Graham Greene | |
|---|---|
 Greene in 1998 | |
| Born | (1952-06-22)June 22, 1952 Six Nations Reserve,Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | September 1, 2025(2025-09-01) (aged 73) Stratford, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1976–2025 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Gary Farmer (second cousin once removed) |
Graham GreeneCM (June 22, 1952 – September 1, 2025) was a CanadianFirst Nations (Oneida) actor and recording artist, active in film, television and theatre in a career spanning over 50 years. He achieved international fame for his role as Kicking Bird (Ziŋtká Nagwáka) inKevin Costner'sDances With Wolves (1990), which earned him anAcademy Award nomination forBest Supporting Actor. His other notable films includeThunderheart (1992),Maverick (1994),Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995),The Green Mile (1999),Skins (2002),Transamerica (2005),Casino Jack (2010),Winter's Tale (2014),The Shack (2017), andWind River (2017).
In addition to his Oscar nomination, Greene was aGrammy Award,Gemini Award,Canadian Screen Award, and aDora Mavor Moore Award winner. In 2025, he received theGovernor General's Performing Arts Award.
Greene was anOneida born on June 22, 1952, inOhsweken, on theSix Nations Reserve inOntario, the son of John, aparamedic and maintenance man, and Lillian Greene.[1][2] He lived inHamilton, Ontario, as a young man.[3] He was a second cousin once removed of fellow actorGary Farmer.[4] Before moving into acting, Greene worked as adraftsman, civil technologist,steelworker, and rock-band crew member.[5]
He worked as anaudio technician for Toronto rock bands and in arecording studio inAncaster, Ontario.[6][7] He later related that musicianKelly Jay repeatedly encouraged him to try out for a play.[7]
David Godkin, in a 2012 interview of Greene, stated that contrary to other reports, Greene did not attend the Toronto-basedCentre for Indigenous Theatre's Native Theatre School program, but rather "helped run it, as executive director of a school-supporting local arts organization."[8] TheNew York Times obituary for Greene, however, states that he graduated from the Centre in 1974.[9] By the 1970s, he began performing in professional theatre in Toronto and England and in 1976 he participated in theUniversity of Western Ontario's touring workshop performance ofJames Reaney'sWacousta.[10]
His television debut was in an episode ofThe Great Detective in 1979,[11] and his film debut was in 1983 inRunning Brave.[12] On viewing his first television role, Greene stated that it was "awful", and that it prompted him to start learning to act as a profession.[7]
Greene frequently worked at theNative Earth Performing Arts, and was well known for his performance inDry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing as the affable drunk Pierre St. Pierre.[13][7] He also performed inThe Crackwalker andHistory of the Village of the Small Huts.[14][15]
At the 2007Stratford Festival, he portrayedShylock inThe Merchant of Venice and Lennie inOf Mice and Men.[16][17][18]
Greene's television career began with a role in theCBC seriesSpirit Bay (1984, 1986), where he played Pete "Baba" Green. The show was among the first to depict Indigenous life and cultural interactions.[19]
Throughout the 1990s, Greene was a frequent guest star. He portrayed theshaman Leonard Quinhagak onNorthern Exposure, a character whose traditional practices often conflicted with modern medicine.[20] He also took on the role of the explosives-loving Edgar "K.B." Montrose onThe Red Green Show, a character he would revisit periodically until 2006.[21] His other notable roles from this era include playingIshi in theHBO filmThe Last of His Tribe (1992)[22] and the beloved Mr. Crabby Tree in the children's seriesThe Adventures of Dudley the Dragon (1994).[7] He also made a guest appearance on the sketch comedy showRoyal Canadian Air Farce in 1994.[23]
From 1997 to 2001, Greene hosted theforensic science documentary seriesExhibit A: Secrets of Forensic Science.[24] He later starred in the short-lived seriesWolf Lake (2001) and co-starred in two TV movies attempting to reviveThe Beachcombers (2002, 2004).[25]
In the 2000s and 2010s, Greene continued to take on diverse guest roles. He presented the documentaryThe War that Made America (2006),[26] appeared on shows likeNumb3rs,[27] and had a recurring role as Dr. Arthur onBeing Erica (2010–2011).[28] A notable comedic turn saw him parody pain reliever commercials onRick Mercer Report.[29] From 2012 to 2017, he played the villainous Malachi Strand onLongmire.[30]
More recently, Greene appeared as Spotted Eagle in the1883 series (2022).[27] He joined theMarvel Cinematic Universe in the miniseriesEcho (2024).[31] In 2023, he guest-starred in critically acclaimed series such asReservation Dogs andThe Last of Us.[32] He most recently guest-starred in two 2025 episodes ofThe Lowdown as "Arthur".
