Graham Greene, the acclaimed Canadian Oneida actor whose career spanned more than four decades, passed away on September 1, 2025 at the age of 73 after a long illness. Born June 22, 1952 in Ohsweken on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Greene lived many lives before acting—working as a draftsman, welder, high-steel worker and carpenter—before discovering his true calling in performance during the late 1970s.
His breakthrough role came in 1990 with Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves, where his portrayal of Kicking Bird, a compassionate medicine man, earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor and placed Indigenous storytelling on the Hollywood stage in a way that resonated around the world. From that point forward, Greene became a steady and respected presence across film, television and even video games.
His versatility was reflected in projects ranging from Thunderheart, Maverick and Die Hard with a Vengeance to The Green Mile, Transamerica, Wind River and Winter’s Tale. He also took on memorable roles in contemporary television including Reservation Dogs, 1883, Tulsa King, The Last of Us and Marvel’s Echo. Younger audiences even came to know him through the video game Red Dead Redemption 2, where he voiced Chief Rains Fall with a quiet authority that mirrored his on-screen gravitas.
Greene’s artistry was recognized throughout his career with honors including a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children in 2000, Canadian accolades such as the Gemini and Dora Mavor Moore Awards, and most recently the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement in 2025. To colleagues, he was more than just a performer; he was a pioneer who created pathways for Indigenous actors to take their place in the mainstream. Fellow performers remembered him as witty, generous and deeply respected, with tributes pouring in from across the entertainment community celebrating both his craft and his humanity.
Greene is survived by his wife Hilary Blackmore, his daughter Lilly Lazare-Greene, and his grandson Tarlo. From his early days on the Six Nations Reserve to his last screen performances, he carried himself with dignity, warmth and authenticity.
His legacy lives on in the roles that broke barriers, in the characters that touched audiences worldwide, and in the inspiration he gave to a new generation of Indigenous actors who saw in him proof that it could be done.
