"The Lone Ranger" gets a makeover

In this week's TV movie, Tonto is an equal partner, no longer the backward stereotype baby boomers remember.

Climbing back into the saddle is "The Lone Ranger" (WB, 9 p.m. ET Wednesday), a hip TV-movie remake of the classic series. This time around, Tonto isn't just along for the ride: In this tale of friendship between equals, he's light-years away from the wooden sidekick of the '50s. We spoke with Nathaniel Arcand, 31, who, like the character he plays, is Native American (Tonto's Apache; Arcand is a Canadian Cree):

The original TV Tonto, played by Jay Silverheels, was little more than a bad stereotype. How does your character reflect the changing times?
Tonto isn't so one-dimensional anymore. [The director] wanted Tonto to be an equal to the Lone Ranger [Chad Michael Murray]. He's not just in the background keeping lookouts; he's actually solving the crimes with the Lone Ranger. He becomes the voice of reason.

How authentic is the movie?
I had to learn Apache for one scene. We had a tape of a real Apache speaking, so it was easy.

Did you learn about native culture growing up?
Yes, from my grandfather and grandma at a very early age. I can speak a little Cree.

What's the biggest impact your grandparents had on you?
[My grandfather] taught me I should be respectful to all elders of all colors. In his own way, he told me not to look at people for their color, but for who they were inside. It stuck with me.

Tonto used to call the Lone Ranger "Kemosabe." We read it means "faithful friend" in the language of the Potawatomi, a native tribe of Michigan, where the series first aired on radio.
Actually, it means "horse's butt" or something like that! It's a term used with a buddy.

So, do you call the Lone Ranger "Kemosabe"?
The Lone Ranger tries to call [me] Kemosabe, and [I] tell him not to, because you have to earn it. He does earn it, eventually.

Contributing: Elizabeth Kaye McCall, Rosemarie Colombraro