‘Prey’ Cast: Who Is Dakota Beavers? From TJ Maxx to the ‘Predator’ Prequel
Predator became an instant box office hit upon its 1987 release in theaters. The Arnold Schwarzenegger-led sci-fi/action flick revolved around an extraterrestrial warrior stalking a Central American jungle. Thirty-five years later, Hulu has debuted a prequel to the spine-chilling saga. Prey, directed by Dan Trachtenberg, tells the story of the Predator through the eyes of a Native American tribe hundreds of years ago.
Actor Amber Midthunder, best known for her stint in the sci-fi series Roswell, New Mexico, plays Naru, the Comanche warrior at the heart of the action. Dane DiLiegro, Bennett Taylor, and Stormee Kipp are a few of the other talented actors in Prey. The movie also introduces Dakota Beavers. Many viewers are likely unfamiliar with Beavers, but that will likely change soon.
Dakota Beavers plays a significant role in ‘Prey’
While Midthunder portrays Naru in Prey, Beavers plays Taabe, her loyal brother. He supports Naru on her mission to hunt down and defeat a mysterious predator in the forest near their home, which most members of their tribe in the Northern Great Plains view as improbable. The dynamic pair is a huge part of the movie’s success.
Asked about his character, Beavers told Looper: “I wanted [him] to be someone who was supportive and loving yet a strong and masculine guy, but he knew his sister’s talents, and he wanted her to succeed. He wanted her to feel fulfilled in life, so that was really important to me, and I was so thankful that it translated that way in the end.”
‘Prey’ marks his professional acting debut
Film fanatics may be unfamiliar with Dakota Beavers. That’s because Prey marks his professional acting debut. Though he’s new to Hollywood, Beavers is quite familiar with performing and entertaining.
The artist followed a remarkable path to Prey. With a passion for music, Beavers began performing with his band. Playing at dive bars in the evening, Beavers worked at a TJ Maxx store during the day.
When it came to landing the role of Taabe, Beavers told GQ that “the stars kind of aligned.” After receiving an email and completing a few auditions, he was ecstatic to learn he would be a part of the Predator franchise.
Though the actor doesn’t have other projects lined up at the moment, his fans and thousands of followers on Instagram are looking forward to what the star does next.
More about Dakota Beavers: Family, background, and Instagram
With a near-perfect rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Prey is worth a watch. In an interview with Yahoo, Beavers, Midthunder, and Trachtenberg spoke about the importance of capturing the Comanche culture.
In an interview with Variety, Beavers said of playing Taabe: “I tried to look deep within myself and just try to make it as genuine as I could possibly make it.”
As for the actor’s background, he was born in Arizona, and his family eventually moved to Nashville, where Beavers continued to focus on his music and ambitions.
He explains he considers himself a “Southwestern hybrid.” The Variety feature highlights his mother’s roots in the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo and Apache nations. Beavers’ father is white with “some Hispanic.”
According to IMDb, the actor is 22 years old. Fans can follow Dakota Beavers on Instagram at @dakota_beavers.
