Sacheen Littlefeather, the actor and Indigenous rights activist who famously refused Marlon Brando's Oscar on his behalf in 1973, has died at the age of 75
Influential actor and activist Sacheen Littlefeather has passed away at 75. Littlefeather was an Apache/Yaqui model and actor who mostly appeared in films in the 1970s, such as The Trial of Billy Jack, Winterhawk, and Johnny Firecloud. She was also an Indigenous rights activist who would go on to appear in the 2009 documentary Real Injun, which explores the role of Indigenous people in film.
Littlefeather is most wildly known for her appearance at the 1973 Academy Awards, where she stood in for actor Marlon Brando. Brando was nominated for his role as Vito Corelone in The Godfather, and was considered the favorite to win. However, Brando chose not to attend the Oscars at the last minute, boycotting the ceremony to draw attention to the standoff at Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
Sacheen Littlefeather's Impact Stretched Beyond The Screen With serious health issues that lasted her entire life, Littlefeather worked closely in health and medicine after the famous Oscars speech. In the late 1980s, she became involved with the American Indian AIDS Institute of San Francisco, and worked at an AIDS hospice that was founded by Mother Teresa.
Though Littlefeather is perhaps best known for her speech at the Academy Awards, her role as an Indigenous activist and a healthcare activist had a substantial impact. The Academy issued their apology to her only months before her death, but she described receiving it as "a dream come true." Littlefeather brought attention to many important Indigenous issues, especially the portrayal of Native Americans on-screen, and her work will never be forgotten.