Until recently "Dark Winds" star Zahn McClarnon was one of those actors better known for his presence than his name. Even that factor, presence, makes him stand out among performers whose recognizable faces are their calling card; McClarnon boasts that along with an intensity that isn't easily described, since it radiates from his eyes, his brow, his measured gestures.
That uniqueness has kept him working constantly since the mid-Aughts, although his film and TV credits date back to 1988. It also means that for most of his career, like other Indigenous and non-white actors, McClarnon wasn't cast as the lead in TV shows or even recurring roles. That changed around 2011, when he recurred as a mob boss in the one-season drama "Ringer" followed by another recurring part on A&E Western lawman drama "Longmire."
