Kevin Costner issued a heartfelt message on September 3, 2025, honoring Graham Greene, the Dances with Wolves co-star who died on September 1 at age 73 after a long illness. In a Kevin Costner tribute to Graham Greene, the Yellowstone star reflected on their work together on the film, which marked Costner’s directorial debut and earned Greene a Best Supporting Actor nomination.
A remembrance rooted in a groundbreaking partnership
Costner shared a clip from the 1990 movie in which his character, Lieutenant Dunbar, attempts to converse with Graham Greene’s Kicking Bird and the tribe, tying the tribute to the film’s legacy. He captioned the post with reflections on Greene’s willingness to learn the Lakota language, the pride of his Academy Award nomination for the project, and how the scene conveyed the evolving relationship between Dunbar and the Native community with very few words, praising Greene as a master at work and a wonderful human being.
Greene’s life, roots, and early work
Graham Greene, who was of Oneida First Nation and Canadian descent, grew up on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario. Before turning to acting, he worked as a welder, draftsman, and steelworker, laying the groundwork for a career that would span television and film. His path to prominence began with a 1979 television debut in The Great Detective and a film breakout in 1983’s Running Brave.
Career milestones and memorable roles
Greene’s career breakthrough arrived in 1990 with Dances with Wolves, where his portrayal of the Sioux medicine man Kicking Bird earned him an Academy Award nomination. Over the years, he built a diverse body of work that ranged from lighter television fare like The Red Green Show to powerful dramas such as The Green Mile (1999), in which he played Arlen Bitterbuck opposite Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan. His filmography also includes Maverick (1994), Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), Transamerica (2005), The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), and Molly’s Game (2017).
Late-career projects and ongoing legacy
More recently, Greene appeared in Tulsa King alongside Sylvester Stallone and in HBO’s The Last of Us. One of his final screen appearances was in FX’s Reservation Dogs, a project celebrated for Indigenous storytelling. His last completed project is the upcoming thriller Ice Fall, starring Joel Kinnaman and scheduled for release on 16 October. Greene is survived by his wife Hilary, their daughter Lilly Lazare-Greene, and his grandson Tarlo, marking a personal legacy that sits alongside a prolific career.
Significance and what comes next
Graham Greene’s life and work underscore the enduring contribution of Indigenous actors to mainstream cinema and television, and his collaborations—especially with Costner on Dances with Wolves—remain touchstones in film history. As new projects continue to bring Indigenous stories to broader audiences, Greene’s performances and the conversations they sparked are likely to influence future generations of storytellers, performers, and collaborators. The industry will look to his body of work as a reminder of the importance of language, culture, and representation in authentic storytelling.
