The entertainment world just lost someone really special, and if you’ve ever watched a movie with your family, you’ve probably seen his work. Oscar-nominated Graham Greene dies at 73, and honestly, it feels like Canada’s lost one of its most important actors.
The news broke Monday evening when his agent confirmed that the beloved Canadian actor had passed away in a Toronto hospital after a long illness. For anyone who grew up watching movies in the 90s and 2000s, this hits different.
The Role That Changed Everything
Let’s be real – when Oscar-nominated Graham Greene dies, we’re talking about losing someone who broke serious ground in Hollywood. His big break came in 1990 when he played Kicking Bird in Dances with Wolves, and that role earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
That movie was huge. It won seven Oscars out of 12 nominations, including Best Picture. And there was Greene, holding his own alongside Kevin Costner in one of the biggest films of the decade.
“He was a great man of morals, ethics and character and will be eternally missed,” said his agent Michael Greene in a statement to various outlets.
What made that role so special wasn’t just the recognition – it was how Oscar-nominated Graham Greene dies knowing he opened doors for Indigenous actors in Hollywood that hadn’t been opened before.
From Six Nations to Hollywood
Born Graham Greene on June 22, 1952, in Ohsweken on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, he didn’t start out planning to be an actor. He worked odd jobs before deciding to give acting a shot in the 1970s.
By the late 70s, he was doing professional theater in Canada and England. His first TV appearance was on a Canadian drama called The Great Detective in 1979, and his first movie was Running Brave in 1983.
But when Kevin Costner cast him in Dances with Wolves, everything changed. Learning to speak Lakota for the role wasn’t easy either – Greene admitted that “I couldn’t figure out how they ordered their language. Its structure is totally foreign to English or French.”
When Oscar-nominated Graham Greene dies, we remember an actor who wasn’t afraid to take on challenging roles and do the hard work to make them authentic.
More Than Just One Great Movie
Here’s what’s cool about Greene’s career – he didn’t just ride the success of one movie. After his Oscar nomination, he kept working steadily in both film and TV.
You might remember him from Maverick with Mel Gibson, or as Detective Joe Lambert in Die Hard with a Vengeance alongside Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. He was also Arlen Bitterbuck in The Green Mile – that heartbreaking character they called “The Chief.”
But Oscar-nominated Graham Greene dies having worked right up until recently. He appeared in Taylor Sheridan’s Wind River in 2017, and had roles in hit TV shows like 1883, Tulsa King, and even The Last of Us.
One of his final roles was on Reservation Dogs, which feels pretty fitting since that show was all about celebrating Indigenous talent in entertainment.
Breaking Barriers Every Step of the Way
When people talk about representation in Hollywood, Greene’s name should come up more often. He didn’t just act – he paved the way.
Actor Tom Jackson, who worked with Greene on several projects, said “He was an epitome of the business. It’s an honour to be able to speak about Graham.”
Jackson remembered how Greene would do whatever it took to be part of show business – running sound, building sets, being a stage manager. “He believed that to be in show business, you had to be the business.”
That work ethic paid off. When Oscar-nominated Graham Greene dies, he leaves behind a legacy that includes a Grammy Award (for best spoken word album for children), Gemini Awards, Canadian Screen Awards, and a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.
The Man Behind the Characters
What made Greene special wasn’t just his talent – it was his personality. He had this wicked sense of humor that showed up even in his work.
On The Red Green Show, he played Edgar “K.B.” Montrose, an explosives enthusiast. When asked about Dances with Wolves, his character said “the native guy was OK. Should have gotten the Oscar. But the rest of it was a yawn!” That’s Greene making fun of his own most famous role.
Lou Diamond Phillips, who worked with Greene on Wolf Lake and Longmire, called him “one of the wittiest, wiliest, warmest people I’ve ever known.”
Recognition That Mattered
Earlier this year, Greene received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award – basically Canada’s highest honor for artists. In his acceptance video, he said “It’s so good to be working in Canada, and I don’t have to go anywhere else but here and be honored for it.”
When Oscar-nominated Graham Greene dies, that award feels even more significant. He got to see his country recognize everything he’d accomplished.
He also won a Canadian Screen Award earlier this year for his supporting role in the comedy Seeds. The guy was still winning awards at 73.
The Final Chapter
Greene had been dealing with a long illness, and he passed away peacefully in Toronto on September 1st. He’s survived by his wife, Hilary Blackmore, his daughter Lilly Lazare-Greene, and his grandson Tarlo.
“You are finally free. Susan Smith is meeting you at the gates of heaven,” his agent said, referring to Greene’s longtime agent who died in 2013.
What He Meant to Canada
When Oscar-nominated Graham Greene dies, we’re not just losing an actor – we’re losing someone who showed that Indigenous actors could succeed on the biggest stages in the world.
He never forgot where he came from, and he used his success to help other Indigenous performers get opportunities. That’s a legacy that goes way beyond any single movie or TV show.
Actor Gil Birmingham, who worked with Greene on Wind River, put it perfectly: “We have lost a man of incredible talent who made a positive impact on Native representation in film, inspiring a new generation of Native actors.”
The Bottom Line
Oscar-nominated Graham Greene dies at 73, but his impact on Canadian entertainment and Indigenous representation in Hollywood will last forever. From a small reserve in Ontario to the Academy Awards, he showed that talent and hard work can take you anywhere.
He was one of those actors who made every project better just by being in it. Whether you knew his name or not, you probably saw him in something that made you think, laugh, or feel a little more connected to the story being told.
That’s the mark of a true professional, and that’s the legacy Graham Greene leaves behind.
