Nat Geo’s TV movie event “Saints & Strangers” won’t be the traditional version of the Pilgrims and Native Americans’ first Thanksgiving.
Actor Raul Trujillo praised the cable channel for letting himself and other cast members tell the gritty reality behind the not-so-friendly historical event.
“I think the beauty of the bravery of Nat Geo is actually that they’re letting us de-sanitize the story of Thanksgiving and that whole part of our history,” he said on Wednesday during the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour.
“We really try to honor — as best as we can — who these people were and the world views they had,” Trujillo continued.
“Not much is going to change in terms of how civilization is right now, but I think if anything else, part of the healing process amongst native people in the Americas is there has to be a restoration of a sense of pride and realizing that we do come from a really old, old culture that was intruded upon but is still surviving after more than 500 years of conquest and colonizing,” he said.
“That’s probably a hopeful attitude to have … that people realize this is a good thing, that we’re still holding on to our sense of who we are, and how we will continue to survive — it’s the best I think we can expect,” Trujillo concluded.
The TV movie also stars Anna Camp, Ron Livingston and Vincent Kartheiser, among others, as TheWrap exclusively reported.
“Saints & Strangers” premieres this Thanksgiving with a two-night event on National Geographic Channel.