media Network, September 30, 2013; accessed February 1, 2014. She was reportedly sexually abused, assaulted, and gang-raped, first as a child and then later in life as an up-and-coming actress in Hollywood by an executive at The Weinstein Company. Both Upham and family members reported that she suffered from depression and the severe after effects of these traumas.
Career Upham's film credits include Expiration Date, Edge of America, Skins, and Skinwalkers. In 2010, she appeared on HBO's Big Love. In 2013, she played a major supporting role in Arnaud Desplechin's Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian, selected in competition for the Palme d'Or at the 66th Festival de Cannes. She played the housekeeper Johnna in August: Osage County, and played Liz in Cake.
Death On October 5, 2014, Upham left her sister's apartment on the Muckleshoot Reservation in Auburn, Washington, on foot. The following weekend, her family announced via Facebook and other media that she had not been heard from since then and that they were concerned for her well-being, citing past mental health problems. A spokesperson for the Auburn Police Department told CNN that police had not opened an investigation and were not regarding Upham as a missing person at that time. He confirmed that family members had contacted police on several occasions in the past year to report Upham missing but that she had been located and determined to be safe within a few days in each previous case.
On October 16, 2014, Misty Upham's body was found by a small search party organized by her family and other members of the Muckleshoot Tribe. Her body was found at the bottom of a cliff in a wooded area, just a short distance from where the family had previously searched. Members of the search party believe her death was an accident; that she fell off the cliff in the dark and that her life could have been saved had there been a prompt and thorough search. Citing lack of action on the part of the Auburn police, and alleging past abuse of Misty Upham by members of the Auburn Police Department, Upham's family released a statement that reads in part: "But the real tragedy is this could have been prevented on a lot of levels. We pleaded with the Auburn Police to help us find Misty but Commander Stocker made the decision that Misty did not fit the criteria of the Washington State Endangered Missing Persons Plan. This became a point of contention between us and the Auburn PD. In a statement he gave to the press he said Auburn PD doesn't have any evidence that Misty is actually missing. He went on to say that Misty packed her belonging and left her apartment. This was an inaccurate statement. We believe that Commander Stocker had animosity against Misty due to a previous encounter." "Now press reports are saying that Auburn police department found Misty. The truth is the Native American community formed a search party and found her after several days of searching without the help of the Auburn PD".
On December 3, 2014, the King County Medical Examiner released a report stating Misty Upham had died of blunt-force injuries to her head and torso on October 5, 2014, the day she disappeared. The medical examiner stated that "the manner of her death – whether by foul play, suicide or accident – could not be determined."
In late October 2016, the release of a documentary short on Upham was announced. The film, 11 Days - The Search for Misty Upham, investigates her disappearance and death, and the search for her led by her family in what they report was the absence of police support.11 Days - The Search for Misty Upham - 2016 independent documentary about the disappearance, death, and search for Misty Upham. It was screened at Native American film festivals, notably in the broader context of the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.Red Nation Film Festival Native Cinema 21/10/2016 02:22 "13th Red Nation Film Festival will have a 'Spotlight' on Indigenous Murder and Missing Women as part of Native Women in Film & Television Initiative. With an introduction to this very important film '11 Days The Search for Misty Upham.' A Red Nation Film Festival Official Selection Spotlight"Red Nation Film Festival Awards Show 2016 Official Selections. Accessed 25 Oct 2016.
On October 15, 2017, in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations, Upham's father, Charles Upham, went public with allegations that his daughter was raped by a member of Weinstein's production team at the same Golden Globes ceremony where she was honored, and that other members of Weinstein's team had not only witnessed the rape but had cheered the rapist.
Legacy In 2021, The Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program created The Misty Upham Award for Young Native Actors to honor Upham's legacy and her hope of uplifting more young Native actors. Each year the Program honors a Native actor under 25 with an award, $500 cash prize, and performance opportunities. Young actors submit performances of monologues from Native plays for a chance to win the award.
Filmography Year Title Role Director Notes 2002 Skins Mrs. Blue Cloud Chris Eyre Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Dawn Paul Seed TV series (2 episodes) Skinwalkers Nina Chris Eyre TV movie 2003 Dreamkeeper Chief's Daughter Steve Barron TV movie Edge of America Shirleen Chris Eyre TV movie 2006 Expiration Date Charlie's Mother Rick Stevenson 2008 Frozen River Lila Littlewolf Courtney Hunt American Indian Film Festival for Best Supporting ActressAlliance of Women Film Journalists for Best NewcomerNominated–Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting FemaleNominated–Central Ohio Film Critics Association for Best Supporting ActressNominated–Utah Film Critics Association for Best Supporting Actress 2010 The Dry Land Gloria Ryan Piers Williams Big Love Leila Stilwell Adam DavidsonDavid Petrarca TV series (2 episodes) 2011 Mascots Karen Scott Aaron Hartmann Short 2012 Django Unchained Minnie Quentin Tarantino Every Other Second Nurse Kelly Harrison Sanborn Short 2013 Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian Jane Arnaud Desplechin August: Osage County Johnna Monevata John Wells Hollywood Film Festival - Ensemble of the YearCapri Ensemble Cast AwardNominated–Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureNominated–Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Without Fire May Eliza McNitt Short 2014 Cake Liz Daniel Barnz 2015 Within Tina Walsh Phil Claydon Released Posthumously
References
External links
11 Days - The Search for Misty Upham - 2016 independent documentary about her disappearance, death, and the lack of police search or investigation