Graham Greene, the acclaimed Canadian actor and trailblazer for Indigenous representation in film and television, has died at 73. His manager confirmed he passed peacefully on September 1 in Stratford, Ontario, after a long illness. His wife, Hilary Blackmore, was by his side. Greene earned international recognition with his Oscar-nominated role as Kicking Bird in Dances With Wolves (1990), becoming the first Canadian since Chief Dan George to receive an Academy Award nomination.
He later recalled calling Hilary with the news before their phone began ringing nonstop. Before acting, Greene worked as a carpenter, steelworker, and roadie before finding his footing in UK theatre in the 1970s. “The discipline of theatre is what I recommend to all actors,” he said in 2012.
His career spanned celebrated films like The Green Mile and Wind River, and TV hits including Tulsa King and The Last of Us. A proud member of the Oneida Nation of the Six Nations Reserve, Greene’s work opened doors for Indigenous actors in Hollywood.
Known for his humor and humility, he once joked: “I stumbled into acting… this is the life of a dog!” Greene is survived by Hilary, their daughter Lilly, and grandson Tarlo. His legacy endures through his groundbreaking roles and lasting impact.