“Dances With Wolves” star Graham Greene has died. He was 73.
The acclaimed Canadian First Nations actor passed away Monday in a Toronto hospital after battling a “long illness.”
“He was a great man of morals, ethics and character and will be eternally missed,” the actor’s agent, Michael Greene (no relation), told Deadline in a statement.
“You are finally free. Susan Smith is meeting you at the gates of heaven,” he added, referencing the actor’s longtime agent, who died in 2013.
Born in 1952 on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Canada, the prolific actor is credited with opening doors for Indigenous actors in the entertainment industry.
An early stage actor, Graham made his TV debut on Canada’s series “The Great Detective” in 1979 before launching his movie career four years later with “Running Brave.”
Worldwide fame came several years later in “Dances With Wolves,” where he acted opposite Kevin Costner. His role as Kicking Bird in the Western film scored him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.
He subsequently appeared in starring roles, such as “Maverick” (opposite Oscar winners Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster,) “Die Hard With a Vengeance” (opposite Bruce Willis) and “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” (opposite Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson).
His numerous roles in television through the years included “Murder, She Wrote,” “Northern Exposure” and “Lonesome Dove: The Series,” among many others.
And most recently, he appeared in the Disney+ miniseries “Echo,” Paramount+ series “Tulsa King” and “Sweet Summer Pow Wow.”
In a 2021 interview, the Oscar nominee said he aimed for variety in the roles he played over the years.
“I tend to move along in my career and take roles that are unique and different,” he told Salon at the time.
“I’ve played God twice. I’ve played judges, lawyers, doctors, police officers, and detectives,” he continued. “The diversity of roles is what I like to play. I don’t like to be pigeonholed as one thing because you get stuck in one role.”
When asked if there were any specific roles he’d still like to play, he was straightforward.
“The one that pays the most money,” he told the outlet. “That’s being honest.”
Graham is survived by his wife, Hilary Blackmore, and his daughter, Lilly Lazare-Greene.