How did Sacheen Littlefeather know Marlon Brando?
Marie Louise Cruz, better known as Sacheen Cruz Littlefeather, was a Native American civil right activist and actress. Sacheen was born in 1946 and died on October 2, 2022. Littlefeather was born to an Apache and Yaqui father and a European American mother. He was born in America. Littlefeather became involved in the Alcatraz occupation…
Marie Louise Cruz, better known as Sacheen Cruz Littlefeather, was a Native American civil right activist and actress. Sacheen was born in 1946 and died on October 2, 2022. Littlefeather was born to an Apache and Yaqui father and a European American mother. He was born in America. Littlefeather became involved in the Alcatraz occupation by the Native American activist community in 1969.
Littlefeather represented Marlon Brando at the 45th Academy Awards in 1973. On Brando’s behalf, Littlefeather declined the Oscar for Best Actor he had received for his role in The Godfather. Brando’s performance in The Godfather earned him the award. In order to express his displeasure with how Native Americans were portrayed in Hollywood movies and to draw attention to the conflict at Wounded Knee, Brando, who was widely regarded as the front-runner for the award, chose not to attend the presentation. Her remarks about Brando’s decision to boycott received a mixed reception from the audience, which occasionally applauded and other times booed her.
How did Sacheen Littlefeather know Marlon Brando?
According to a 1974 article about a Littlefeather interview, Littlefeather was working for a San Francisco radio station when Littlefeather applied for work with Coppola, who then referred her to Brando because he “knew Brando’s interest in the Indian.” Littlefeather had known Brando for nearly a year at the time of the Oscars.
