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In Memoriam: Fallen Stars of 2022
Family and friends are mourning the nonaccomplishment of Sacheen Littlefeather.
The Native American activistic and actress, who famously declined an Oscar triumph connected behalf of histrion Marlon Brando at the 1973 Academy Awards, has died astatine the property of 75. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences shared the quality to their authoritative Twitter relationship connected Oct. 2.
Nearly 50 years agone to date, Littlefeather, born Marie Cruz, took to the signifier to present a code astatine the 1973 Academy Awards, rejecting an Oscar triumph connected behalf of Brando. The actor, who won Best Actor for his relation successful The Godfather, boycotted the ceremonial successful protestation of Hollywood's portrayal of Native Americans onscreen.
Although her code (an eight-page code typed by the actor) was met a premix of boos and applause from the in-person audience, Littlefeather faced backlash and vocation diminution successful the show's aftermath. Earlier this year, the Academy issued a nationalist apology to the actress.
"The maltreatment you endured due to the fact that of this connection was unwarranted and unjustified," a missive issued successful June, signed by then-president David Rubin, read. "The affectional load you person lived done and the outgo to your ain vocation successful our manufacture are irreparable. For excessively agelong the courageousness you showed has been unacknowledged. For this, we connection some our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration."
Michael Ochs Archvies/Getty Images
Just days earlier the Academy held an lawsuit astatine the organization's depository successful Los Angeles successful her grant successful September, billed arsenic "An Evening With Sacheen Littlefeather," she told Variety that the apology stunned her."I'm present to spot a letter, 50 years later, this apology—it was thing I ne'er expected," she said. "And came arsenic a full astonishment to me."
When asked if she would cull the Oscar each implicit again, she affirmed that the determination would inactive beryllium made "in a heartbeat."
"I did not bash this wholly for Marlon," she noted. "I did not bash this connected my behalf. I did this for each Native radical everyplace who suffered from radical prejudice and discrimination."
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Although the origin of decease has not been shared publicly, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Littlefeather shared that she had been diagnosed with signifier 4 bosom crab successful 2018, and it had "metastasized successful caller years."
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