‘Dances with Wolves’ star Graham Greene passes away

Graham Greene, the acclaimed Canadian actor best known for his roles in Dances With Wolves and Maverick, has died peacefully at the age of 73, his manager has confirmed.

Gerry Jordan, speaking to CBC News, announced Greene’s passing, attributing it to natural causes. “It is with deep sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of award-winning and legendary Canadian actor Graham Greene,” Jordan said.

Greene, a member of the Oneida Nation from the Six Nations Reserve in southern Ontario, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Kicking Bird in Kevin Costner’s 1990 epic western Dances With Wolves. The role brought him international recognition and widespread acclaim.

Before embarking on his acting career in the 1970s UK theatre scene, Greene led a varied life working as a draftsman, civil technologist, steelworker, and even as part of a rock band’s crew. In a 2012 interview with Playback magazine, Greene credited theatre with providing a strong foundation for his craft, stating, “It helps you build a character. When you get into film, you don’t have that luxury. The discipline of theatre is what I recommend to all actors.”

Greene also spoke fondly of his personal life, describing his marriage to Hilary Blackmore as “the best time of my life.”

Following his breakthrough role in Dances With Wolves, Greene appeared in a number of notable films, including the 1992 western thriller Thunderheart, in which he played tribal officer Walter Crow Horse, and the 1999 fantasy drama The Green Mile, portraying Arlen Bitterbuck, a Native American prisoner on death row.

Other significant credits in his extensive career include Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995), Maverick (1994), The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), and Wind River (2017).

Throughout his distinguished career, Greene received numerous accolades, notably the Earle Grey Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Academy of Canadian Film and Television in 2004. In 2016, he was inducted into the Order of Canada, the country’s second-highest civilian honour.