Most of the time, Phoenix Wilson is a typical Grade 9 student walking the halls of St. Charles College.
But his career as a film and television actor has also taken him to places such as Oklahoma, Utah, New Mexico and Nunavut.
He's been featured in films including “Two Lovers and a Bear” and “Indian Horse,” and television shows including “Longmire,” “Letterkenny,” “Maple Mysteries” and “Hard Rock Medical.”
Phoenix said he went to his first audition at the age of five, and he's grown to love everything about film and television acting.
Although his mother, Marty Wilson-Trudeau, is actually a drama teacher at St. Charles, Phoenix says he's not crazy about stage acting.
Recently, Phoenix travelled to Oklahoma with his grandfather, Bill Wilson — who acts as his guardian when he's on location — to shoot a film called “Wild Indian.”
He played a character called Makwa as a teen. Phoenix shared the role with MIchael Greyeyes, who plays the same character as an adult.
Spencer, by the way, is best known as playing werewolf Sam Uley in the “Twilight” film series. Phoenix and Spencer already worked together in season six of the television series “Longmire,” which you can view on Netflix.
“I loved everything about it,” said the 14-year-old of the recent film shoot. “The people are so amazing.”
Although he was away for 10 days for the film shoot, his mom said he gets high marks, and missing school hasn't impacted him academically yet.
In some ways, it's not surprising Phoenix is involved in show biz, as most of his family is, as well.
Not only is his mom a drama teacher, his brother, Brandan Wilson, is a recent graduate of digital cinematography at Canadore College, and his dad, Gilbert Trudeau, also acts in films.
Trudeau appeared in local filmmaker Darlene Naponse's 2018 film “Falls Around Her.”
The family is First Nations, and Phoenix said with more films with Aboriginal storylines coming out, there's a need for First Nations actors.
The teen is now up for a role in a television show called “Reservation Dogs.” If he gets chosen for the second round of auditions, he'll be flown to Los Angeles at the end of December to try out for the part.
“Fingers crossed that he gets this, because it will be a recurring role on a TV show,” said Wilson-Trudeau.
While Phoenix is enjoying is burgeoning career as an actor, he plans to attend zoology in university and eventually become a veterinarian.
And if he does make it big in the show biz? “I'm going to get a tiny house in the woods,” said Phoenix. “I don't need a big white marble mansion or anything.”
