Graham Greene, the Canadian actor celebrated for his Oscar-nominated role as Kicking Bird in Dances with Wolves, has died.
Greene died on Monday (Sept. 1) in Toronto at the age 73 after a long illness, Variety reported.
Greene was born in Ohsweken on Canada’s Six Nations Reserve in 1952 and began his career in theater during the 1970s before moving into television and film. He made early appearances in The Great Detective and Running Brave, but his breakthrough role came with Dances With Wolves, which earned him an Academy Award nomination in 1991.
In a 2022 interview with Canada’s Theatre Museum, Greene reflected on his experience of being an Indigenous actor auditioning for Crimson Tide.
Greene recounted director Tony Scott telling him, “I can’t really see a Native American working on a submarine."
Greene replied, “If you could, I would let you tell my four dead uncles who died in the Pacific on subs. Thanks for the trip to New York. I’m going to Sardi’s for lunch now.”
The actor appeared in films such as Maverick, Die Hard with a Vengeance, The Green Mile, Skins, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, and Molly’s Game. His television credits included Northern Exposure, Longmire, Reservation Dogs, The Last of Us, and Tulsa King.
In 2000, Greene earned a Grammy in the Best Spoken Word Album for Children with Listen to the Storyteller. Other honors he received include a Gemini Award, Canadian Screen Award, and a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2021.
Greene is survived by his wife, Hilary Blackmore, and his daughter, Lily Lazare-Greene.