Graham Greene, ‘Dances With Wolves’ Actor, Dies at 73
Graham Greene, the Oscar-nominated First Nations actor whose portrayal of Kicking Bird in Dances With Wolves (1990) earned him international recognition and broke new ground for Indigenous representation in Hollywood, has died at the age of 73. His death on Monday in Stratford, Ontario, followed a lengthy illness, his representative confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
“He was a great man of morals, ethics and character and will be eternally missed,” Greene’s agent Michael Greene said in a statement. “You are finally free. Susan Smith is meeting you at the gates of heaven,” he added, referencing Greene’s longtime agent who died in 2013.
From Six Nations to Hollywood
Born on June 22, 1952, in Ohsweken, on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Greene was a member of the Oneida Nation. He trained at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre Program, graduating in 1974, and began his career on stage before transitioning to television and film. His small-screen debut came in the Canadian drama series The Great Detective in 1979, and he earned his first film role in the sports biopic Running Brave (1983).
Greene’s breakout performance arrived with Kevin Costner’s Dances With Wolves. As Kicking Bird, a thoughtful Lakota medicine man who forms a pivotal bond with Costner’s character, Greene brought nuance and dignity to a role that challenged long-standing Hollywood stereotypes. The performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, placing him among the first Indigenous actors to receive such recognition. The film itself went on to win seven Oscars, including Best Picture, and established Greene as an actor of rare depth and sensitivity.
A Prolific Career
Over the next four decades, Greene amassed more than 200 credits across film, television, and stage. He appeared in major Hollywood productions such as Thunderheart (1992), Maverick (1994), Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995), The Green Mile (1999), Transamerica (2005), The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), Molly’s Game (2017), and Wind River (2017).
He was also celebrated for his television work, with memorable turns in FX’s Reservation Dogs, HBO’s The Last of Us, and Taylor Sheridan’s 1883 and Tulsa King. Earlier in his career, he also starred at the Stratford Festival, reinforcing his range as a performer equally at home in Shakespearean productions and modern screen dramas.
Greene’s contributions earned him widespread recognition, including several Gemini Awards, a Grammy, the Earle Grey Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Governor General’s Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. In 2008, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario. He was also named to the Order of Canada, one of the nation’s highest civilian honors.
Personal Life and Legacy
Beyond his professional success, Greene’s personal life was marked by a marriage that defied the odds of Hollywood. He married Hilary Blackmore in 1990, the same year Dances With Wolves was released, and the couple remained together for 34 years. Together, they raised their daughter, Lilly Lazare-Greene, and later welcomed a grandson, Tarlo.
Throughout his career, Greene spoke openly about the challenges Indigenous actors faced in Hollywood, recalling how early scripts often demanded caricatured portrayals. He resisted these depictions, insisting on portraying Indigenous people with authenticity, humor, and humanity. “Native people have an incredible sense of humor,” he once said, reflecting on his role in Dances With Wolves. “Family is family, no matter what.”
His resilience and insistence on truth-telling paved the way for a new generation of Indigenous performers and storytellers.
Remembering a Trailblazer
Graham Greene’s passing marks the end of a remarkable career that bridged cultures and expanded representation in film. To audiences, he was an actor of quiet power and authenticity; to colleagues, a man of integrity and wit; and to his family, a devoted husband, father, and grandfather.
Details regarding a remembrance celebration are expected to be announced in the coming days.