"For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. He then shared that he knew that others were afraid to speak up about these issues, but felt that it was important not to be silent. Sacheen Littlefeather stunned Hollywood when she was sent on behalf of Marlon Brando to reject his 1973 Oscar for best actor in "The Godfather." ", CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER. Related Articles Image of Sacheen Littlefeather standing before an Oscar statue holding Marlon Brando's statement at the 45th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California, 1973. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sacheen_Littlefeather&oldid=1140269831, This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 08:33. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images), It was mortifying, said Cruz, of Lake County, Montana, of the Oscars appearance. No one would listen to my story or give me a chance to work.". [18][19] In 1969, she joined the United Bay Indian Council. The caller was Marlon Brando, she told her younger sister, Trudy Orlandi, and he had asked Littlefeather to appear on his behalf at the Academy Awards the following night, in case he won the best actor award for The Godfather.. A group of heavily-armed Oglala Lakota and their American Indian Movement supporters overtook a trading post in the town of Wounded Knee, the site of the 1890 massacre. [121] In the piece, a character from Orange's novel There, There writes to Brando about what it meant to see Littlefeather at the Oscars. Orlandi didnt understand Brandos choice. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American activist who declined Marlon Brando's Best Actor Oscar for him in a memorable 1973 speech, passed away on Sunday. Gilio-Whitaker, Dina. One of the most shocking moments in Academy Awards history came in 1973, when Marlon Brando won Best Actor for his role in The Godfather. [6][5][7] Littlefeather's father was Manuel Ybarra Cruz of Oxnard, California,[8] who Littlefeather identified as having White Mountain Apache and Yaqui ancestry. [28] She said her mother and two sisters were subject to their father's rage and beatings. Keeler writes that the sisters state that their father, who was born in Oxnard, California, was of Mexican descent and had no tribal ties, nor was he related to the Yaqui tribes of Northern Mexico. Trouble was brewing even before Littlefeather arrived at the podium. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images), "The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified," David Rubin, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, wrote to Littefeather. In 1973, riding high off the success ofThe Godfather, actor Marlon Brando used his platform to give a voice to Native Americans. The 74-year-old is the subject of a new documentary titled "Sacheen: Breaking The Silence," which details the famous political speech and its aftermath. Daily Question: In 1973, Sacheen Littlefeather declined an Oscar on which actor's behalf? Keeler searched records of Littlefeather's family going back to 1850 and did not find evidence of Native ancestry. [71], The audience in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion was divided between applause and jeers. For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. How forward-thinking Brando's decision was and the bravery Littlefeather displayed has only been recently recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Sacheen Littlefeather gets apology for abuse by John Wayne, others at 1973 Oscars or redistributed. She added, "We need to keep our sense of humor about this at all times. Marie would later become famous as Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, She was accompanied by Brando's secretary, Alice Marchak, and wore an Apache buckskin dress. She continued her activism for Native American issues including healthcare and unemployment, and produced films about Native Americans. [1], Littlefeather died at her home in Novato, California, on October 2, 2022, at the age of 75. ", "Sacheen Littlefeather Once Cheered Cowboys", "Littlefeather discards Oscar memories, finds new dances", "I Believe television program: Father Harry Schlitt and Sacheen Littlefeather", "Alcatraz Miss Chosen as Top Female Vampire", "Official Ceremony Marks Opening Of Fair Tonight", "It's Oscar TimeDo You Know Where Sacheen Littlefeather Is? Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Market data provided by Factset. Gilio-Whitaker, Dina. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. In that account, he called the radio station where she worked months after she sent the letter. [116][117] In 2009, she gave testimony in the documentary Reel Injun about Native Americans in film. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industryexcuse me [booing and applause] and on television in movie re-runs, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee. [5], In 1972, Brando played Vito Corleone in The Godfather, which many critics consider one of the greatest films of all time. She was 75. He instead sent Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Cruz), a young Apache/Yaqui activist who had participated in the Alcatraz Island occupation. