Working on 'Killers of the Flower Moon' an 'incredible' experience

Oct. 21—Wilburton resident Chad Donoley says to never give up on your dreams — because if you pursue them and are ready when an opportunity arises, they may come true.

He should know. Donoley, of the Arkansas-Oklahoma Railroad Co. in Wilburton, had a longtime dream of working with a certain acclaimed director.

That dream came true when Donoley served as a background character, a train conductor, in the film "Killers of the Flower Moon." Mainly filmed in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, Donoley said he did most of his screen work in the film in 2021. After several delays, the highly-anticipated film finally went into wide release on Friday, Oct. 20.

Donoley's not the only local resident filmed for scenes in the movie. Jaime Misenheimer, who is engaged to Donoley, also served as an extra in the film, a lady referred to on-set as the "chicken lady."

"It was kind of a dream to work with Martin Scorsese," said Donoley, who related that he's studied a lot of film.

His longtime goal to work with Scorcese may not have been as farfetched as it might sound to some, because Donoley has worked in the movies before with other well-known directors, including Joe Daniel Coen and Ethan Jesse Coen, the famed Coen Brothers.

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Di Niro and Lily Gladstone, 'Killers of the Flower Moon" tells the true-life story of what has come to be known as the Osage Reign of Terror, primarily from 1921-1926, when 60 or more members of the Osage tribe in Oklahoma were murdered after the land the tribe owned was found to have tremendous amounts of oil beneath the surface.

Not only was Donoley filmed in a number of scenes as the conductor on a steam locomotive, he also worked with famed production designer Jack Fisk on everything from finding 1919-era railroad tracks, to helping find some of the vintage motor cars used in the production.

Workers with A-OK Railroad even traveled to Pawhuska — which was sitting in for the town of nearby Fairfax, where most of the events originally occurred — to lay down a section of vintage 1919 rails and install some aged cross ties so the train track in the movie would be authentic to the period.

When Donoley and Meisenheimer spoke to the News-Capital this week, they had yet to see the film, so they had no certainty as to whether their scenes ended up on the cutting room floor, but they both felt working on the movie had been a tremendous experience and were looking forward to attending a local premier in Tulsa on Friday, along with others members of the cast, crew and production team, with several tribal officials expected to attend as well.

Donoley had several scenes filmed with DiCaprio in train-related segments. He recalled how when they were filming one scene, late in the day, a production assistant walked up to them both, pulled out an electric razor, and told them both to shave on the spot because the 5 o'clock shadow they had amassed by that evening did not match their smoothly-shaven faces from earlier in the day.

He saw DiCaprio take it all in-stride.

"He's really a nice, polite guy in-person," Donoley said.

Donoley also got to hang out at times with some of the famed musicians who were in the movie, including Jason Isbell and Jack White.

Donoley recalled how he and Isbell, along with others who had smaller parts in the movie, once had to wait outside in a driving rain with about 300 others, waiting to be fitted for costumes. They wore pancho-like bags to keep the rain off, but it still proved to be a trying time.

Isbell waited in line in the rain with everyone else.

"He never tried to pull rank or cut in line," Donoley recalled.

He said one of the best things about being on the movie set had been getting to see how Scorsese and the others involved were toward the Osage people.

"They were trying to make it authentic and respectful to the Osage people," Donoley said.

During down time on the set, Meisenheimer, who is an artist, said she painted portraits of some of the others who were in the film. Some of her work, and the work of other visual artists who were involved in the movie — including Cara Jade Myers, who had a larger role in the film — has been on display at the Tulsa Artists' Coalition Gallery in the Tulsa Arts District.

Donoley was involved in the film, from preproduction to its wrap in Oklahoma, for approximately four years, with filming hampered at times due to COVID-19. He and Meisenheimer believe the wait has been worth it.

"For me, honestly, it was incredible to me to see this movie get made," Meisenheimer said.

Donoley and Meisenheimer plan to see the film again in McAlester this week, along with friends and members of the A-OK Railroad crew — and he thanked the members of his family and the A-OK team who helped lay the vintage track for the train segments and who helped in other ways.

He has a bit of advice for those who are pursuing goals of their own — no matter how far off or unattainable they may seem.

"You shouldn't give up on a dream."