In 1973, MarlonBrando won Best Actor at the Academy Awards, but sent Apache activist SacheenLittlefeather to reject the Oscar—citing Hollywood disregard for Native Americans as his reason for boycotting the event.
In 1973, Marlon Brando was awarded Best Actor at the Academy Awards, but he wasn’t at the ceremony to accept it. Rather, he sent Apache activist Sacheen Littlefeather in his stead to reject the Oscar—citing Hollywood treatment of and disregard for Native Americans as his reason for boycotting the event and it remains one of the most iconic moments of protest in Hollywood history. Littlefeather passed away on October 2, 2022, at age 75.
According to Littlefeather’s family, per the New York Times, she died at her home on Sunday in Marin County, California. Her death comes just weeks after the Academy apologized for Hollywood’s reaction to Marlon Brando’s Oscars refusal speech, where the Godfather star boycotted the awards night and sent her on his behalf to protest the treatment of Native Americans.
There were some cheers, but mostly boos. Western star John Wayne was said to have been so enraged by the moment he had to be restrained by security. “I found out that he had been restrained by six security men from assaulting me while I was on that stage,” Littlefeather told Variety in September 2022. “That was the most violent moment that had ever taken place at the Academy Awards.
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