Shauna Baker
Encyclopedia
Shauna Baker is a Canadian
actress, model
, spokesperson, and businessperson
,
better known with her twin
sister Shannon
as The Baker Twins. She and her twin sister appeared on Tyra Banks
' talk show The Tyra Banks Show
to talk about the stereotypes put on First Nations people
and Native American
and lack of representation in the media.
, Canada
. Shauna is of the Carrier Dene
tribe. As a baby an elder put warm bee honey in the palm of her hands so that she may have strong artistic abilities. She has always been in competitions since being a small child. At age 16, she was in competition for classical music along with her sister.
From 2006 to 2008 Shauna dated Canadian Hip Hop Artist Daniel Denton professionally known as Moka Only
.
, and Say Magazine. In managing their careers Shannon stated with her sister: "We firmly believe that First Nations people need to be represented in mainstream media a lot more, and feel that we can help to facilitate a positive profile for our people through initiatives like the Miss Universe Canada Pageant." She continued: "I hope I can represent First Nations people in a really good way and that's why I am competing in the pageant."
When Shannon competed in the Miss Universe Canada pageant she explained that the competition made her more aware of how being a twin was a "huge facet of her identity".
In 2007, Shannon and Shauna were scouted by a modeling scout from Playboy. They declined the offer. In an interview Shauna recounted the experience and stated:
, where one part became two when the producers found out they were identical twins.
She has appeared in films along with her sister such as: Tin Man
, Sharp as Marbles, Hard Impact, A Wedding Story
, and other films.
The twins made an appearance on The Tyra Banks show in 2007 to talk about the stereotypes they deal with in the entertainment industry and the misconceptions the media and the industry have of First Nations people.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
actress, model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, spokesperson, and businessperson
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
,
better known with her twin
Twin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
sister Shannon
Shannon Baker
Shannon Baker is a Canadian model, actress, spokesperson, and businessperson,better known with her twin sister Shauna as The Baker Twins. She and her twin sister appeared on Tyra Banks' talk show The Tyra Banks Show to talk about the stereotypes put on Native American and First Nations people and...
as The Baker Twins. She and her twin sister appeared on Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks
Tyra Lynne Banks is an American model, media personality, actress, occasional singer, author and businesswoman. She first became famous as a model, but television appearances were her commercial breakthrough...
' talk show The Tyra Banks Show
The Tyra Banks Show
The Tyra Banks Show, also known as and shortened to Tyra or The Tyra Show, is an American talk show hosted by Tyra Banks. The last new episode aired on Friday, May 28, 2010.-2005-2009: Syndication:...
to talk about the stereotypes put on First Nations people
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
and Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
and lack of representation in the media.
Early life
Shauna was born in Stellat'en First Nation reservation, British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Shauna is of the Carrier Dene
Dene
The Dene are an aboriginal group of First Nations who live in the northern boreal and Arctic regions of Canada. The Dené speak Northern Athabaskan languages. Dene is the common Athabaskan word for "people" . The term "Dene" has two usages...
tribe. As a baby an elder put warm bee honey in the palm of her hands so that she may have strong artistic abilities. She has always been in competitions since being a small child. At age 16, she was in competition for classical music along with her sister.
Personal life
In keeping with the traditions of the Carrier-Sekani people, Shannon and Shauna were raised by their grandmother, Emma Baker.From 2006 to 2008 Shauna dated Canadian Hip Hop Artist Daniel Denton professionally known as Moka Only
Moka Only
Daniel Denton , known professionally as Moka Only, is a Canadian hip hop artist. Originally from Langford, British Columbia, near Victoria, he is now based in Vancouver. He was previously part of the hip hop group Swollen Members, and briefly a part of Len. His albums are released by Legendary...
.
Modeling
Her first introduction into modeling occurred in a shopping mall, but Shauna and her sister believed it was scam. Shauna and her twin sister were constantly being approached by different agencies, and decided to inspect them to see if they were real. The twins manage their own model careers, and have been featured in several magazines. Magazines such as:UMM Magazine, Vancouver MagazineVancouver Magazine
Vancouver Magazine is an English-language lifestyle magazine focused on Vancouver, British Columbia and the Lower Mainland.Vancouver Magazine describes its mission as informing, guiding and entertaining residents of a "dynamic, international city."...
