She became famous all over the world for having taken the Oscar stage in 1973 to refuse, on behalf of Marlon Brando, the statuette won by the American star for The Godfather.
Sacheen Littlefeather, then 26-year-old Native American sent on stage by Brando to read a speech in defense of the natives was booed by the audience, and today, almost 50 years later, the Oscars apologized.
The Academy pointed out that Littlefeather suffered "unwarranted and unwarranted" abuse after her brief speech. "I never thought I'd live long enough to see the day I would hear all this," Littlefeather ironically told the Hollywood Reporter
.
Introducing himself on behalf of Brando - who had written "a very long speech" - Littlefeather had briefly told the audience "that with great regret he cannot accept this very generous award".
"And the reasons for this are the treatment of American Indians today by the film and television industry, and also by the recent events in Wounded Knee",
Being greeted by boos and a few applause from the audience.
Subsequently, malignancy circulated that the woman was just an upstart actress, or even Brando's lover.
"The abuse you endured ... was unwarranted and still unwarranted," wrote David Rubin, former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in a letter to Littlefeather released today
.
Rubin said the speech at the 45th Academy Awards "continues to remind us of the need for respect and the importance of human dignity."
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will host an event in September where Littlefeather will talk about her 1973 Oscar appearance
and the future of indigenous on-screen representation.
In response to the apology, she remarked:
"We Indians are very patient people - it's only been 50 years!", Adding that maintaining a sense of humor is "our way of survival".