Greene'sAcademy Award–nominated role as Kicking Bird (Lakota:Ziŋtká Nagwáka) in the 1990 filmDances With Wolves showcased his talents to audiences beyond his native Canada.[33] In an interview with CineMovie, Greene recounts a story of being tossed from a horse during production. When director Costner asked if he wanted a break, the actor retorted that he was more interested in finding the horse for payback.[34] He stated that it was difficult for him to learn how to speak theLakota language properly. Having not grown up speaking a native language, he said "... I couldn't figure out how they ordered their language. Its structure is totally foreign to English or French."[7]
He appeared in the contemporary action-mystery film,Thunderheart (1992), playing Walter Crow Horse, a gruff, savvy local cop living on anIndian reservation. He was quick to sign up for the movie, saying, "I lovethe Badlands. My agent said, 'I got a film for you. It's inSouth Dakota. And you have to ride a motorcycle.' I said, 'I'm in.' 'Want to read it?' 'Don't have to.'"[30]
In 1994'sMaverick, Greene elicited good reviews as the sidekick toMel Gibson. At a screening of the movie theLos Angeles Times noted that Greene, "[as a] thoroughly modern Native American who exploits his position as a tourist attraction for Russian adventurers", got the most laughs.[35]
Greene also acted alongsideBruce Willis andSamuel L. Jackson in the 1995 filmDie Hard with a Vengeance, where he played Detective Joe Lambert.[36]
Greene was featured as Arlen Bitterbuck who was convicted of murder, awaiting execution on death row in the Oscar-nominatedThe Green Mile (1999). The character was an elder of theWashita Tribe, and a member of a Cherokee Council,[37] his nickname was "The Chief".[38] The character's execution is the first witnessed in the movie, and is depicted from start to finish and is noted as being a fairly accurate portrayal of the procedure.[39]
Greene co-starred as Slick Nakai withAdam Beach andWes Studi in the filmsA Thief of Time (2004) andCoyote Waits (2003), both adapted fromTony Hillerman novels of the same names and produced byRobert Redford.[40]
In 2005, he played the potential love interest of the female lead inTransamerica. A review of the movie praises Greene's performance as having "charming earthiness" but also notes that his character is allowed to find thetransgender character attractive as "he's allowed to be open-minded because he's aNavajo – in other words, a spiritually open-minded outsider, as opposed to your typical Middle American."[41]
Greene worked withAaron Sorkin onMolly's Game in 2017. In his role as a judge, the actor recalled "Aaron [Sorkin], the director, was looking at me sitting behind the bench. I had a puzzled look on my face. He said, 'Are you all right?' I said, 'Yeah. I've just never seen the bench from this side before.'"[30]
Greene provided the pre-recorded narration forTecumseh!, the highly acclaimed outdoor show held inOhio, based upon the life of the illustriousShawnee chief of the same name. He portrayedSitting Bull in a shortHistoricavignette.[42]
In 2018, Greene acted as the beleaguered Native-American elder Chief Rains Fall in the western-themed video gameRed Dead Redemption 2.[43]
Greene and his wife Hilary Blackmore lived outside of Toronto with a "small army of cats".[15] He had one daughter with actorCarol Lazare.[44] He enjoyed writing, building boats, and playing golf, and noted: "I just want to go and play, I don't care who's looking. It's a game where you get to play against yourself."[45][15] He stated that he had no interest in migrating south to California for roles. "There's no reason to live there. A working actor can live anywhere as long as you have a phone, a fax, and know where the airport is."[7] Regarding his time playing Mr. Crabby Tree (and the follow-up role in the pre-teen showEric's World) he noted "I spent a year payingpenance doing kids' shows."[7]
