Sacheen Littlefeather

50 years after declining Marlon Brando's Oscar on his behalf, the Academy will be hosting an event in Littlefeather's honor.

Again, the full apology will be presented on September 17 at the Academy’s “An Evening With Sacheen Littlefeather” event. This comes from The Hollywood Reporter, which says the Academy’s full apology will be read at the event on September 17 and that it will be followed by a conversation between Littlefeather and Bird Runningwater, the co-chair the the Academy’s Indigenous Alliance. The Academy’s decision to apologize for not supporting Littlefeather reportedly comes as part of a new initiative to actively “revisit the organization’s past and determine its future through a more expansive, inclusive lens.”

Hollywood's film academy apologises to actor and activist Sacheen Littlefeather for the abuse she endured after refusing Marlon Brando's 1973 Oscar on his ...

For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. - The Academy has apologised for the abuse she suffered Hollywood's film academy has apologised to actor and activist Sacheen Littlefeather for the abuse she endured after refusing Marlon Brando's 1973 Oscar on his behalf.

During a powerful speech at the 1973 Academy Awards, Sacheen Littlefeather highlighted the misrepresentation and mistreatment of Native American people by ...

I am so proud of each and every person who will appear on stage." the activist said. "For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged.

In 1973, Littlefeather turned down the Best Actor award for Marlon Brando and gave a speech criticizing Hollywood's portrayal of Native Americans.

Reaction to her speech at the awards show was mixed, and while she received some applause mixed with boos from the mostly perplexed crowd, her appearance largely garnered negative attention in the press and within the film industry. The 26-year-old Littlefeather appeared onstage at the 45th Academy Awards on behalf of Marlon Brando to decline his Best Actor Oscar for his role as Vito Corleone in The Godfather. Brando boycotted the award show to protest the industry’s portrayal of Native Americans and to draw attention to the ongoing occupation at Wounded Knee. When told she could not deliver a 739-word statement by Brando, Littlefeather gave an impassioned, 60-second, impromptu speech about Native American stereotypes in Hollywood. She also brought attention to the occupation of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, which was seized by activists from the American Indian Movement over Native Americans’ treatment. “We need to keep our sense of humor about this at all times.

Littlefeather was mocked when she declined Marlon Brando's Best Actor win onstage at the 1973 ceremony.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Academy Museum director and president Jacqueline Stewart visited Littlefeather's home in June, where she read the letter aloud, presented Littlefeather with a framed copy of the apology, and recorded a video with Littlefeather for an upcoming event at the museum. Despite the decades it took to receive the apology, Littlefeather handled the situation with levity. "We need to keep our sense of humor about this at all times," Littlefeather added. "I never thought I'd live to see the day I would be hearing this," she added. Littlefeather also told The Guardian that people were imitating stereotypical war cries and making offensive hand gestures when she arrived backstage. Brando had been nominated for the award for his performance in "The Godfather," and was widely expected to win.

Sacheen Littlefeather received an apology letter from the Academy for her Oscars treatment in 1973 after Marlon Brando's win.

We are dedicated to fostering a more inclusive, respectful industry that leverages a balance of art and activism to be a driving force for progress. The famous 60-second speech is featured in the Academy museum’s Academy Awards History gallery, echoing in the room with other historic moments such as Halle Berry becoming the first Black best actress winner and “Parasite” winning best picture. She was lambasted with an avalanche of boos from the audience, racist gestures such as “tomahawk chops” and threatened with violence offstage.

Hollywood's Academy has apologised to Apache and Yaqui actress Sacheen Littlefeather for discrimination she faced during the 1973 Oscars.

Nearly 50 years later, the Academy apologised to Littlefeather in June and has revealed plans for a program featuring Littlefeather. The first Native American woman on the Academy Awards stage, Littlefeather attended the Academy Awards on behalf of actor Marlon Brando. Nearly 50 years after being jeered at the 1973 Oscars, Hollywood’s film Academy has apologised to Apache and Yaqui actress and activist Sacheen Littlefeather for the discrimination she faced.

