“Killers of the Flower Moon” is a new movie from director Martin Scorsese about the “Reign of Terror” that ran through Oklahoma’s Osage County involving the murders of many Native Americans in the early 1900s. The movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, features many other well-known actors and even one of our own former Buffaloes.

 Anthony “AJ” Harvey is a Southeast Alumni from the class of 2016 and plays the role of Charles Whitehorn. During his time at Southeast, Anthony was involved in theatre and he credits theatre teacher Martha Dooms for helping develop his interest in acting.

“I had Anthony for four years in theater. He was a member of the Southeast Thespian troupe. He performed in many class plays as well as the TriM Thespian Showcases. He played the role of Harold Hill in “The Music Man” his senior year,” Dooms said. “I have been in contact with Anthony and his family about his fantastic experience with this film. I am very proud of him reaching for his dreams.”

Harvey’s character, Charles Whitehorn, is actually a distant relative through marriage on his mother’s side. 

“ I think it was a big deal for me to be a part of this story overall, but to be cast as a distant relative … I was able to portray him in a way that I think will bring his story to light and someone I would have never heard of,” Harvey said. 

“Killers of the Flower Moon” helps bring to light events that many people are not aware of. 

“After World War One, people came home. They found out that these Osage natives were rich…They became friends with these rich Indians and made them feel comfortable to a point where they would invite them into their homes, invite them into their families, marry into them…then it became secretly and silently eliminating any Osages,” Harvey said.

Killers of the flower moon not only discusses important events in Native American history, it also makes sure to represent the Osage and Native communities through their casting, something Harvey says is important to Native people.

  “I think going forward into other films you know it’s seen in almost every other demographic except for American Indians and only recently are shows like ‘Reservation Dogs’ and ‘Tulsa King’ and things that are here in Oklahoma are using American Indian actors,” Harvey said. “It’s a big deal to be a part of this, to see our ways, our culture, our traditions, something that’s very small, details that are gonna’ be a part of this movie.”

Although Harvey did not get the chance to meet either De Niro or DiCaprio, he still got to work alongside director Martin Scorsese.

“I never thought that it would go anything past me having a small scene here, a small scene there. However, I did have the opportunity to take some direction and get to meet the head director, Martin Scorsese. That was a big dream come true,” he said. “We just had a small interaction, you know, but I grew up watching his movies, ‘Goodfellas’ and ‘Taxi Driver and Casino’, you know, those are the kind of films that I’ve always would dream of to be in.” 

Harvey wishes to continue to pursue his acting as well as a music career.

“The options have come up and things are in the works as we speak to keep me on camera. I just was able to join the Screen Actors Guild being a part of some other projects, which is a really big deal.”