When discussing Native people in film, Greene noted that he would like to see depictions of his people as more than stoic, saying "My people are very funny."[34]
In June 2008, he was awarded anhonorary doctor of law degree from theBrantford campus of Wilfrid Laurier University.[46]
He was appointed aMember of the Order of Canada (CM) in the2015 Canadian honours.[47][48]
Greene died inStratford, Ontario, on September 1, 2025, at the age of 73.[49]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Running Brave | Eddie Mills[50] | |
| 1985 | Revolution | Ongwata[17] | |
| 1989 | Powwow Highway | Vietnam veteran[50] | |
| 1990 | Dances with Wolves | Kicking Bird[50] | |
| 1991 | Clearcut | Arthur[17] | |
| 1992 | Thunderheart | Walter Crow Horse[50] | |
| Rain Without Thunder | Author on history[17] | ||
| 1993 | Benefit of the Doubt | Sheriff Calhoun[51] | |
| 1994 | Camilla | Hunt Weller[52] | |
| Savage Land | Skyano[17] | ||
| Maverick | Chief Joseph[53]: 208 | ||
| North | Alaskan father[54] | ||
| Rugged Gold | Samuel Smith[17] | ||
| 1995 | Die Hard with a Vengeance | Detective Joe Lambert[50][55] | |
| 1996 | Sabotage | Tollander[17] | |
| 1997 | Wounded | Nick Rollins | |
| 1997 | The Education of Little Tree | Willow John[17] | |
| 1998 | Shattered Image | Detective and store owner (two roles)[50] | |
| 1999 | Grey Owl | Jim Bernard[17] | |
| The Green Mile | Arlen Bitterbuck[56] | ||
| Misery Harbour | Burly[17] | ||
| 2000 | Desire | Detective Connor[17] | |
| 2001 | Lost and Delirious | Joe Menzies[17] | |
| Christmas in the Clouds | Earl[57]: 133 | ||
| 2002 | Duct Tape Forever | Edgar K.B. Montrose[17] | |
| Snow Dogs | Peter Yellowbear[17] | ||
| Skins | Mogie Yellow Lodge[50] | ||
| 2004 | Phil the Alien | Wolf[17] | |
| 2005 | Transamerica | Calvin[17] | |
| Spirit Bear: The Simon Jackson Story | Lloyd Blackburn[17] | Canadian TV movie | |
| 2007 | All Hat | Jim Burns[17] | |
| Just Buried | Henry Sanipass[17] | ||
| Breakfast with Scot | Bud Wilson[17] | ||
| 2008 | Turok: Son of Stone | Lost Land Shaman / Elder #1[17] | Voice role |
| 2009 | The Twilight Saga: New Moon | Harry Clearwater[17] | |
| 2010 | Casino Jack | Bernie Sprague[57]: 129 | |
| Gunless | Two Dogs (N'Kwala)[58] | ||
| 2013 | Chasing Shakespeare | Mountain[59] | |
| Atlantic Rim[53]: 228 | Admiral Hadley | Direct to video | |
| Maïna[53]: 228 | Mishte-Napeu | ||
| 2014 | Winter's Tale | Humpstone John[60] | |
| Corner Gas: The Movie | Fisherman[61] | ||
| 2017 | Wind River | Tribal police chief Ben Shoyo[62] | |
| The Shack | Male Papa[63] | ||
| Molly's Game[53]: 228 | Judge Dustin Foxman | ||
| 2018 | Through Black Spruce | Leo[64] | |
| 2019 | Astronaut | Len[65] | |
| 2020 | A Dark Foe | The Cradle[66] | |
| 2021 | Antlers | Warren Stokes[67] | |
| Defining Moments | Dr. Kelly[68] | ||
| The Wolf and the Lion | Joe[69][70] | ||
| 2023 | Squealer | ||
| 2024 | Seeds[71] | ||
| The Birds Who Fear Death | Chief Ed[72] | ||
| The Great Salish Heist | Chief Roy[73] | ||
| King Ivory | Holt Lightfeather[74] | ||
| 2025 | Sweet Summer Pow Wow | M.C.[75] | |
| The Protector | Brand | ||
| Trail of Vengeance | Hoko[76] | ||
| Protectors of the Land | Grant Strongbow | ||
| Paige Darcy: Reluctant Detective | Mayor[77] | ||
| Icefall | Oz | Posthumous release[27] | |
| TBA | Northbound | Completed, posthumous release[78][79] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Read All About It! | John Norton[17] | 1 episode in |
| 1986 | Spirit Bay | Pete ("Baba")[80] | |
| 1986–1988 | The Campbells | Iroquois man[17] | 3 episodes |
| 1987 | Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future | Cherokee[17] | 1 episode |
| Street Legal | Paulo[17] | ||
| 1988 | 9B | Dan Jackson[17] | Miniseries, 5 episodes |
| 1989 | Where the Spirit Lives | Komi's father[17] | Television film |
| 1990 | Lost in the Barrens | Mawasin[17] | |
| 1991 | L.A. Law | David Wauneka[81] | 1 episode |
| 1992; 1994 | Murder, She Wrote | Sheriff Sam Keeyani / Peter Henderson[17] | 2 episodes |
| 1992 | The Last of His Tribe | Ishi[50] | Television film |