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group), Chief Phillip Whiteman Jr., Rebecca Brando, Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Louise Cruz, 1946 - 2022) and Christian Bale attend the Red Nation Film Festival And Awards Ceremony at Laemmle's Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre on November 15, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. Brando had written a much longer speech, but Littlefeather was instructed by the award ceremony's production team to keep the rejection to 60 seconds. She had no legal recourse to contest their publication because she had signed a model release. Sacheen Littlefeather at the 1973 Oscars (Photo: UCLA Library Special Collections, CC BY 2.0). [7] She said that the federal government encouraged the blacklisting to abate Native American activism after Wounded Knee. He'd also supported Native American causes for years. She delivered a short speech on behalf of Brando declining acceptance of the award. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American civil rights activist best known for declining Marlon Brando's best actor Oscar for "The Godfather" in 1973, has died at the age of 75, the Academy of . [4][5] She later said that she "learned early in life that there was probably a place for me in the dramatic art field, acting if you have a parent who's deaf, you naturally have to act out messages to them," referring to communicating with her father. Brando, Littlefeather, and the Academy Awards. [57] She also said that media reports published several falsehoods, such as that she was not Native American or had rented the outfit for the occasion. The History of the American Indian Movement (AIM), Indian Citizenship Act: Granted Citizenship but Not Voting Rights, The Native American Ghost Dance, a Symbol of Defiance, Top 10 Classic Films With a Social Message, Indian Reorganization Act: A New Deal for American Indians, 5 Common Indigenous Stereotypes in Film and Television. (Bettmann via Getty Images). Littlefeather died at her home in Novato, California, after a years-long battle with breast cancer, which eventually metastasized to her right lung. Tensions came to a head on the Oglala LakotaPine Ridge reservation in February 1973. [6], Littlefeather attended North Salinas High School from 1960 to 1964 and was active in 4-H, winning awards in home economics categories such as food preservation and fashion. "I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening, and that we will in the future, our hearts and our understandings, will meet with love and generosity," she added. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images). "Brando, Littlefeather, and the Academy Awards." At the time of the Oscars, she had known Brando for nearly a year. For this, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration." I'm representing Marlon Brando this evening, and he has asked me to tell you in a very long speech which I cannot share with you presently, because of time, but I will be glad to share with the press afterwards, that he very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. Marlon Brando was one of those stars. Marshal Service as the eyes of the nation watched on the evening news. In one of her first interviews after the speech, she mentioned that they met "through his interest in the Indian movement". She spent a year in Agnews Insane Asylum in Santa Claraand was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, which can include mood swings, hallucinations and delusions. [118], In November 2019 she received the Brando Award, which recognizes individuals for their contributions to the American Indian, from the Red Nation International Film Festival. The Apache and Yaqui activist respectfully waved off actor Roger Moore, who attempted to hand her the statue. Littlefeather was a budding model and actress, and she agreed to represent him. Thank you on behalf of Marlon Brando. [84], In June 2022, the Academy sent Littlefeather a statement of apology, in which the organization's then-president David Rubin wrote: "The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified. Some may not realize that Brando was not only a great actor but also an activist and had been highly involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Marlon Brando on The Dick Cavett Show in 1973 (Photo: Sipuede7 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0). The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable. Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanityfrom the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening. When we think today about his words and what representation meansespecially to childrenone can't help but applaud his willingness to speak out in a time when it wasn't popular to do so. Sacheen Littlefeather, the activist for Native Americans who declined Marlon Brando's Oscar for "The Godfather" on his behalf at the 1973 Academy Awards, died Sunday at 75, the Ac [74], After giving the speech, Littlefeather spent two days in Los Angeles before returning to San Francisco. The strange, sad tale of Sacheen Littlefeather:, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Los Gatos: Hundreds still without power as Black Road repair project finishes early. Since the Native American hasnt been able to hear his voice heard or have his voice heard anywhere in the history of the United States, he shared, I felt that it was a marvelous opportunity for an Indian to be able to voice his opinion to 85 million people and I felt that he had a right to in view of what Hollywood has done to him.. Not only did he refuse the Academy Award for Best Actor, which he won for his role as Don Vito Corleone, but he sent Sacheen Littlefeather to the ceremony in his place. Littlefeather and a handful of other Native American women had posed for Playboy in 1972, but the photos were never been published until October 1973, not long after the Academy Awards incident. Where did that come from?. [2][3], Aspiring to become an actress, Littlefeather picked up several radio and television commercial credits and joined the Screen Actors Guild. