Graham Greene, a Canadian First Nations actor who helped pave the way in Hollywood for Indigenous performers, died on September 1, 2025. He was 73 years old. The late Academy Award nominee and multi-talented artist died following a “long illness,” per Deadline, and his agent released a statement about his death.
“He was a great man of morals, ethics and character and will be eternally missed,” Greene’s agent, Michael Greene (who has no relation to the late actor) said. “You are finally free. Susan Smith is meeting you at the gates of heaven.”
Below, Hollywood Life is remembering Greene, his life and acting career.
Graham Greene has sadly passed away at the age of 73. pic.twitter.com/MDloU7YwgU
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) September 1, 2025
Graham Greene Worked Odd Jobs Before Becoming an Actor
While growing up in Ontario, Canada, Greene worked multiple jobs before becoming an actor. He reportedly worked as a welder, draftsman, steel worker and audio technician for rock bands in Newfoundland and Labrador. Throughout the 1970s, Greene landed theatrical roles in Ontario and in England.
Eventually, Greene landed his first on-screen acting role in an episode of The Great Detective. He made his feature film debut in 1983’s Running Brave.
Greene Was Nominated for an Oscar & a Grammy
Greene starred in Kevin Costner‘s 1990 film, Dances With Wolves, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He later won a Grammy in 2000 for Best Spoken Word Album for Children.
Graham Greene’s Movies: His Famous Big Screen Roles
From the 1980s through the end of his life, Greene starred in countless movies. Among his most famous roles were Kicking Bird in Dances With Wolves, Walter Crow Horse in Thunderheart, Detective Joe Lambert in Die Hard with a Vengeance, Arlen Bitterbuck in The Green Mile, Harry Clearwater in The Twilight Saga: New Moon and Tribal Police Chief Ben Shoyo in Wind River.
Green’s most recent film performance was in 2025’s Sweet Summer Pow Wow. He will posthumously be featured in the upcoming movie Ice Fall.
Heartbroken. Terribly saddened to hear of the passing of Graham Greene at only 73.From Wolf Lake to Longmire, we had a beautiful friendship.An Actor’s Actor. One of the wittiest, wiliest, warmest people I’ve ever known. Iconic and Legendary. RIP, My Brother. pic.twitter.com/lJA0dKEoxz
— Lou Diamond Phillips (@LouDPhillips) September 1, 2025
Graham Greene’s TV Show Roles
In television, Greene got his start by appearing in episodes of famous shows, including L.A. Law and Murder, She Wrote. In recent years, he starred in Riverdale, 1883, The Last of Us, Echo and Tulsa King.
Graham Greene’s Cause of Death: His Illness Explained
Greene reportedly died from an illness, but the details of his ailment have not been disclosed by the time of publication. Deadline reported that his illness was “long” and that he died in a Toronto hospital on September 1, 2025.
