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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Lauren Aratani

Hollywood producer accused of faking Cherokee ancestry

Heather Rae in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2019.
Heather Rae in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2019. Photograph: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images for New Zealand Film Commission

Questions about the Native American ancestry of film producer Heather Rae, known for being an activist for Native and Indigenous creators and projects in Hollywood, are being raised after a group published public family records that do not show evidence of Native ancestry.

The Tribal Alliance Against Frauds, an organization that examines claims of Native ancestry from individuals and businesses who publicly represent Native identity, told the New York Post that public family records do not show any ties to tribal heritage for Rae. Citing research published in a blogpost, the group said her family identified as white across multiple public records.

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