Graham Greene, Oscar-nominated actor from Dances With Wolves, dies at 73

Graham Greene, the Oscar-nominated actor who made history with his unforgettable role in Dances With Wolves, has died at 73.

The Canadian-born star, who became a cultural touchstone for Indigenous representation in Hollywood, passed away on September 1 in a Toronto hospital following a long illness. Greene’s agent, Michael Greene, confirmed the news in a statement to Deadline.

“He was a great man of morals, ethics and character and will be eternally missed."

Referring to Graham Greene’s longtime agent, who died in 2013, Michael added:

"You are finally free. Susan Smith is meeting you at the gates of heaven.”

Graham Greene is survived by his wife of 35 years, Hilary Blackmore, their daughter, Lilly Lazare-Greene, and his grandson, Tarlo.

His final completed film, Ice Fall, starring Joel Kinnaman, is yet to be released.

From Westerns to fantasy: Graham Greene’s genre-spanning Career

Born June 22, 1952, in Ohsweken on the Six Nations Reserve, Graham Greene’s path to acting was anything but conventional. He worked a series of odd jobs before turning to the stage in the 1970s, performing in Canadian and English theater.

Graham Greene’s career took a dramatic turn in 1990 when Kevin Costner cast him as Kicking Bird (Ziŋtká Nagwáka) in Dances With Wolves. The film went on to sweep the Academy Awards, earning 12 nominations and seven wins, while Greene himself was nominated for Best Supporting Actor.

Graham Greene's performance in the award-winning film not only cemented his standing in silver screen history but also spotlighted Indigenous storytelling on an international scale.

His character as Kicking Bird also launched him into mainstream Hollywood, leading to parts alongside some of the industry’s biggest names.

Graham Greene appeared in Maverick (1994) alongside Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster, Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) opposite Bruce Willis, and The Green Mile (1999) with Tom Hanks.

Later, he returned to work with Kevin Costner in Aaron Sorkin’s Molly’s Game (2017), where he also starred alongside Idris Elba and Jessica Chastain.

Graham Greene’s résumé was just as expansive. He played pivotal roles in the movie Thunderheart in 1992 alongside Val Kilmer and Transamerica in 2005 with Felicity Huffman. He also headlined Wind River in 2017, and eventually joined director Taylor Sheridan for the Paramount+ series 1883 and Tulsa King.

He was also a familiar face on TV shows like Northern Exposure, Longmire, American Gods, and Marvel’s Echo. His recent work included FX’s Reservation Dogs as a guest star in 2023. The series is widely celebrated for spotlighting Indigenous talent.

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Accolades followed throughout his decades-long career. Beyond his Academy Award nomination, Graham Greene won a Grammy, Gemini, and Canadian Screen Award, and earlier this year, he received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award.

His name is also enshrined on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

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