Netflix coming-of-age drama Frybread Face and Me is a bittersweet character study that follows two cousins, meeting at their grandmother’s Arizona reservation where they are going to spend the Summer. The film is written and directed by Billy Luther, basing a lot of the narrative on his own experiences, and examining themes of family, friendship, and discovering yourself. The film has a strong predominantly Native American cast and crew and relies on the performances, the script, and the cast of characters. One of the characters is Aunt Lucy, played by Kahara Hodges.
Character Aunt Lucy in Frybread Face and Me
Benny is one of the young protagonists of the film. He has a love for Fleetwood Mac and plays with “dolls”, or action figures as he prefers them to be called, and finds himself being whisked away to spend a Summer on his grandmother’s Navajo reservation. In a voiceover from a reflective, grown-up Benny, he lets us know the family situation: “If you think no one does dysfunction like Fleetwood Mac, then you haven’t met my family.” One member of that family is Aunt Lucy.
We first encounter Lucy when she picks Benny up from the bus station to drive him to his grandmother’s home. Lucy is Benny’s mum’s half-sister and is regarded as being a bit on the wild side. We learn that she makes her way through life selling jewelry she makes, and “sleeping on other people’s couches”. She talks about getting gifts from the men she dates, but it is later revealed that Lucy is considered to be a lesbian. She tells Benny that Stevie Nicks will wear her jewelry one day.
Kahara Hodges as Aunt Lucy in Frybread Face and Me | Image via Netflix
Lucy offers up some advice to the youngster, mentioning he should ignore his uncle Marvin as he is “half Hopi,” before leaving, but promising Benny she will come back later. Lucy is fun-loving but caring and with a happy-go-lucky attitude. Lucy does seem to be at odds with some other members of the family, who often appear disapproving.
Lucy seems keen to leave the reservation and she wants to move to Phoenix to become a makeup artist. She practices by helping Frybread Face with her makeup and hair, and she is kind to the kids, telling them stories of their early years. Lucy helps explain the reservation life to Benny who rebels against his chores, and offers up advice to help Benny through. She is a positive influence on Benny and eventually leaves to pursue her own life.
Who plays Aunt Lucy in Frybread Face and Me?
Aunt Lucy is played by Kahara Hodges. Born in 1995, Kahara is also a model and singer and is married to Martin Sensmeier whom you might recognize from Yellowstone. Sensmeier also has a role in the movie, playing Marvin, The couple have two children together and you can follow Kahara on Instagram @kaharahodges, although she does tend to keep details of her personal life quiet.
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Kahara famously sang the Navajo song of praise for the ASU Women’s basketball match in 2013. She also toured with the Arizona Ambassadors of Music Tour.
What is Kahara Hodges known for?
Kahara has not had many roles, and we could only find an episode of the TV series Rutherford Falls, though she was also involved in the promotional video for One World featuring Taboo of The Black Eyed Peas, a video that helped promote representation of Native peoples in mainstream society.
RELATED: Where was Frybread Face and Me filmed?