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American activist who declined Marlon Brando's Best Actor Oscar for him in a memorable 1973 speech, passed away on Sunday. Marlon Brando . Rather, he sent Apache activist Sacheen Littlefeather in his stead to reject the . The Academy of Motion Picture Arts. Were also on Pinterest, Tumblr, and Flipboard. The actress, who had breast cancer, died on Sunday . Sacheen Littlefeather on stage at AMPAS Presents An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on September 17, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. They say their sisters speech was the first time anyone in their Salinas family had ever talked about being Native American. Fox News Flash top headlines for October 2, Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves take bumpy second flight after 'CHAOS' on Lufthansa plane: 'Wish me luck', Kelsey Grammer wont apologize for the 'difference' that Jesus has made in his life, Person roaming in 'Scream' Ghostface costume prompts multiple police calls, Kelsea Ballerini kisses Chase Stokes after criticizing ex amid nasty divorce, Why Kevin Bacon refuses to share the secret to his 35-year marriage to Kyra Sedgwick. [36] A year later in October 1973, after her Academy Award appearance fame, they ran the photographs of Littlefeather as a stand-alone feature. They also said that their father, who was born in Oxnard, California, was of Spanish-Mexican descent and had no tribal ties. [21] Around this time she adopted the name Sacheen Littlefeather. [49][50], In a 2021 interview, Littlefeather said that she got to know Coppola while hiking the hills of San Francisco and she got Brando's address from him. "[7], In January 1973, she appeared in "Make-up for Minority Women' and was identified as a professional model. Then came Marlon Brando to bring it all to center stage quite literally. [53] Before the ceremony, Brando decided thatas the favorite to win[52]he would boycott as a protest led by AIM against the ongoing siege at Wounded Knee and his views on how Native Americans were represented in American films. [81][82], Coretta Scott King commended Brando for his non-violent stand, stating, "It is gratifying to see people in entertainment increasingly concerned about injustices in society and not just interested in making money. In this combination image, Native American Sacheen Littlefeather speaks at the 45th Academy Awards. Marie Louise Cruz (November 14, 1946 October 2, 2022), better known as Sacheen Littlefeather, was an American actress, model, and activist on behalf of Native American civil rights. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. [5][101] In 1991, Littlefeather was reported to be recovering from radical cancer surgery. Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com. After Liv Ullmann and Roger Moore announced that Marlon Brando won Best Actor for his performance as Vito Corleone in "The Godfather", Littlefeather surprised audiences by walking on stage in his place. Sacheen Littlefeather holds a written statement from actor Marlon Brando refusing his Best Actor Oscar on stage at the Academy Awards, Los Angeles, California. Native American people were in the bottom strata of all socioeconomic indicators, and it was clear to American Indian youth that change was not going to happen without dramatic action. Littlefeather, who just passed away on October 2, 2022 at age 75, was only 26 years old when she took the stage after Brando was announced as the winner of the Best Actor Award. The Native American actor and activist has died of breast cancer at age 75. [44] She emceed an evening performance at the United National Indian Tribal Youth conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1976. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. [103] Littlefeather also described herself as one of the original teachers in St. Mary's Traditional Indian Medicine program,[5][104] which consisted of a series of conferences held between 1984 and 1990 and was coordinated by Comanche medicine man Edgar Monetathchi, Jr, who worked for the Indian Health Service and was the first medicine man to be employed full-time by a Catholic hospital. [27] A 1999 article stated she had developed colon cancer in the early 1990s. The Pascua Yaqui tribe in Arizona told this news organization that Littlefeather wasnt enrolled, while the White Mountain Apache hasnt responded to media inquiries about her membership. She's a friend of mine that I introduced to B She's an Indian princess. