Episode 63, is a continuation of our talk with filmmaker Billy Luther (Navajo, Hopi, Laguna Pueblo), who takes us inside the writers room for the AMC series DARK WINDS based on the Leaphorn and Chee detective novels by Tony Hillerman. Billy Luther is story editor, writer and director for DARK WINDS. DARK WINDS is set in Navajo country in the 1970s and features tribal police officers Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon), Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten), and Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon).
Billy talks about the impact of having Native Americans in the room to adapt fiction by a non-Native American author for the series, and the careful balance between cultural representation, historical events, and entertainment.
Time Stamps
- 0:01 Podcast Intro
- 2:37 - Billy Luther's journey to DARK WINDS
- 3:01 - Adapting Tony Hillerman's detective novels
- 8:26 - Native American Writers, cultural sensitivity, and storytelling
- 10:17 - Navajo culture and historical context in DARK WINDS
- 20:25 - Bernadette Manuelito’'s story and season 3 in 2025
- 22:59 - Final thoughts and where to watch DARK WINDS
For a Transcript: Go to the webpage for Episode 63 on michonbostongroup.com/bostonsisters
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