Sacheen Littlefeather death: Activist who rejected Oscar on Marlon Brando’s behalf dies, aged 75

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey

Get our The Life Cinematic email for free

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American actor and activist who declined Marlon Brando’s Oscar, has died.

The news was announced by the Academy of Motion Pictures, who wrote on Twitter: “Sacheen Littlefeather, Native American civil rights activist who famously declined Marlon Brando’s 1973 Best Actor Academy Award, dies at 75.”

The actor and activist first announced she had been diagnosed with metastasized breast cancer in a 2021 Facebook post.

In September, at a ceremony titled “An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather”, the activist told the crowd: “I’m crossing over soon to the spirit world. And you know, I’m not afraid to die. Because we come from a we/us/our society. We don’t come from a me/I/myself society. And we learn to give away from a very young age. When we are honoured, we give.”

Littlefeather was blacklisted from Hollywood after gracing the Oscars stage on Brando’s behalf when he won Best Actor for The Godfather in 1973. In a powerful speech, Littlefeather rejected the trophy as part of the actor’s protest of Hollywood’s depictions of Native American people

The gesture was also intended to highlight the events at Wounded Knee, South Dakota, where a massacre of Native Americans took place in 1890, and where protests were ongoing.

At the time, her remarks were met with some sounds of support, but she also received boos from several actors, including John Wayne, who disagreed with her taking a political stand at the ceremony.

Earlier this year, 49 years after the event, the Academy issued Littlefeather with an apology.

In response, the actor expressed happiness that her mistreatment had finally been acknowledged, stating: “This is a dream come true. It is profoundly heartening to see how much has changed since I did not accept the Academy Award 50 years ago.

“I am so proud of each and every person who will appear on stage.”

The acting career of Littlefeather, who starred in films The Laughing Policeman, The Trial of Billy Jack and Johnny Firecloud, swiftly came to an end following her Oscars appearance.

Her last role was in 1978’s Shoot the Sun Down.