A paintball field in northern Alberta seems a mighty long way from Hollywood.

Not so for Edmonton actor Nathaniel Arcand, one of the stars of the hip, new Jessie James flick, American Outlaws.

Ten years ago, Arcand was on his way to a paintball match with his friend Dakota House, one of the stars of TV's North of 60.

The pair made a short detour that would change Arcand's life forever.

"Dakota had to go to his manager's office for a quick photo shoot. He was acting and needed new pictures for his resume. I waited in the lobby for him," recalls Arcand.

House's manager, Darryl Mork, passed through the lobby several times before he asked Arcand a fateful question.

"Darryl asked me if I'd have my picture taken and allow him to pitch me for some TV and film projects he was working on.

"I'd done some theatre in junior high school, but I'd never thought of becoming an actor, but I wasn't about to say no to any offer like that."

Arcand had his photos taken and zipped off to his paintball game.

Two weeks later, he was filming an industrial video, playing a disgruntled college student.

Arcand continued to snag small roles in TV and video projects filming in the Edmonton area.

Then, in 1993, he received a call from Mork. The drama Savage Land, starring Corbin Bernsen, Brion James and Graham Greene, had begun filming in Calgary.

"They needed a young Native actor to play Graham's son, Tree Climber. It was written for a 10 year old, but they couldn't find a young Native boy.

"Darryl said I could have the role if I could get myself down to Calgary the next day and make myself look 16. I was 21, but I vowed I could, borrowed a car and drove to Calgary."

Arcand learned an important lesson that day: If a manager, agent or director asks if you have a certain skill, the answer is always a resounding yes.

This was the case when he met director Les Mayfield in L.A. last year to audition for the role of Comanche Tom in American Outlaws.

"Les said he liked my look and my reading, but he was concerned about my riding ability. There would be a great deal of riding in the film," recalls Arcand.

"I told him I'd been riding since I was 10, which wasn't a lie, but I hadn't kept up my riding for years."

As soon as he got back to Edmonton, Arcand called his father in Lac La Biche.

"I told him I was coming up to visit him and asked him to saddle up his fastest horse. He helped me get back in shape in time for the shoot."

Originally, American Outlaws was scheduled to shoot in the Calgary area, where the producers had shot Texas Rangers a year earlier. But shooting was then shifted to Texas.

"Apparently, the American unions put a lot of pressure on the producers, so we were stationed in Austin (Tex.) and filmed all around there."

Arcand doesn't have a film in his immediate future, but that suits him fine.

"I love acting and I'll fly out at a moment's notice, but I have a four-year-old son who I cannot spend enough time with.

"He's a big part of my life right now. He and his mother keep me grounded. I love being with them."

He has two children from a previous relationship he also sees when in Alberta.


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