Michael Horse

Michael James Heinrich was born in Los Angeles County, California in 1949. Biographies have also given his birthplace as Tucson, Arizona, or a town named "Near Tucson" in Arizona. His parents were Nancie Bellen Posten and George Heinrich, who married in 1953. Angela Aleiss wrote, "Heinrich listed his parents as Austrian." Biographies have also described his mother as being Swedish and George Heinrich being his adopted father.

Horse "describes himself as half-Indian and part Zuni, Mescalero, Yaqui and Hispanic with a touch of Swedish…." In 2017, American art writer Daniel Grant wrote, "Horse has refused to apply to any one tribe for enrollment."

Horse's film debut came in the role of Tonto in the 1981 film The Legend of the Lone Ranger, which was a commercial failure. Before taking the role, Horse had been concerned that the character might be perceived as a stereotype.

After appearing in David Lynch's short film The Cowboy and the Frenchman (1988), Horse portrayed Deputy Hawk, a police officer, in Lynch's TV series Twin Peaks (1990–91). He also acted in Passenger 57 (1992), House of Cards (1993), the 1990s version of the television series The Untouchables (1993), and North of 60 (1995–97). He also appeared in the Thanks episode "Thanksgiving" in 1999, portraying Squanto. He appeared as Deputy Owen Blackwood in four episodes of the first season of Roswell (1999). Horse also appeared as Sheriff Tskany in The X-Files episode "Shapes" in 1994. In 1999, Horse guest starred on Walker, Texas Ranger in the episode "Team Cherokee" as John Red Cloud, the owner of a Native American NASCAR racing team and a friend of the titular character, Texas Ranger Cordell Walker (Chuck Norris).

Horse portrayed American Indian Movement (AIM) activist Dennis Banks in the 1994 film Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee. Eight years later, he lent his voice to Little Creek's friend in Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. He portrayed Mike Proudfoot on Sons of Tucson. In 1995 he portrayed Dirty Bob in the Western film Riders in the Storm. He played the character Jindoga in Hawkeye. In 2017, Horse reprised his role as Deputy Hawk in the third season of TV series Twin Peaks.

He also portrayed Twamie Ullulaq in the seventh season of The Blacklist in 2020.