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Legal Statement. She couldnt have been more Native, said Neconie, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Acoma of New Mexico and former UC Berkeley assistant director of undergraduate admissions. She committed herself to other health education work as well and worked with Mother Theresa doing hospice care for AIDS patients. ACADEMY APOLOGIZES TO SACHEEN LITTLEFEATHER NEARLY 50 YEARS AFTER REJECTING AN OSCAR ON MARLON BRANDO'S BEHALF, At the 1973 Academy Awards, Sacheen Littlefeather refused the Academy Award for Best Actor on behalf of Marlon Brando who won for his role in The Godfather. Brando's speech addressed the stereotypes of Native Americans in films long before the subject would be taken seriously in the industry. Marlon Brando Michael Caine Peter O'Toole Laurence Olivier [2][3], Littlefeather was born Marie Louise Cruz on November 14, 1946, in Salinas, California. Sacheen Littlefeather, Who Delivered Marlon Brando's Oscar Rejection Speech, Dies at 75 The Academy formally apologized to the Native American activist and former actress in June after she. [130][131], Following Littlefeather's death, Navajo author Jacqueline Keeler interviewed Littlefeather's biological sisters Rosalind Cruz and Trudy Orlandi, who say their family did not have Native American ancestry. Consequently, Littlefeather alleged she was "blacklisted" by Hollywood and never worked again. [27] Littlefeather participated in events related to a year-long celebration of the Americas before Columbus, but there is no record of a PBS show by either name being broadcast in 1992. And it's just insulting to my parents', "A Recent TV Slur Revives Debate About Sacheen Littlefeather and Her Role in Marlon Brando's Oscar Refusal", "4-H Home Ec Results Listed At Monterey County Fair", "DeSerpa Is Elected Hartnell Student V-P", "Sacheen Littlefeather: Fact Or Fiction? In 1973, Marlon Brando was awarded Best Actor at the Academy Awards, but he wasn't at the ceremony to accept it. At the time, Littlefeather, president of the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee, said the actor could not accept the award because "of the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry and on television in movie reruns.". The statement was read in full at An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather on September 17, an event honoring Littlefeather and featuring a conversation between her and producer Bird Runningwater (Cheyenne/Mescalero Apache/N.M. [95] As the director of the First Nation Education Resource Center in San Francisco, Littlefeather commented on a letter from two American Indians in Oakland that was handed to Nelson Mandela, stating that the letter outlined problems facing American Indians, including healthcare and unemployment. "[83] Many years later, Littlefeather said that King called her to thank her for the speech. After Littlefeathers sisters learned about her death, they went public with their fraud allegations because, they said, their sisters lies maligned their parents, Manuel and Geroldine Cruz. She was blacklisted in Hollywood. Russell Means contended that "Marlon Brando and Sacheen Littlefeather totally uplifted" the lives of those at Wounded Knee. VisitMy Modern Met Media. Sacheen Littlefeather made history in 1973 when she turned down the Academy Award for Best Actor on behalf of "The Godfather" winner Marlon Brando.Almost 50 years later, Indigenous activist . [26] She characterized this as either being "adopted",[21] or in foster care. Attempts were made at non-violent protests the Alcatraz occupation was completely nonviolent although it lasted well over a year but there were times when violence seemed like the only way to bring attention to the problem. Her sisters say she was an ethnic fraud", "Big Littlefeather Lies Sacheen Littlefeather Lied About Native American Ancestry, Sisters Claim 'It is a fraud. Indian activists had taken over the Bureau of Indian Affairs building the year before and the siege of Wounded Knee was underway in South Dakota. FILE - Sacheen Littlefeather, a Native American activist, tells the audience at the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, March 27, 1973, that Marlon Brando was declining to accept his. [75] She later said that she visited Marlon Brando's house after the Academy Awards and bullets were fired into his front door while they were talking. [52] For the performance he was nominated for Best Actor at the 45th Academy Awards, which were presented on March 27, 1973, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. Speaking with PEOPLE ahead of the Oscars, Williams, 42, recalls seeing a clip of Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather appearing on behalf of The Godfather winner Marlon Brando during the . [87][88] Contemporary accounts of the founding of the Red Earth Performing Arts Company by Nez Perce actor and playwright John Kauffman, Jr in 1974 do not mention Littlefeather. "It was the first Oscars ceremony to be broadcast by satellite all over the world, which is why Marlon chose it. [134], "Littlefeather" redirects here. Cody, a second-generation Italian American actor, has become infamous for falsely claiming to be Native American after playing the role in movies, TV and the Keep America Beautiful public service ads in the early 1970s. AIMcame about thanks to Native American college students in the cities and activists on the reservations who understood all too well that the conditions they were living under were a result of oppressive government policies. It's our method of survival. [99] In the 1980s, she led prayer circles for Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American Catholic saint. In June 2022, the Academy sent Littlefeather a statement of apology that was read in full at An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather on September 17, two weeks before her death. [20] In 1970, as "Sacheen Littlefeather of Alcatraz", she was named Miss Vampire USA, a promotion for House of Dark Shadows. Littlefeather represented Marlon Brando at the 45th Academy Awards in 1973, where she - on Brando's behalf - declined the Best Actor award that he won for his performance in The Godfather. Littlefeather represented Marlon Brando at the 45th Academy Awards in 1973, where she on Brando's behalf declined the Best Actor award that he won for his performance in The Godfather. