Graham Greene

Graham Greene, the actor who was Oscar nominated for his performance as Kicking Bird in "Dances With Wolves," died September 1, 2025, in Toronto after a long illness at the age of 73.

Greene was an internationally renowned Indigenous Canadian actor whose role as Kicking Bird in "Dances With Wolves" made him a groundbreaking figure for First Nations representation in mainstream cinema. His prolific four decade career included memorable performances in "Thunderheart," "Maverick," "The Green Mile," "Reservation Dogs," "The Last of Us," and the Marvel series "Echo." He was celebrated for challenging stereotypes and promoting authentic Indigenous voices in film and television.

Greene was born June 22, 1952, in Ohsweken, Ontario, part of the Six Nations Reserve. He was a member of the Oneida First Nation. Before pursuing acting, he worked in various trades and technical roles, including as an audio technician for Canadian rock bands.

He began his on screen career in the late 1970s, with a television debut in "The Great Detective" and his film debut in "Running Brave." His international breakthrough came in 1990 with "Dances With Wolves," earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Greene remained a prominent presence in both film and television. His notable movies included "Die Hard with a Vengeance," "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," "Wind River," and "Transamerica." He is also remembered for TV appearances in "1883," "Tulsa King," "Northern Exposure," "The Red Green Show," "Murder, She Wrote," and "Defiance." He hosted the Canadian series "Exhibit A: Secrets of Forensic Science" and voiced a character in the video game "Red Dead Redemption 2."

A fierce advocate for Indigenous representation in media, Greene stressed that Native Americans are more than simply stoic reservation dwellers. In a 2022 interview for Canada's Theatre Museum, he told a story of walking out of an audition for a war movie: "We talked… and he says, 'You know, I can't really see a Native American working on a submarine.' And I said, 'Well, 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.' I got up and left."

In addition to his Academy Award nomination, Greene received a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for his reading of "Listen to the Storyteller." He was honored with the Earle Grey Award for lifetime achievement by Canada's Gemini Awards, and he was a member of the Order of Canada and had a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.

By Legacy News Staff

(Image: Joe Pugliese/Syfy/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)