The Green Mile actor Graham Greene, who earned international acclaim for his role as Kicking Bird in Dances with Wolves, has died aged 73.
Per The Mirror, his agent confirmed the news, stating Greene passed away in a hospital in Ontario after a period of illness.
He is survived by his wife Hilary Blackmore, their daughter Lilly Lazare‑Greene, and son Tarlo Greene. His decades-long career spanned film, television, theatre, and audio work.
Early beginnings and breakout success
Greene began acting in the late 1970s, initially working in theatre and Canadian television. His film debut came with Running Brave in 1983, but it was his role in Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves that made him a household name.
Released in 1990, the film won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and Greene earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He lost the award to Joe Pesci for Goodfellas, but the performance helped launch a long career in Hollywood.
A prolific presence on screen and stage
Over the following decades, Greene featured in a range of major films, including Thunderheart, Die Hard with a Vengeance, The Green Mile, Wind River, Molly’s Game, and The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
He also appeared in TV series such as American Gods and Riverdale. Outside of screen acting, he won a Grammy Award in 2000 for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for Listen to the Storyteller, and was recognized with a Gemini Award and a Canadian Screen Award. In 2021, he received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.
His final projects include the Canadian romantic drama Sweet Summer Pow Wow and the upcoming thriller Ice Fall, starring Joel Kinnaman and Danny Huston.
Tributes reflect on a powerful legacy
Following his death, Greene’s agent described him as “a great man of morals ethics character and will be eternally missed.” In 2025, he received the Governor General’s Award for lifetime artistic achievement in Canada.
His passing has sparked renewed appreciation for the trail he blazed for Indigenous actors and the weight and integrity he brought to every role.