Nearly 50 years after her speech on behalf of Marlon Brando about depiction of Native Americans, academy apologises for 'unwarranted and unjustified' ...

In 2021, Littlefeather told the Guardian that she arrived at the ceremony only a few minutes before Brando’s award was announced, and had been given an eight-page speech by Brando to read if he won. I went up there with the grace and the beauty and the courage and the humility of my people. The Oscars took place in March, and the occupation ended in May after agreement with federal authorities to disarm. However, the show’s director Howard Koch told her she could only have 60 seconds and so she improvised a speech instead. “I never thought I’d live to see the day,” she added. The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences apologized to Sacheen Littlefeather, who declined an Oscar on Marlon Brando's behalf and was ostracized in ...

“I could not and was not allowed to speak for myself,” she said. In an interview on “The Dick Cavett Show” several months later, Brando said he was embarrassed by how Littlefeather was treated. She was let in, but the show’s producer said she could not read the speech. “When I was at the podium in 1973, I stood there alone.” She introduced herself and explained why she was there. She said she was there as Brando’s representative. He specifically instructed her not to touch the statuette, she recalled. “The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified. It was the first time a Native American woman had stood on the Oscars stage, according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and her statement on behalf of Brando created shock waves. In 2020, it introduced diversity and inclusion standards that films must meet to qualify for a best picture nomination, following criticism that the Oscars were dominated by White actors and filmmakers. Despite the efforts, Hollywood continues to struggle with representation of women and ethnic minorities. The year was 1973.

The Apache activist and actress was booed onstage in 1973 after she refused the best actor award on Marlon Brando's behalf and criticized Hollywood for its ...

She said some audience members did the so-called “tomahawk chop” at her and that when she went to Mr. Brando’s house later, people shot at the doorway where she was standing. “When I went back to Marlon’s house, there was an incident with people shooting at me,” she said. “For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged,” Mr. Rubin wrote. Ms. Littlefeather said she had little information about how the night would work, but Mr. Brando had given her a speech to read if he won. She paused when a mix of boos and cheers erupted from the audience. As an editor at The Times, I’ve worked with many of them, and I can tell you these are thoughtful people who have dedicated themselves to one thing: helping you understand the world. The former president of the Academy, David Rubin, wrote in the apology to Ms. Littlefeather that the abuse she faced because of the speech was “unwarranted and unjustified.” When Ms. Littlefeather, then 26, spoke, some of the audience cheered her and others jeered. Our reporters produce hundreds of original articles every day, from places as far afield as Kyiv, London, Uvalde and Sacramento. These journalists travel widely to get as complete a picture as they can. “And I focused in on the mouths and the jaws that were dropping open in the audience, and there were quite a few,” she told the Academy. “But it was like looking into a sea of Clorox, you know, there were very few people of color in the audience.” They are committed to remaining curious, keeping an open mind and seeking out every voice. I’d like to encourage you to support journalism like this by becoming a subscriber.

Where is Sacheen Littlefeather today? The activist and actor has since retreated from the spotlight after revealing her health issues.

“I write to you today a letter that has been a long time coming on behalf of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, with humble acknowledgment of your experience at the 45th Academy Awards,” John said in a letter — which was published online on August 15, 2022 — according to the outlet. Sacheen shared her belief that she was “blacklisted” by Hollywood after the Oscars incident. Edgar Hoover had gone around and told people in the industry not to hire me, because he would shut their talkshow or their production down. In a June 2021 interview with the outlet, Sacheen explained that she has endured a lot on the health front. “For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged,” John added. In fact, Sacheen also recalled being physically assaulted by actor John Wayne, per The Guardian. [Best Actor on behalf of Marlon Brando](https://www.distractify.com/p/why-did-marlon-brando-refuse-his-oscar) for his performance in The Godfather, but she declined. In a clip of Sacheen’s speech, you can hear audience members booing and cheering. As a result, my memory is not as good as it used to be.” At the time, the young actress addressed the treatment of Native Americans in the entertainment industry. Interestingly, Sacheen was supposed to accept the award for Going against the grain can be tough, but standing up for what you believe in despite backlash is an honorable trait — and activist and former actor