KARACHI: Acclaimed Canadian actor Graham Greene, best known for his Oscar-nominated role as Kicking Bird in Dances With Wolves, has died at the age of 73 after a long illness. He passed away on Monday in a Toronto hospital, his representative confirmed.
Greene, of Oneida First Nation and Canadian descent, carved out a decades-long career in film, television, and theatre, often celebrated for breaking barriers for Indigenous actors in Hollywood. “He was a great man of morals, ethics and character and will be eternally missed,” his representative told Deadline.
Raised on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Greene worked as a welder and steelworker before pursuing acting. He made his television debut in 1979’s The Great Detective and appeared in his first film, Running Brave, in 1983.
His breakthrough came in 1990 with Kevin Costner’s epic Dances With Wolves, where his performance as Sioux medicine man Kicking Bird earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1991.
Greene’s career spanned diverse roles, from The Green Mile opposite Tom Hanks to Maverick (1994) and Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995). His work earned him respect not only as a versatile performer but also as a trailblazer for Indigenous representation in mainstream cinema.
