Graham Greene, the acclaimed Canadian First Nations actor best known for his Oscar-nominated role in Dances with Wolves, has died at the age of 73. He passed away in a Stratford hospital after a long illness, his agent confirmed.
Born in 1952 on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Greene began his acting career in the 1970s after a friend encouraged him to read a script. He made his screen debut in 1979 and his first film role came in 1983's Running Brave.
Greene's Hollywood breakthrough came when Kevin Costner cast him as Kicking Bird in the 1990 western Dances with Wolves, earning him an Academy Award nomination. He went on to appear in films such as Thunderheart, Maverick, Die Hard with a Vengeance, The Green Mile, and The Twilight Saga: New Moon. More recently, he featured in TV series including Reservation Dogs, The Last of Us, 1883, and Tulsa King.
Throughout his career, Greene won Grammy, Gemini, and Canadian Screen awards, and received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. In June 2024, he was honoured with the Canadian governor general's performing arts award for lifetime achievement.
Reflecting on his career, Greene noted the challenges faced by Indigenous actors, saying he initially had to conform to stereotypes but later advocated for authentic portrayals. He is survived by his wife Hilary Blackmore, daughter Lilly Lazare-Greene, and grandson Tarlo.
