A family in the Apache Mescalero tribe is furious with the filmmaker. The family is accusing Spielberg of cutting the hair of their eight year-old daughter, Christina Ponce, without having permission from the tribe. The girl’s father explained, "It’s part of our culture not to cut a girl’s hair until her Coming of Age ceremony."
The girl’s hair was cut for her participation in the television series Into the West. The family of the young actress is suing the director for $250,000 for stress and $75,000 for damages.