Graham Greene, the native actor who gave dignity to hollywood, dies at 73

Graham Greene, Oscar-nominated Native Canadian actor of Dances with Wolves, has died at 73. A pioneer of Indigenous representation, his legacy reshaped Hollywood.

The world of cinema is in mourning. Graham Greene, the Canadian actor best remembered as Kicking Bird in Dances with Wolves, has died at the age of 73. The performer, who became one of the first Native actors to break through internationally, passed away in a Toronto hospital after a long illness.

The breakthrough with dances with wolves

Born in 1952 in Ohsweken, on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Greene began his career on stage before stepping into film. His screen debut came in 1983, but the turning point arrived in 1990 when Kevin Costner cast him in Dances with Wolves. Greene embodied the Sioux warrior Kicking Bird with a rare mix of dignity and vulnerability.

The performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor — a landmark moment, as it was the first time a Native actor received such recognition from Hollywood. Greene himself later said, “I didn’t think of it as a breakthrough, I just thought of it as doing the work I was meant to do.”

A career of range and recognition

Following the global success of Dances with Wolves, Greene became a familiar face across genres. He moved from comedies like Maverick to action thrillers such as Die Hard with a Vengeance alongside Bruce Willis, and later to Stephen King’s adaptation The Green Mile, sharing the screen with Tom Hanks. Younger audiences might even recall his appearance in Twilight: New Moon.

His versatility wasn’t confined to cinema. Greene left his mark on television as well, appearing in acclaimed series like 1883 and Tulsa King. Over the course of his career, he won a Grammy Award and was honored with a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame, clear signs of the cultural and artistic weight he carried.

More than awards: a voice for native peoples

Greene’s legacy reaches beyond box-office numbers and red carpets. He became a symbol of representation for Native communities, bringing to life characters who had too often been flattened into stereotypes or erased altogether. His very presence on screen, coupled with his grounded performances, gave visibility and dignity to stories long neglected in mainstream cinema.

Yet his story also highlights Hollywood’s persistent contradictions. Despite Greene’s talent — and that of many other Indigenous actors — roles that truthfully reflect Native culture remain rare. His success was pioneering, but also isolated, a reminder of how slowly the industry has shifted. Greene’s career was both an achievement and a challenge to Hollywood to do better.