Sacheen Littlefeather, actress who declined Marlon Brando’s Oscar, dies aged 75
The activist passed away less than two months after the Academy issued an apology over her treatment at the 1973 Academy Awards.
Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American actor and activist who famously declined Marlon Brando’s Oscar for The Godfather in protest at the film industry's treatment of Native American people, has died aged 75.
Littlefeather had been suffering from breast cancer.
The Academy of Motion Pictures announced her death in a tweet on Sunday night (2nd October), writing: “Sacheen Littlefeather, Native American civil rights activist who famously declined Marlon Brando’s 1973 Best Actor Academy Award, dies at 75.”
Brando received the Best Actor Oscar in 1973 for his role in The Godfather but did not attend the ceremony in protest.
Littlefeather appeared at the ceremony on Brando’s behalf, where she declined to accept the award in a powerful speech explaining the actor’s refusal was due to “the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry... and on television, in movie reruns”.
The speech was met with some cheers, but also boos from several actors, including John Wayne, who disagreed with Littlefeather taking a political stand at the event.
Littlefeather was blacklisted by Hollywood after the ceremony and it wasn't until August 2022 that the Academy issued Littlefeather with a formal apology.
In a statement, the body that oversees the Oscars said her speech had been “a powerful statement that continues to remind us of the necessity of respect and the importance of human dignity”.
“The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified,” it added. "The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable.
"For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. For this, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration."
Littlefeather responded by saying: “Regarding the Academy’s apology to me, we Indians are very patient people – it’s only been 50 years!"
She added: "We need to keep our sense of humour about this at all times. It’s our method of survival.”
Tributes have been flooding in on social media for Littlefeather following the sad news of her passing.
