Devery Jacobs talks Taika Waititi, Reservation Dogs and indigenous storytelling

In between winning an Oscar for Jojo Rabbit, shooting the new Thor movie and faffing about with Ryan Reynolds in Free Guy, Māori filmmaker Taika Waititi has had more than his share of side-hustles going on.

Disney Plus series Reservation Dogs is one such enterprise: A Native American story with Waititi's paw-prints all over it.

The shared DNA of Waititi’s film Boy and the new TV show he helped create, write and produce is obvious and was the main reason one of the show's standout stars - Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs - signed on.

"Taika's 2010 film Boy is one of my favourite movies of all time, and when I read the casting breakdown for Reservation Dogs I had an 'Oh my God' moment because I was thinking this sounds like the Native American version of Boy - and I absolutely have to be a part of this and play Elora Danan," Jacobs told Newshub.

The character of Elora is the quiet leader of a pack that roams their local 'hood indulging in a little petty crime to fuel an escape plan, with varying degrees of success

Amidst all the crime, carnage and comedy of this show is a triggering, deep well of grief and pain.

Delivering that kind of heartbreak through comedy is entirely familiar to this up-and-comer.

"I honestly think that's innate to indigenous humour and the humour of marginalised communities," Jacobs said.

"In order to survive the things that cultures have survived, you kinda have to be able to laugh things off and lean on each other and your community in order to get through that."

In terms of representation Reservation Dogs is a big deal as the first show to feature all-indigenous writers and directors. It was co-created by Waititi alongside Native American filmmaker Sterlin Harjo.

"Each of the people involved in reservation dogs have been trying to kick down this door for decades," Jacobs said.

"The goal with Reservation Dogs yes is to create the best project we possibly can, but it's also to open doors for other indigenous filmmakers as well, one's who've been fighting to been seen and heard and ones who are up-coming as well."

Jacobs is already winning that fight, she’s now working on the second season as a writer in addition to her star billing.

Reservation Dogs is broadcast via Disney Plus in New Zealand.