Rhode Islander Stars In ‘True Detective’

The long-awaited “True Detective: Night Country” debuted last night on HBO and we all got a first look at the series’ new pairing. And boy, was East Providence native Kali Reis ready for her close-up. That came courtesy of a provocative sex scene in which the couple’s power dynamic was made abundantly clear. As was Reis’s impressive physique.

Boxing fans are already familiar with Kali Reis and her record as a professional boxer which includes six world titles in two weight classes. When state trooper Evangeline Navarro wrestled a perp to the ground, it was totally believable (and I hope that guy is okay).

Reis was born in Providence of Cape Verdean/Native American heritage and raised by her mother in East Providence. Two years ago the city awarded Reis the key to the city with family and friends in attendance.

Reis told the audience that her education and career has been an incredible journey from the start. From her earlier days as a volleyball, basketball and softball player with East Providence High School Townies to her boxing career which began at the age of 14 when she began boxing out of Manfredo’s Gym and now with her role in staring in and co-writing “Catch the Fair One.”

In that prior project, Reis played a Native American woman who gets entangled in a human trafficking operation in an effort to retrace the steps of her sister. Her performance earned her a ‘best female lead’ nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards. That was same year Reis was inducted in the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame.

Kali “KO” Mequinonoag Reis hails from East Providence RI, is a member of the Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe and is the first Indigenous Woman fighter to become a World Champion. As a Professional Boxer, Reis has attained six World Titles in two weight classes and is currently the WBA, IBO and WBO Super Lightweight World Champion and is on the “Road to Undisputed”.

A profile in the New York Times asked how her heritage dovetailed with that of her character in “Night Country.”

Reis, who was born and raised in Rhode Island, is of Wampanoag and Cape Verdean descent; Navarro is Iñupiaq and Dominican American. Reis’s language is not Navarro’s language, her ceremonies not the character’s. But they share a single-mindedness, a sense of duty and purpose. So Reis threw herself into research. “I just really want to make sure that I represented Alaska Natives, Iñupiaq people,” said Reis, who sat beside Foster and López in last month’s video interview. (They were all dressed in polite neutrals, though Reis had accessorized her outfit with a fierce-looking choker.) “I didn’t grow up seeing my face on the screen. I wanted to make sure that they could look on the screen and see themselves.”

Reis uses her boxing platform to spread awareness on various issues such as the MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women). This theme runs through the new series. Reis was born to play this role.

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(Fans of the series should check out this new installment. Placing the action above the Arctic Circle, with its 24 hours of night, is so disorienting! You never know what time of day it is. It adds to the considerable creepiness of the show, as does the sound design.)