Western film star John Wayne tried to "forcibly" remove Sacheen Littlefeather from the stage at the Academy Awards in 1973, after she took a political stand at the event.
The actor and activist faced backlash when she took to the stage on Marlon Brando's behalf after he was awarded Best Actor for his portrayal of Vito Corleone in "The Godfather," and rejected the award as part of his protest of Hollywood's depiction of Native-American People.
While some cheered Littlefeather on, many others voiced their disagreement with what she was saying. Amongst them was Wayne, who regularly starred as a cowboy who was often at odds with Indigenous characters.
"During my presentation, he was coming towards me to forcibly take me off the stage, and he had to be restrained by six security men to prevent him from doing so," Littlefeather told The Guardian in a 2021 interview that has resurfaced.
This is not the first time she has spoken about Wayne's reaction to her speech. Speaking with interviewers in the documentary "Sacheen: Breaking The Silence," Littlefeather recalled hearing "boos and jeers" from the audience as she walked onto the stage.
She later learned that several security guards had to restrain Wayne, who wanted to "storm on to the stage and drag me off," according to Deadline.
Littlefeather further revealed that the brave decision to reject the Oscar award on behalf of Brando ended her acting career.
"I was blacklisted — or, you could say, 'redlisted,' " she said. "I was ostracized everywhere I turned. No one would listen to my story or give me a chance to work."
Now, 49 years later, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has issued an apology to Littlefeather.
"This is a dream come true,” she said in response, according to the Independent. "It is profoundly heartening to see how much has changed since I did not accept the Academy Award 50 years ago. I am so proud of each and every person who will appear on stage."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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