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Guess Who's a Cherokee -- Tommy Lee Jones
by Christina Berry

This is the second article in the series "Guess Who's a Cherokee." Check each month to find a new Cherokee profiled. Some are obvious while some will really surprise you. Hope you enjoy.

Tommy Lee Jones

What is it about Tommy Lee Jones? Is it his rugged good looks, his ability to breathe life into every character he portrays? Or is it that gorgeous Texas drawl? Whatever it is, Tommy Lee Jones is a star and a Cherokee. A winner of the Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe, and the coveted MTV Movie Award, Jones was also recently awarded a Cherokee Medal of Honor by the Cherokee Honor Society in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

When he's not acting, Tommy Lee Jones himself is a facinating character. The Texas born and raised cowboy attended Harvard, rooming with future VP Al Gore, where he studied English Literature and graduated cum laude. Though he never took an acting class he landed a Broadway role straight out of school and began his career. His natural talent took audiences by surprise in the 1970s when he first began appearing in small roles in film and television. Before long he was starring in films like Coal Miner's Daughter and The Executioner's Song. In 1989 he brought Larry McMurtry's character Woodrow Call to life in the mini-series "Lonesome Dove." He won an Oscar for his role in the 1993 film The Fugitive. Tommy Lee Jones has a ranch near San Antonio, Texas, and continues to act. He's starring in The Hunted this year.

Shop for Tommy Lee Jones movies on Amazon.com