Who plays Joe Leaphorn in Dark Winds? Actor's career and notable projects, explored in depth 

The third season of Dark Winds presents an accurate depiction of life among the Navajo community and at its center is the character of Navajo Tribal Police Detective Joe Leaphorn, played by phenomenal actor Zahn McClarnon. Dark Winds is an AMC series that is adapted from the popular Leaphorn and Chee series of novels written by Tony Hillerman.

The narrative of Dark Winds focuses on the characters Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee alongside Sergeant Bernadette Manuelito. Together, the three of them navigate through the world of Navajoland, standing tall against crime and other mysteries. The show has received widespread acclaim for its representative storytelling and its unique blend of noirish elements with traditional Western drama tropes.

For Zahn McClarnon, the character of Joe Leaphorn comes as a culmination of years of sustained hard work. Here's everything that we know about him and his career.

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Dark Winds star Zahn McClarnon's career and other details explored

Zahn Tokiya-ku McClarnon was born on October 24, 1966, in Denver, Colorado, and is fifty-eight years old as of this writing. He is of Lakota and Irish descent. As his father worked for the National Park Service, McClarnon grew up in different places including Browning, Montana, and even Yellowstone. He graduated from the Omaha Central High School in 1985.

McClarnon's first acting gig was in a local theatrical production of Jesus Christ Superstar in which, according to him, he was cast since he had long hair. After a string of such gigs, he finally decided to move to Los Angeles in 1991. His arrival in LA also coincided with the fact that more and more Native American actors were being cast in shows and movies. He was at the center of a collective known as the First Americans in the Arts.

Dark Winds star McClarnon has had a long and busy career over three decades, during which time he has appeared on Ringer, Westworld, the FX show Fargo as well as films such as Marvel's Hawkeye, Echo, and Reservation Dogs.

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Zahn McClarnon speaks about his character

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Collider earlier this month, Zahn McClarnon was asked about the way he prepared for his role on Dark Winds, to which the actor answered:

"That's such a difficult question for me. I have a really hard time articulating my process. Hmm. Just as human beings, we've all gone through painful experiences — loss, tragedy, joy, etc. And as an actor, I just try and lean into and draw from those lived experiences. It's something I don't mind doing. I really find it cathartic at times, and it's a process that I do enjoy. I just try to feel those emotions, and explore those states of mind, and be truthful with them. I found myself in an interesting position this year, where blurring the line between reality and pretend was a lot of fun. And I'd find myself at times where it was very blurry. Again, I do have a difficult time articulating my process, but the great James Cagney said, "Hit your mark, look the other actor in the eye, and tell the truth."

Dark Winds is exclusively available on AMC and AMC+