Sacheen Littlefeather, the actor and activist who declined Marlon Brando's 1973 Academy Award for "The Godfather" on his behalf in an indelible protest of Hollywood's portrayal of Native. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed the . Sacheen Littlefeather's sisters claim she wasn't Native American (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group), Trudy Orlandi keeps of her sister Maria Cruz in the second grade at her home in San Anselmo, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. She continued her social justice work for Native Americans from her home in the San Francisco Bay area and worked as an advocate for Native American AIDS patients. In August, the Academy wrote a formal apology to her for the "emotional burden" that she carried for 49 years. [43], In 1975, Littlefeather reported that she was working on a movie script about Edward S. Curtis with Cap Weinberger, Jr, who had written an article about Curtis for Smithsonian magazine. Sacheen Littlefeather at the 1973 Oscars (Photo: UCLA Library Special Collections, CC BY 2.0). Some felt that Brando was making a mockery of the awards, while others felt that he was jumping on a social cause bandwagon. A few months after the Academy Awards, Brando was a guest on The Dick Cavett Show, where he eloquently explained his position and showed no regrets for asking Littlefeather to attend the Oscars. 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. 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. Still, in the short time she did have, Littlefeather made her voice heard. At the time of the Oscars, she had known Brando for nearly a year. When he was nominated for an Oscar for his infamous portrayal of Don Corleone in "The Godfather," he refused to attend the ceremony. [Brando] very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. 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. [50] In 2016, the 88th ceremony of the Academy Awards drew criticism for lack of diversity in nominations; actress Jada Pinkett Smith, who boycotted the ceremony, cited Littlefeather as inspiration to do so. Subsequently, she wrote Brando a letter, asking about his interest in Native American issues. [20] She claims to have participated part-time in the occupation of Alcatraz in 1970, though this claim has been disputed. 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. [132], Roger Ebert had disputed Littlefeather's Native American ethnicity in 2004 in an obituary for Marlon Brando, stating that after her attendance at the Oscars she was "identified as Maria Cruz, an actress who was not an Indian". Market data provided by Factset. (2021, December 6). "Brando, Littlefeather, and the Academy Awards." 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. [13][14], Littlefeather said that around age 19, she spent a year in a psychiatric hospital after previously hearing voices that pushed her to a suicide attempt, recounting what happened during a three hour visual history interview in 2022 with the director of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. "I was ostracized everywhere I turned. Sacheen Littlefeather, Who Delivered Marlon Brando's Oscar Rejection Sacheen Littlefeathers work on famed San Francisco ballet among suspect claims. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met. [96], She continued doing activism and became a respected member of California's Native American community. He died of cancer when Sacheen was 19, Orlandi said. VisitMy Modern Met Media. Sacheen Littlefeather fue la primera mujer nativa americana en subir al escenario de los scar. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Academy Museum Owes An Exhibit", "Sacheen Littlefeather Modeling For Photo Shoot", "Interview with Sacheen Cruz Littlefeather on Alcatraz", "Whatever Became of Sacheen Littlefeather? While some in the audience applauded Littlefeather, her presence at the awards ruffled feathers. By 1949, they had moved to Salinas and opened up their own business, Cruz Saddlery. 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 Riveting new S.F. Sacheen Littlefeather refuses to accept the Best Actor Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando for his performance in "The Godfather" at the 45th annual Academy Awards in 1973. [5], Over the years, Littlefeather described her personal experiences with serious health issues, including internal bleeding, collapsed lungs, and cancer. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American actress and activist who made history when she declined the Best Actor Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando, has died at the age of 75. [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. Then, it wasn't Brando who mounted the stage, but a 26-year-old Native American activist named Sacheen Littlefeather. Sacheen Littlefeather, who rejected Marlon Brando's Oscar in 1973, says Orlandi and Cruz just want the truth to be known about their family. [5], In 1972, Brando played Vito Corleone in The Godfather, which many critics consider one of the greatest films of all time. (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. [5][101] In 1991, Littlefeather was reported to be recovering from radical cancer surgery. He instead sent Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Cruz), a young Apache/Yaqui activist who had participated in the Alcatraz Island occupation. Native Americans had virtually no representation in the film industry in 1973, and they were primarily used as extras while lead roles depicting Indians in several generations of Westerns were almost always awarded to white actors. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Marlon Brando's Best Actor Oscar win for "The Godfather" | Sacheen 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. [9][8] Geroldine Cruz continued to operate the business after her husband's death in 1966. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Sacheen Littlefeather was giddy as she hung up the phone in her San Francisco apartment in March of 1973. After giving brief remarks and announcing the five nominees, they declared Brando as the winner. She spent a year in Agnews Insane Asylum in Santa Claraand was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, which can include mood swings, hallucinations and delusions. In an article in the San . [24], In interviews, Littlefeather said she had a difficult childhood. For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. Sacheen Littlefeather, activist who declined Brando's 'Godfather' Oscar [23] Later accounts describe Coppola as Littlefeather's neighbor in San Francisco. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American activist Marlon Brando sent to the 1973 Academy Awards to decline the lead actor Oscar he won for "The Godfather," died Sunday at age 75.. [56], At the age of 29 her lungs collapsed. Bettmann via. Brando's speech addressed the stereotypes of Native Americans in films long before the subject would be taken seriously in the industry. Daily Question: In 1973, Sacheen Littlefeather declined an Oscar on which actor's behalf? Liv Ullmann and. Learn How Marlon Brando & Sacheen Littlefeather Stood Up to Hollywood 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. [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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. [1] After recovering, she received a degree from Antioch University in holistic health and nutrition with an emphasis in Native American medicine, a practice she credited with her recovery. 