Graham Greene, Oscar-Nominated ‘Dances with Wolves’ Actor, Dies at 73

Graham Greene, the Canadian actor best known for his Oscar-nominated turn in the 1990 film “Dances with Wolves,” died on Monday in Toronto after a battle with long illness. He was 73.

A pioneer for Indigineous actors in Hollywood, Greene made his debut in the 1979 Canadian drama series “The Great Detective” and in the 1983 film “Running Brave.” But his big Hollywood break came with “Dances with Wolves,” in which he co-starred as “Kicking Bird.” The role earned him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor in 1991. The film was nominated for 12 Oscars and won seven, including for best picture and best director for Kevin Costner.

In an interview with Canada’s Theatre Museum, he discussed auditioning for “Crimson Tide” with director Tony Scott. Scott said, “I can’t really see a Native American working on a submarine.” Greene replied, “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.”

Afterward, he went on to appear in several major Hollywood releases, such as “Maverick,” “Die Hard with a Vengeance,” “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2” and “Molly’s Game.” As Arlen Bitterbuck in Frank Darabont’s “The Green Mile,” he was part of the SAG-award nominated ensemble for best performance along with actors including Tom Hanks and Harry Dean Stanton.

He was nominated for a Spirit award for Chris Eyre’s influential 2002 indie “Skins,” about life on Lakota Sioux reservation.

Greene also had a prolific career in television. His credits include “Northern Exposure,” “Murder She Wrote,” “Lonesome Dove: The Series,” “Wolf Lake,” “The Red Green Show,” “Defiance,” “Longmire,” “Goliath,” “Reservation Dogs,” “Echo,” “Riverdale,” “1883,” “The Last of Us” and “Tulsa King.”

Outside of his Oscar nom, Greene won a Grammy in 2000 for best spoken word album for children for his work on “Listen to the Storyteller.” He was also honored with a Gemini Award, Canadian Screen Award and nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. In 2021, he received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Greene was born in June 1952 in Ohsweken, on Canada’s Six Nations Reserve. He began his acting career in the theater and was appearing in professional stage productions by the 1970s.

Greene is survived by his wife, Hilary Blackmore, and his daughter Lilly Lazare-Greene.