Jessica Matten

Jessica Matten is a Canadian actress, producer, and Indigenous advocate of Red River Métis-Cree descent. A descendant of Cuthbert Grant, the first rebel Métis leader known for the Battle of Seven Oaks in Canada, Matten incorporates a strong sense of cultural identity into her work. She graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science degree in human ecology and a minor in marketing before pursuing a career in the arts.

Matten began her professional acting career with an on-screen appearance in the adventure film "Eddie's Stereotype." She gained early recognition through recurring roles in the political drama "Blackstone" and achieved international attention for her portrayal of Sokanon in the Netflix and Discovery Canada series "Frontier." In "Frontier," Matten played Indigenous warrior Sokanon alongside Jason Momoa. She expanded her range with a role in the CBC drama "Burden of Truth" and later took on a lead role in "Tribal" as Sam Woodburn, an Indigenous police chief, while also serving as an associate producer on the APTN series.

Matten portrays Manuelito in AMC's "Dark Winds," based on the novels of Tony Hillerman. The series expanded the role of law officer Bernadette Manuelito, making her story arc central throughout. Matten was invited into the writers' room, reflecting the production's creative collaboration. Beyond "Dark Winds," she played Heather Hobbs in the Netflix basketball drama "Rez Ball," executive produced by LeBron James's SpringHill Company, and voices the character Katara in the animated feature "Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender."

Matten's work in film and television is closely connected to her advocacy for Indigenous communities. Her efforts focus on supporting Indigenous youth facing challenges such as identity, racism, lateral violence, bullying, and displacement, as well as advocating for justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. She serves as president of 7 Forward Entertainment and co-founded the Counting Coup Indigenous Film Academy, which opened on the Siksika Nation and has graduated students who have secured jobs in the entertainment industry. Matten also formed a creative partnership with AMC Networks to build career pipelines and opportunities for Indigenous talent in the entertainment industry. Through her roles as actress, producer, and community advocate, Matten contributes to advancing Indigenous representation and storytelling in North American film and television.