Veteran Canadian actor Graham Greene, known for his iconic role as Kicking Bird in the 1990 film Dances with Wolves, passed away on September 1 in a Toronto hospital at the age of 73, as per US media reports.
Born in June 1952 in Ohsweken, Greene began his acting career in the theatre and started appearing in professional stage productions by the 1970s, according to Variety.
Greene made his television debut in the 1979 Canadian drama series The Great Detective. He made his big-screen debut with the 1983 film Running Brave.
However, his big Hollywood break came with Dances with Wolves, in which he played the iconic role of Kicking Bird. The portrayal earned him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor in 1991. The film was nominated for 12 Oscars, out of which it won seven, including trophies for best picture and best director for Kevin Costner.
Following his breakthrough role, Greene appeared in several Hollywood films like Maverick, Die Hard with a Vengeance, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 and Molly’s Game.
Greene also played the role of Arlen Bitterbuck in Frank Darabont’s The Green Mile, based on Stephen King’s critically-acclaimed novel.
Besides making his mark in the film industry, the actor also had a successful career in television. Some of his TV credits include Northern Exposure, Murder She Wrote, Lonesome Dove: The Series, Wolf Lake, Reservation Dogs, Echo, Riverdale, The Last of Us and Tulsa King.
Apart from winning accolades for his acting prowess, Greene won a Grammy in 2000 for best spoken word album for children for his work on Listen to the Storyteller.
In 2021, he received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.
Greene is survived by his wife, Hilary Blackmore, and his daughter Lilly Lazare-Greene.