BOISE, Idaho — What began as a few seconds of viral video has changed one Idaho man’s life forever.
Nathan Apodaca, known worldwide as DoggFace208, took TikTok by storm — and he has no plans on slowing down.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a video more chill than this one. Ocean Spray juice in-hand, singing along to Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” and just rollin’ along.
@420doggface208 ♬ Dreams (2004 Remaster) - Fleetwood Mac
“It’s just been a blessing like no other."
Make no mistake, Apodaca is very chill, but he’s also very driven.
“I got lucky with the video on TikTok. It’s been crazy, now I get to live-out my dreams from that video. (It’s) been helping me branch out,” he said.
There is an element of luck to any viral success, but Apodaca said he is working hard to take his internet fame and pursue big dreams.
“I’m stepping into acting. Now going to music with some local [Idaho] artists here. I have a song with Snoop Dogg. It’s crazy to even say that,” he said.
It is pretty crazy. Apodaca spent more than 20 years working in an Idaho potato factory before his TikTok channel blew-up seemingly overnight in September of 2020.
DoggFace208 now has millions of followers. Apodaca was able to quit his job at the factory and even has his own collaboration with BeatBox, inspiring their new adult beverage that is, of course, cranberry flavored.
Now, he’s added actor to his ever-growing resume, landing a role on Season 2 of Reservation Dogs. The show is a comedy-drama airing on FX Networks and streaming on Hulu and is notable for it’s nearly all indigenous cast and crew.
(Image Courtesy of FX Networks)
According to the 2021 Hollywood Diversity Report by UCLA, less than 1% of all TV roles during the 2019-2020 season featured Indigenous Americans.
Apodaca said he’s proud to use his platform both on native TikTok and the show to bring attention to indigenous peoples.
“I’m Northern Arapahoe. I’ve lived city-native life. I do go to my reservation visit family and stuff like that,” he said, “We’re still alive, we’re still here. It’s just awesome I get to be the voice.”
(Image Courtesy of FX Networks)
He hopes to use that voice to help others find happiness and their own cranberry dreams.
