Sacheen Littlefeather: 5 Things To Know About Late Actress Who Declined Marlon Brando’s Oscar

Sacheen Littlefeather died astatine property 75 connected Sunday, October 2. The actress’s passing was announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences. A origin of decease was not shared. While Sacheen’s acting vocation was brief, she volition ever clasp an important spot successful movie past for her code connected behalf of Marlon Brando, where she declined his award for Best Actor astatine the 45th Annual Oscars. Find retired much astir the precocious histrion here.

Sacheen holding up her lengthy code astatine the 1973 Academy Awards. (Shutterstock)

1. Sacheen Is Most Well-Known For Her 1973 Academy Awards Speech

Sacheen became nationally known erstwhile she went connected signifier aft Marlon won the Best Actor grant for The Godfather. When she walked to the podium, she enactment up her manus to diminution the Oscar, as Roger Moore tried to manus it to her, and proceeded to give a speech declining the award. “I’m representing Marlon Brando this evening, and helium has asked maine to archer you successful a precise agelong speech, which I cannot stock with you presently due to the fact that of time, but I volition beryllium gladsome to stock with the property afterward, that helium precise regretfully cannot judge this precise generous award,” she said. “The reasons for this being: are the attraction of Native Americans contiguous by the movie industry—excuse me—and connected tv successful movie reruns and besides with caller happenings astatine Wounded Knee. I beg astatine this clip that I person not intruded upon this evening, and that we volition successful the future, our hearts and our understandings volition conscionable with emotion and generosity. Thank you connected behalf of Marlon Brando.”

During Sacheen’s speech, the assemblage could beryllium heard some booing and applauding her turning down the award. It’s been reported that John Wayne was held backmost by information guards arsenic Sacheen made the speech, per The Guardian. Despite the claims, it’s besides been disputed arsenic to whether this lawsuit really happened, via The Los Angeles Times. Following the Award Show, Sacheen’s lengthy code was published by The New York Times.

Sacheen looked backmost connected the infinitesimal successful an August interrogation with The Hollywood Reporter. “You know, I ne'er stood up onstage successful 1973 for immoderate benignant of accolades. I lone stood determination due to the fact that my ancestors were with me, and I spoke the truth,” she said.

2. The Academy Apologized For How She Was Treated In June

After astir 50 years, The Academy announced that it would formally apologize to Sacheen for however she was treated successful August. She called the apology “long overdue” successful an interrogation with The Hollywood Reporter. A missive signed by Academy President David Rubin was released some commending the activistic for her bravery but besides promising that the Academy would proceed to enactment toward inclusivity. “The maltreatment you endured due to the fact that of this connection was unwarranted and unjustified.  The affectional load you person lived done and the outgo to your ain vocation successful our manufacture are irreparable.  For excessively agelong the courageousness you showed has been unacknowledged,” helium wrote. “Today, astir 50 years later, and with the guidance of the Academy’s Indigenous Alliance, we are steadfast successful our committedness to ensuring indigenous voices—the archetypal storytellers—are visible, respected contributors to the planetary movie community.”

Sacheen being interviewed for a PBS documentary. (Shutterstock)

3. She Appeared In Only 7 Movies

While Sacheen is astir well-known for the Oscar moment, her movie vocation was precise brief. Of her 7 movie roles, 2 of them were uncredited. Two of her astir well-known roles came aft the 1973 speech, wherever she appeared in The Trial Of Billy Jack (1974) and Johnny Firecloud (1975), per IMDb. Her last show was successful 1978’s Shoot The Sun Down. 

4. She Was A Native American Activist

Besides her movie career, Sacheen has been precise progressive successful speaking retired on Native American issues. Her website said that she was “very active” successful the Bay Area, and that she occupied Alcatraz “to protestation civilian rights violations against the Indian people.” She was besides a laminitis of the American Indian AIDS Institute successful California, per Indian Country Today.

Following the Academy Awards, Sacheen became an activistic for a fig of Native American causes. (Rob Latour/Shutterstock)

5. She Announced That She’d Been Diagnosed With Breast Cancer In 2018

While Sacheen’s origin of decease has not been made public, the histrion did denote that she had been diagnosed with signifier 4 bosom crab successful March 2018, per The Wrap. She shared that the crab had metastasized successful January 2021. “I person metastasized bosom crab that has gone into my close lung, signifier four, terminal…I look astatine each time arsenic a acquisition of life. As I look backmost connected my life, I look astatine it with pridefulness that I did thing that whitethorn person made a difference,” she said successful a Facebook post.