, and Say Magazine. In managing their careers Shannon stated with her sister: "We firmly believe that First Nations people need to be represented in mainstream media a lot more, and feel that we can help to facilitate a positive profile for our people through initiatives like the Miss Universe Canada Pageant." She continued: "I hope I can represent First Nations people in a really good way and that's why I am competing in the pageant."
When Shannon competed in the Miss Universe Canada pageant she explained that the competition made her more aware of how being a twin was a "huge facet of her identity".
In 2007, Shannon and Shauna were scouted by a modeling scout from Playboy. They declined the offer. In an interview Shauna recounted the experience and stated:
"We have gone this far keeping a clean image, why throw that out the window now? We want to show young ladies that you can be a good girl and still make it in this industry. There are enough half naked girls shown on television and music videos already, I wouldn’t want to blend in with them. Plus, I would be horrified if my little sister and little cousins saw me nude in a magazine."Shannon added:
"We do not need Playboy to pioneer our careers. We will make it without being in Playboy. The industry is changing, and our generation will be the ones that pioneer that change. We want to work harder and so, we aren't going to take our clothes off just to boost our careers. We would rather take a route with obstacles rather than what many deem to be the ‘easy’ path."
Move into television and film
Shauna and her sister have been featured in the television show SmallvilleSmallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
, where one part became two when the producers found out they were identical twins.
She has appeared in films along with her sister such as: Tin Man
Tin Man
Tin Man may refer to:* Tin Woodman, a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum* Ted McMinn, a footballer nicknamed The Tin Man* Tinman, a British electronic musician-Film and television:...
, Sharp as Marbles, Hard Impact, A Wedding Story
A Wedding Story
A Wedding Story is a television series produced by Banyan Productions and shown on the TLC network since 1996.-External links:*...
, and other films.
The twins made an appearance on The Tyra Banks show in 2007 to talk about the stereotypes they deal with in the entertainment industry and the misconceptions the media and the industry have of First Nations people.
Films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Western Confidential | Calf Buffalo Woman | Direct-to-DVD |
| 2010 | Blue in the Face Blue in the Face Blue in the Face is a 1995 comedy directed by Wayne Wang and Paul Auster. It stars Harvey Keitel, Victor Argo, Giancarlo Esposito, Roseanne Barr, Michael J. Fox, Lily Tomlin, Mira Sorvino, Lou Reed, Mel Gorham, Jim Jarmusch,and Malik Yoba.... |
The Sister | |
| 2010 | DreamCatcher Dreamcatcher Dreamcatcher is a Native American cultural object.Dreamcatcher may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Dreamcatcher , a 2001 novel by Stephen King** Dreamcatcher , based on the Stephen King novel... |
Rachel | |
| 2009 | Seeds SEEDS SEEDS is a voluntary organisation registered under the Societies Act of India.... |
Young Woman | Direct-to-DVD |
| 2008 | Sharp as Marbles | Bikini Girl | Direct-to-DVD |
| 2007 | Tin Man Tin Man Tin Man may refer to:* Tin Woodman, a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum* Ted McMinn, a footballer nicknamed The Tin Man* Tinman, a British electronic musician-Film and television:... |
Demillo Girl | |
Television
| Year | Show | Role | Ep. # | Episode title | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Tales of an Urban Indian | Tanya | 1 | "Pilot" | Lead | |
| 2006 | Smallville Smallville Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross... |
Hondoras Girl | 5.17 | "Void" | Guest Star | |
Television Appearances
| Year | Show | Role | Ep. # | Episode title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | The Tyra Banks Show The Tyra Banks Show The Tyra Banks Show, also known as and shortened to Tyra or The Tyra Show, is an American talk show hosted by Tyra Banks. The last new episode aired on Friday, May 28, 2010.-2005-2009: Syndication:... |
Herself -Guest | 175 | "Focus on Race: Are Celebrities Immune?" | Celebrity Guest Appearance |