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met. Brando would later tell talk show host Dick Cavett that the Academy didn't want her there and didn't want the evening interrupted with that particular note. In fact, just minutes before the award was handed out, show producer Howard Koch had told Littlefeather that she needed to keep her comments to 60 seconds. Riveting new S.F. Demanding a regime change from the U.S.-backed tribal government that had been mistreating the reservation's residents for years, the occupiers found themselves in a 71-day armed battle against the FBI and the U.S. Littlefeathers sisters say those claims are false. Sacheen Littlefeather stunned Hollywood when she was sent on behalf of Marlon Brando to reject his 1973 Oscar for best actor in "The Godfather." Nearly 50 years later, the Native American. In a 1974 interview, she stated that her mother left her father when she was 4 and took her to live with her maternal grandparents. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal), Trudy Orlandi, with a 2nd grade portrait of her sister Maria Cruz, talks at her home in Marin County, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, about the woman who would later become famous as the Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather. Receive our Weekly Newsletter. [4][5] Her mother, Geroldine Marie Cruz (ne Barnitz), was a leather stamper of French, German, and Dutch descent, and was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. [16][17] She said she had been treated with thorazine and other medications but "mostly stabilized with much help" from the San Francisco Bay Area Native American community. Market data provided by Factset. I didnt have an evening dress so Marlon told me to wear my buckskin. Littlefeather was a budding model and actress, and she agreed to represent him. [80], At The Comedy Awards in 2012, comedian Norm Macdonald staged a parody of the speech in accepting an award on behalf of Melissa McCarthy. At the time, Brando was a top Hollywood supporter of the American Indian Movement and acquainted with Littlefeather through her neighbor, Francis Ford Coppola. [5][37] Littlefeather was personally criticized for what was seen as exploitation of her fame,[38] but she explained that it was "strictly a business agreement" to earn the money needed to attend the World Theater Festival in Nancy, France. Bettmann via. The Academy Museum Owes An Exhibit", "Sacheen Littlefeather Modeling For Photo Shoot", "Interview with Sacheen Cruz Littlefeather on Alcatraz", "Whatever Became of Sacheen Littlefeather? In an article in the San . The allegations emerged into public view in October when Native American journalist Jacqueline Keeler published an investigation into the Mexican ancestry of Littlefeathers California-born father, Manuel Cruz. [23] Later, though, Littlefeather said she was blacklisted by the Hollywood community and received threats. Few Academy Awards ceremonies have been as eventful as the one held in 1973, when Marlon Brando sent Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather to explain why he was rejecting his award . (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images), Trudy Orlandi shows off a metallic boot sign that her father used at his shop in Salinas, Calif., during an interview at her home in Marin County, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. He had actually written a 15-page speech explaining his reasons, but Littlefeather later said that she had been threatened with arrest if she attempted to read the entire speech. On behalf of Marlon Brando, she refused the Best Actor award he was awarded for his role in . [76], According to Ann Brebner of the Brebner Agency, which handled Littlefeather's modeling bookings, she was deluged with mail and phone calls after her Oscars appearance, which led to radio and television appearances as well as the opportunity to read for several film roles. In a speech that shocked the country at the time, the 26-year-old Apache activist began by introducing herself and explaining that she was representing the "Godfather" actor. Littlefeather's family asked mourners to make donations to American Indian Child Resource Center in Oakland, California. ', (Photo by Beck Starr/FilmMagic/Getty Images), Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for April 25, Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves take bumpy second flight after 'CHAOS' on Lufthansa plane: 'Wish me luck', Kelsey Grammer wont apologize for the 'difference' that Jesus has made in his life, Person roaming in 'Scream' Ghostface costume prompts multiple police calls, Kelsea Ballerini kisses Chase Stokes after criticizing ex amid nasty divorce, Why Kevin Bacon refuses to share the secret to his 35-year marriage to Kyra Sedgwick.