Sacheen Littlefeather, actor and activist who rejected Oscar on Marlon Brando’s behalf, dies aged 75

Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American actor and activist who declined Marlon Brando’s Oscar, has died aged 75.

Her death 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 revealed she had been diagnosed with metastasized breast cancer in a 2021 Facebook post. In September, at a ceremony called An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather, she 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 she took to the Oscars stage on Brando’s behalf when he won Best Actor for The Godfather in 1973. In an iconic speech, Littlefeather rejected the trophy as part of the actor’s protest of Hollywood’s depiction of Native American people.

At the time, her speech was met with some support, but she also received boos from a number of 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, Littlefeather expressed happiness that her mistreatment had 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.”