At Brando's request, Littlefeather declined to accept the award on his behalf and instead gave a short speech about Native American abuses
Article Author:
The Telegraph
Jamie Johnson
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The Native American actress and campaigner who was booed from the stage when she spoke out about Indigenous rights at the Academy Awards ceremony almost 50 years ago. to formally apologize to her.
Sacheen Littlefeather took the stage at the 1973 awards ceremony to replace Marlon Brando, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for her role in The Godfather.
At Brando's request, Littlefeather declined to accept the award on his behalf, instead citing the abuse of her Native Americans in the entertainment industry and her injured knee in South Dakota in 1973. gave a short speech about the protests.
Some of the audience booed her, and John Wayne, who was behind her backstage, was reportedly furious, and she had to be detained by security.
Late in the evening, before announcing the Best Actress award, Raquel Welch reportedly said:
Later, when Eastwood presented him with Best Picture, Clint said that he "represented all the cowboys filmed in John Ford's westerns over the years." said that he was giving
Littlefeather — born Marie-Louise Cruz — says she has been teased, discriminated against and personally attacked in the incident ever since. She continued to work in hospice care, but remained an activist for Native American rights and awareness. It says it will host an evening of "conversation, healing and performance" featuring 75-year-old Little Feather.
In making this announcement, the Academy Museum shared a letter sent to Littlefeather on June 18 from David Herr Rubin, President of the Academy.
He called her 1973 speech of Mr. Littlefeather "a powerful statement that keeps reminding us of the need for respect and the importance of human dignity."
"The abuse you suffered because of this statement was unjust and unjust," Rubin wrote.
“The emotional toll you have been through and the cost to your own career in our industry is irreparable. For this, I offer my deepest apologies and my deepest respect.”
Littlefeather said in a statement, “Fifty years ago when I didn’t win an Academy Award, It's been very reassuring to see how much has changed since then."
"We Indians are very patient people when it comes to the Academy's apology to me—she's only 50 years old!" she added. "You always have to keep a sense of humor about this. That's how we survive."
At an event at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles, she co-chaired the Academy's Native American League. I will be attending a conversation with producer Bird Running Water.
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