LOS ANGELES — Sachin Littlefeather, the Native American activist who turned down an Oscar for Marlon Brando, has died months after the Academy apologized for the way she was treated during the incident.
Brando won an Oscar for Best Actor in 1973 for his role in The Godfather. But he skipped the ceremony, instead asking Littlefeather to take the stage to refuse the award on his behalf in protest of Hollywood’s treatment of Native Americans. It remains one of the most infamous incidents in Oscar telecast history.
She received backlash from other Academy members, was booed during the ceremony, and said that John Wayne even had to be restrained from attacking her on stage.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced her death at age 75 on Sunday, but did not provide further details.
Almost 50 years later, this summer, the Academy named after formally apologized Littlefeather for mistreating her during the speech and in subsequent years.
“The abuse you suffered because of this statement was unjustified and unwarranted,” former Academy President David Rubin wrote in a letter to Littlefeather. “The emotional toll you have endured and the cost to your own career in our industry is irreparable. For too long, your courage has gone unrecognized. In this regard, we offer our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration.”
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