Sacheen Littlefeather passed away at 75
Sacheen Littlefeather, a local American activist who rejected Marlon Brando’s Oscar for The Godfather, has died at the age of 75, the Academy of Motion Pictures declared on Sunday. She had been suffering from breast cancer. The Academy declared her death in a tweet on Sunday night. The Hollywood Reporter quoted a statement from her nurse that said she died at noon on Sunday at her home in the Northern California city of Novato, accompanied by her beloved ones.
In August, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences provided an official apology to Littlefeather over her cure. The body that supervises the Oscars defined her aura as “a mighty statement that continues to recall us of the importance of respect and the importance of human decency”.
“The exploit you braved because of this statement was baseless and groundless. The emotional baggage you have lived through and the cost to your own future in our industry are irreplaceable. For too long the bravery you displayed has been neglected. For this, we provide both our deepest ammends and our heartfelt commendation,” it said.
A look Sacheen Littlefeather’s courageous & bold move
Brando won the best actor Oscar in 1973 for his character in the Godfather but did not attend the function, objecting in support of local American rights. Littlefeather was seen at the function on Brando’s behalf. She rejected to take the award and gave a short speech describing the actor’s denial was due, in part, to “the treatment of American Indians today by the movie fraternity, and on TV at movie screening or discussions.
Littlefeather, at the age of 26, was yelled. She later professed that actor John Wayne had to be stopped by security guards backstage from assaulting her. Other people backstage allegedly made derogatory gestures. She was boycotted by Hollywood after the event.