Sacheen Littlefeather aka Maria Cruz died from cancer (10-2-2022). She refused Marlon Brando's Best Actor Oscar (The Godfather) in 1973. The reason is because Brando protested Hollywood's treatment of American Indians on film. It had caused an uproar because the Oscars was seen by a billion TV viewers. Every Oscar year since 1973... Sacheen is remembered for that moment. Native Americans praised her as a "hero" for standing up against the Hollywood establishment.
The Academy wrote Sacheen a letter of apology for the backlash she had received after the 1973 Oscar ceremony. She claimed in her book that she was blacklisted.
The San Francisco Chronicle recently interviewed Sacheen's two sisters (10/22/2022). They had claimed they were not invited to Sacheen's funeral. They also claim that she isn't a Native American. She's of Mexican & White descent.
Sacheen has never showed her Tribal identification card nor paper documents proving that she is an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe. Today, Native activists in Hollywood demand Tribal ID cards and/or paper documents. They want real Indians to play themselves on TV and in movies.
It's interesting that the Native American media are quiet after this San Francisco article came out. It's been 49 years since that Oscar night and Natives have always praised Sacheen as a symbol of "protest." Are they in denial because they want to hold onto that protest moment? It looks like there is no proof of her Native American heritage.
The Academy had no comment on the new revelations. It is unclear whether they will rescind their apology.
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