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Colleyville actor to get a seat with 'Revenant' cast at Academy Awards

Being a movie buff, Colleyville actor Arthur Redcloud had always watched the Academy Awards on TV.

Now, it's his turn to be on the red carpet.

Redcloud, a Navajo who turned in a memorable role as a Pawnee tribesman in The Revenant, will join the cast at the 88th Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood on Feb. 28.

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"Totally unbelievable," Redcloud said Wednesday. "Another gift from God. Surreal. It's a dream come true to be in the same room with these amazing people."

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Redcloud, who continues to work as a fuel delivery driver, has been fitted for his tuxedo and will join Leonardo DiCaprio, director Alejandro González Iñárritu, cinematographer Emanuel Lubezki and actors Tom Hardy, Domhall Gleeson, Will Poulter, Forrest Goodluck and Duane Howard at the ceremonies.

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"I'll be wearing a lot of turquoise and I've been told by many fans to wear a bolo tie," Redcloud said.

It's been a whirlwind two months for Redcloud, who has seen his world turned upside down, in a good way. He's made numerous media appearances to detail his rise as an actor.

In interviews, DiCaprio credited Redcloud with helping him eat raw bison liver in a scene they shared. At the Screen Actors Guide Awards, where DiCaprio won for best actor, he mentioned Redcloud in his acceptance speech.

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"I'm going because Leo mentioned my name at the SAG awards," he said. "This is my thinking. I'm not sure if it's the all-white Oscar thing. It's because of indigenous people."

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been criticized because its list of contenders was devoid of people of color, prompting an #OscarsSoWhite Twitter campaign.

In the case of The Revenant, DiCaprio said last month that he wanted to share his Golden Globes award with indigenous and First Nations people.

Because of what DiCaprio has said, there will be a lot of focus on the American Indian actors, Redcloud said.

"Being Native American, I hope it's an encouragement for all Natives and First Nations people, that it's possible to get there," he said.