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. ThoughtCo. [2][3] Although some of her distant family may have been born in Pima/Oodham tribal territory in Sonora, Mexico, scholars have stated that actual tribal members in these communities would have been a minority during the time. She lives in San Francisco. At the time, Brando was a top Hollywood supporter of the American Indian Movement and acquainted with Littlefeather through her neighbor, Francis Ford Coppola. [7] She played a role in the mascot change at Tamalpais High School in the late 1980s, first becoming involved when she visited the high school as a guest director for the drama class play, "Grandmother Earth". Entertainment | [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. Academy apologizes to Sacheen Littlefeather for treatment when she [85][86], She described the Academy's apology to her as "a dream come true", and said that "we Indians are very patient peopleit's only been 50 years!" He clearly understood the effect that this had not only on adults but, in particular, children. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Sacheen Littlefeather, Who Carried Out Oscars Protest, Dies The activist had been battling. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Where did that come from?. Gilio-Whitaker, Dina. Remembering Sacheen Littlefeather | Flipboard Sacheen Littlefeather, activist who declined Marlon Brando's Oscar I never saw my sister being beaten by my dad. Orlandi grew up with her sister Maria Cruz, the woman who would later become famous as Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather. Dina Gilo-Whitaker is a lecturer of American Indian Studies at California State University San Marcos. [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. Sacheen Littlefeather, Who Declined Marlon Brando's Oscar In 1973, Has [23] She played the role of Paleflower in Winterhawk, filmed in Kalispell, Montana. 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. So, effectively what we hear at the podium is an improvised speech by the activist. Sacheen Littlefeather, Native American activist and actress, dead at 75 Canby has started an oral history project with Native American elders in Marin County. To her, Sacheen was Marie Louise Cruz from Salinas, and they had a Mexican American father and White mother. When Brando was announced as the best actor winner for his role in "The Godfather," Littlefeather took the stage to make a powerful and poignant statement about the depiction of Native . ", "She Crashed the Academy, Now Playboy Magazine", "Littlefeather and Girls-Make-Up for Minorities", "Native Daughter: Sacheen Littlefeather Helped Turn Things Around", "Sacheen Littlefeather, Marlon Brando's one-time Oscars accomplice, on how Hollywood has changed", "The unbelievable story of Why Marlon Brando rejected his 1973 Oscar for 'The Godfather', "43 years later, Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather reflects on rejecting Marlon Brando's Oscar", "Marlon Brando's Oscar win for "The Godfather", "How Roger Moore Assisted Sacheen Littlefeather In Her Blind Date With History", "Sacheen Littlefeather: Oscars apologises to actress after 50 years", "And The Award For Most Unusual Happening During An Oscar Presentation Goes To (breathless pause)", "scott's world: Best Oscar audience performance", "Column: Did John Wayne try to assault Sacheen Littlefeather at the 1973 Oscars? Sacheen Littlefeather (left) appeared at the 1973 Oscars to decline a Best Oscar trophy for Marlon Brando, introducing herself as Apache and saying "The Godfather" actor could not accept because . [111] In 1990, it was reported that Littlefeather's brother had died of AIDS. 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. Gilio-Whitaker, Dina. "It was the first time anyone had made a political statement at the Oscars," Littlefeather said in the documentary, as quoted by the outlet. 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. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American activist who declined Marlon Brando's Oscar for The Godfather on his behalf in 1973, has died aged 75. In that account, he called the radio station where she worked months after she sent the letter. or redistributed. Famous Last Words: Fictional Characters, Books and Plays, Biography of Charlie Chaplin, Legendary Movie Comedian, M.A., American Studies, University of New Mexico, B.A., Native American Studies, University of New Mexico. 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. Martha Ross is a Bay Area News Group features writer for The Mercury News and East Bay Times who covers everything and anything related to popular culture, society, health, womens issues and families. She made this man out to be a monster. Then came Marlon Brando to bring it all to center stage quite literally. The registry was founded in the early 1980s by Muscogee actor Will Sampson, who worked with the American Native Association to publish a directory of American Indians in the arts and entertainment fields. [73][100], A 1987 profile of Littlefeather stated that she was a recipient of the 1986 Traditional Indian Medicine Achievement Award for her participation in the Traditional Indian Medicine Program at St. Mary's Hospital in Tucson, Arizona. [30][31], While living in the San Francisco Bay area in the early 1970s, Littlefeather participated in the 1971 American Indian Festival at Foothill College, judged a local 1972 beauty pageant as "Princess Littlefeather", and organized a 1972 American Indian Festival at the Palace of Fine Arts. She has previously reported or edited for Bay Area news and lifestyle publications, including Walnut Creek Patch, and Diablo, Oakland and Alameda magazines, as well as The Nation in Bangkok, Thailand and The Economist. The Alcatraz Island occupation was two years in the past by March of 1973. As Brando clearly explained to Dick Cavett, while he understood that not everyone would share his opinion, he wished that they would take the time to listen to what Littlfeather had to say. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Sacheen Littlefeather died Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at her home in Marin County, Calif. She was 75. [29] In an opinion piece following her death, Navajo writer and activist Jacqueline Keeler wrote that Littlefeather's sisters disputed that their father had been abusive and that Littlefeather's account of her childhood seemed to have been taken from that of her father, who had grown up in poverty and whose own father was abusive. 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.. Trouble was brewing even before Littlefeather arrived at the podium. Sacheen Littlefeather: Oscars apologises to actress after 50 years Sacheen Littlefeather, who declined Marlon Brando's Oscar for "The Godfather" on his behalf at the 1973 Academy Awards, died Sunday, the Academy of Motion Pictures said.