Grand River First Nations-born actor Graham Greene dies at 73

Canadian actor Graham Greene, who broke through with memorable roles across several genres at a time when the entertainment industry shunned Indigenous talent, has died at age 73.

His management team said he passed on Monday in Stratford, Ont. after a long illness.

Born in Ohsweken, Ont., Greene was from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation Reserve and starred in a steady stream of film, television and theatre projects from the late 1970s onward.

His TV work included a recurring role as Edgar “K.B.” Montrose on the Red Green Show — shot at CHCH — and shaman Leonard Quinhagak on CBS’ Northern Exposure, both filmed in the 1990s.

Greene received an Oscar nomination for the supporting role of Kicking Bird in the 1990 film Dances With Wolves, an American western co-starring and directed by Kevin Costner that won best picture.

In 2000, he won a Grammy for best spoken word album for children for his work on Listen to the Storyteller.

He received the Order of Canada in 2016 for his achievements in theater and film, and a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in Toronto in 2022.

In 2024 Greene won a Canadian Screen Award for playing a version of himself in the comedy thriller Seeds.

Actor Lou Diamond Phillips said he was “terribly saddened” about his passing.

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

With files from The Canadian Press

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