Oscar-winning star and Dances With Wolves actor Graham Greene dies at 73

Graham Greene, the Oscar-nominated Canadian First Nations actor, has passed away at the age of 73. Greene took his final breath on September 1, 2025, in a Toronto hospital. He was reportedly fighting a long illness.

Greene's agent confirmed the news of his tragic passing in a statement to Deadline:

“He was a great man of morals, ethics and character and will be eternally missed. You are finally free. Susan Smith is meeting you at the gates of heaven.''

Smith was Greene's long-time agent who died in 2013.

Graham Greene, who got his breakthrough role in Kevin Costner's 1990 Western Dances with Wolves, was born in Ohsweken, on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario. As a young man, he lived in Ontario and worked as a draftsman, steelworker, and welder before moving into acting.

Remembering Graham Greene

In Ontario, Graham Greene worked as an audio technician for rock bands before musician Kelly Jay encouraged him to explore theatre. This led to his acting debut in 1979, appearing in an episode of The Great Detective. A few years later, he transitioned to the big screen with his role in the 1983 biographical sports film Running Brave.

However, Graham Greene's breakthrough role came in 1990 when Kevin Costner cast him as Kicking Bird (Ziŋtká Nagwáka) in Dances With Wolves. The hit movie was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, including one for Greene for Best Supporting Actor.

His role in Dances with Wolves made him a big name in Hollywood, and he went on to star in high-profile projects like The Green Mile, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Casino Jack, and Winter's Tale. Some of his recent big-screen projects include The Birds Who Fear Death, Seeds, Defining Moments, and The Wolf and the Lion. In 2017, he also starred in Taylor Sheridan's Wind River, alongside Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen.

Graham Greene opened the door of opportunities for fellow Indigenous actors, and his legacy will continue to motivate and influence the coming generation of actors.

Greene has also built a strong presence on the small screen with titles like The Last of Us, Into the West, Reservation Dogs, Spirit Bear: The Simon Jackson Story, Goliath, and American Gods. His 2017 partnership with Sheridan also materialized on the small screen, as he appeared in both 1883 and Tulsa King. Additionally, he also gave his voice to a character in the 2018 video game Red Dead Redemption 2.

Graham Greene will also appear posthumously in Stefan Ruzowitzky's upcoming American thriller film Ice Fall, alongside Joel Kinnaman, Danny Huston, and Cara Jade Myers. This thriller film will also mark the last project in Greene's impressive career, spanning decades.

In addition to an Oscar nomination, Greene was also a Grammy Award, Gemini Award, Dora Mavor Moore Award, and a Canadian Screen Award winner. Recently, he also received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award.

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