| 1992–1993 | Northern Exposure | Leonard Quinhagak[17] | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| 1993 | Cooperstown | Raymond Maracle[17] | Television film |
| North of 60 | Rico Nez[17] | 1 episode | |
| The Broken Chain | Peace Maker (Spirit)[57]: 398 | Television film | |
| 1994–1997 | The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon | Mr. Crabby Tree[53]: 228 | Recurring role, 17 episodes |
| 1994–2006 | The Red Green Show | Edgar K.B. Montrose[17] | Recurring role, 27 episodes |
| 1994 | Lonesome Dove: The Series | Red Hawk[17] | 3 episodes |
| 1995 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Brown Bear[17] | Voice role, 1 episode |
| Liberty Street | Mr. Jones[17] | 1 episode | |
| 1996 | The Outer Limits | Chief Weapons Officer[17] | |
| The Pathfinder | Chingachgook[17] | Television film | |
| 1997–2001 | Exhibit A: Secrets of Forensic Science | Host[17] | Main role, 65 episodes |
| 2000 | Big Wolf on Campus | Ferryman[17] | 1 episode |
| 2000–2001 | Cover Me | Michael Nighthorse[17] | 4 episodes |
| 2001–2002 | Wolf Lake | Sherman Blackstone[17] | Main role, 9 episodes |
| 2002 | The New Beachcombers | Colin Reid[17] | Television film |
| 2003 | Mister Sterling | Senior Senator Jackson[17] | 1 episode |
| Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion | Elijah Cobb | Miniseries, 2 episodes | |
| 2005 | The Collector | George[17] | 1 episode |
| Spirit Bear: The Simon Jackson Story | Lloyd Blackburn[17] | Television film | |
| Into the West | Conquering Bear[17] | Miniseries, 1 episode | |
| Numb3rs | Chief James Clearwater[17] | 1 episode | |
| Buffalo Dreams | John Blackhorse[17] | Television film | |
| 2006 | This is Wonderland | Paul Hilliard | 1 episode |
| 2010–2011 | Being Erica | Dr. Arthur[28] | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| 2013 | Family Tree | Chief Running Bull[82] | 1 episode |
| 2013–2015 | Defiance | Rafe McCawley[62] | Main role, 28 episodes |
| 2014–2017 | Longmire | Malachi Strand[50] | Recurring role, 12 episodes |
| 2018 | Riverdale | Thomas Topaz[62] | 1 episode |
| The Detour | Narvin | 3 episodes | |
| 2019 | Project Blue Book | David | 1 episode |
| Goliath | Littlecrow[83] | Recurring role, 7 episodes | |
| 2020 | Blue Ridge | Cliff McGrath[84] | Television film |
| 2021 | American Gods | Whiskey Jack | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | 1883 | Spotted Eagle[27] | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 2023 | The Last of Us | Marlon[85] | Episode: "Kin" |
| Reservation Dogs | Maximus[86] | 3 episodes | |
| 2024 | Echo | Skully[27] | Main role, miniseries |
| Tulsa King | Old Smoke[36] | Episode: "Triad" S2E9 | |
| 2025 | The Lowdown | Arthur | 2 episodes |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | Rains Fall[27] | Voice andmotion capture |
| Years | Award | Category | Production | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Dora Mavor Moore | Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Leading Role | Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing. | Won | [87] |
| 1991 | Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Dances with Wolves | Nominated | [88] |
| 1994 | Gemini Awards | Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon | Won | [89] |
| Best Guest Performance in a Series by an Actor or Actress | North of 60 | Nominated | [90] | ||
| 1997 | Indspire Awards | National Aboriginal Achievement Award | Won | [91] | |
| 2000 | Grammy Awards | Best Spoken Word Album for Children | Listen to the Storyteller | Won | [92] |
| 2004 | Gemini Awards | Earle Grey Award | Lifetime Achievement | Won | [93] |
| 2006 | Reelworld Film Festival | Award of Excellence | Won | [94] | |
| 2016 | RNCI Red Nation Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor | Longmire | Nominated | [95] |
| 2025 | Governor General's Performing Arts Award | Won | [96] | ||
| 2025 | Canadian Screen Awards | Best Supporting Performance in a Comedy Film | Seeds | Won | [71] |
