Native American activist and actress Sashen Littlefeather took the stage at the 45thAcademy Awardson March 27, 1973, Best Actor Statue for Marlon Brando live on TV.
Acclaimed method actor.Francis Ford Coppola's godfather (1972) declined to attend the Oscars awards ceremony in Los Angeles, leaving the 26-year-old I have asked Mr. Littlefeather to decline the trophy on my behalf.
Starr is dedicated to Native American rights, especially the federal government's brutal response to the Wounded Kneewhere more than 300 of her Lakota men, women and children were massacred by U.S. forces. became interested in of which protests were going on on December 29, 1890.
Born November 14, 1946 in Salinas, California, Marie-Louise Cruz had minor roles in the films Crime Counsel and Laughing Cop. rice field. In 2006, she was more prominent as an indigenous rights activist.
Donning a traditional Apache dress in her buckskin, she climbs the stairs onto the stage to reveal winners Roger Moore and Liv her Ullman. Surprised me.
She refused to even touch the gold statuette offered by Moore and instead spoke for about 60 seconds, telling an almost entirely white audience: My name is Sashen Littlefeather. I'm Apache I chair the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee.
"I am representing Marlon Brando this evening and he has asked me to speak to you in a very long speech. I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept this very generous award.
"And the reason this exists is the way the film industry treats Native Americans today...sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I hope that I will not intervene tonight and that in the future our hearts and understanding will meet with love and generosity.Thank you on behalf of Marlon Brando."
There was some booing (and applause). Western star John Wayne reportedly waited in the wings to confront her. and Clint Eastwood, both made derogatory remarks about the gesture.
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Sign Up55}Sacheen Littlefeather addresses America on live TV Wounded Knee atrocities
(YouTube/Oscars)
"I noticed the audience's mouths and jaws were wide open, but there were quite a few," Ms. Littlefeather recently recalledThere were very few people of color in the audience.
However, Ms. Littlefeather has since claimed to have been "silenced" by Hollywood after her protests,freebies and beans, and the Billy Jack trial (both Johnny Firecloud and Winterhawk (both 1975), although she appeared in 1978's Shoot the Sun Down. and the 2009 documentary Lille Yingjang
She was then the subject of another documentary Sachen: Breaking the Silence (2018). However, it is only now that she has received an apology from theAcademy, Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, for the abuse she received in response to her bravery.
Activists continue to speak at the 1973 Academy Awards
(AP)
in reconciliation letter posted Aug. 15 Speaking to the academy website on Monday, former academy president David Rubin confirmed:
“The emotional toll you have been through and the cost to your own career in our industry is irreparable. I would like to offer my deepest apologies and my deepest respect for this.”
In response, Littlefeather, now 75, will be unveiled at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on September 17. agreed to discuss her experiences and the future of indigenous representation on screen, and expressed her happiness, albeit belatedly. Bid to make amends.
"This is a dream come true," she said in her statement. "It's so heartening to see how much we've changed since we didn't win an Academy Award 50 years ago. I'm so proud of everyone on stage."
