Graham Greene, the acclaimed Canadian First Nations actor best known for his Oscar-nominated role in Dances with Wolves, has died at 73 in a Toronto hospital after a long illness, his agent confirmed on .
Key Takeaways
- Greene died in Toronto at age 73 after a prolonged illness, according to his agent.
- He earned a 1991 Academy Award nomination for Dances with Wolves (1990) as Kicking Bird (Ziŋtká Nagwáka).
- Notable credits span Thunderheart (1992), Maverick (1994), Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), The Green Mile (1999), and The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009).
- Recent TV work includes Reservation Dogs (FX), The Last of Us (HBO), 1883, and Tulsa King.
- Greene won Grammy, Gemini, and Canadian Screen awards and has a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.
- In June 2025 he received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for lifetime achievement.
- Born in 1952 in Ohsweken on the Six Nations Reserve, he began on stage in the 1970s.
- He is survived by his wife Hilary Blackmore, daughter Lilly Lazare-Greene, and grandson Tarlo.
Verified Facts
Born in 1952 in Ohsweken on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Canada, Graham Greene entered acting after initially working as a recording engineer. He began performing on stage in the 1970s in both Canadian and English productions.
Greene made his screen debut in 1979 in the Canadian series The Great Detective and took his first film role in the 1983 biopic Running Brave. His breakthrough arrived with Kevin Costner’s western Dances with Wolves (1990), portraying the Lakota Sioux medicine man Kicking Bird (Ziŋtká Nagwáka), a performance that earned him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor.
Across the 1990s and 2000s, Greene appeared in major studio films including Thunderheart (1992), Maverick (1994), Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), The Green Mile (1999), and The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009). In recent years, he remained active on high-profile television series such as FX’s Reservation Dogs, HBO’s The Last of Us, and Taylor Sheridan’s 1883 and Tulsa King.
His honors include Grammy, Gemini, and Canadian Screen awards, a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame, and the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for lifetime achievement, received in June 2025. He continued working until the end, with several projects yet to be released. Greene is survived by his wife of 35 years, Hilary Blackmore, their daughter Lilly Lazare-Greene, and grandson Tarlo.
Context & Impact
Greene’s career marked a turning point for Indigenous representation in mainstream film and television. His nuanced performance in Dances with Wolves and subsequent roles helped move beyond tropes, opening doors for a new generation of Indigenous actors and storytellers.
In a 2024 conversation with Canada’s Theatre Museum, Greene reflected on early-career pressure to accept stereotypes and emphasized portraying Indigenous communities with humor, warmth, and everyday family life. That perspective resonated in later works like Reservation Dogs, which centers Indigenous voices and experiences.
His recognition by Canada’s highest performing-arts honor and sustained presence in prestige TV underscore both his artistic range and the broader cultural shift toward more authentic Indigenous narratives.
Official Statements
Greene’s agent praised him as a man of strong morals and character, adding, “You are finally free.”
Michael Greene, via Deadline
Unconfirmed
- The exact date and specific cause of death have not been publicly disclosed.
- Titles and details of Greene’s unreleased projects were not provided.
- Funeral or memorial arrangements have yet to be announced.
Bottom Line
Graham Greene’s passing closes a landmark career that broadened how Indigenous lives are portrayed on screen. His body of work—spanning Oscar-nominated film roles to acclaimed modern television—continues to influence casting, storytelling, and opportunities for Indigenous artists.