Graham Greene, the Oscar-nominated actor known for his roles in Dances with Wolves and Thunderheart, has passed away at the age of 73.

The Hollywood star had an illustrious career spanning nearly half a century, featuring in blockbuster films, television series, and theatre productions. He is perhaps best remembered for his portrayal of Kicking Bird in Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves, a role that earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1990.

However, he sadly passed away in a Toronto hospital on Sunday afternoon, as confirmed by his agent earlier today. While no cause of death was provided, it is understood that Greene had been unwell for some time. The sad news comes as a reality TV star dies ‘unexpectedly’ aged just 39 as tributes pour in.

Greene’s acting journey began in 1976 with television roles, and he made his cinematic debut in the 1983 sports drama Running Brave. This led to his involvement in Revolution, a British historical drama released in 1985.

His major breakthrough came with Dances With Wolves, Costner’s directorial debut and one of the highest-grossing films of 1990. The Western film received widespread acclaim and bagged seven Oscars that year, reports the Mirror.

However, Greene lost the Best Supporting Actor award to Joe Pesci for his performance in Goodfellas.

Nonetheless, Dances with Wolves served as a launchpad for the Ontario-born actor, leading to roles in Thunderheart, Die Hard with a Vengeance, and The Green Mile among other 90s blockbusters. Greene also featured in Snow Dogs, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Wind River, Molly’s Game, and TV shows like American Gods and Riverdale, among numerous other roles.

Following Greene’s death on Sunday, his representative lauded the accomplished performer.

He described Greene, who was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2015, as a gentleman of exceptional moral fibre who will be deeply mourned.

He is survived by his wife Hilary Blackmore, whom he married in 1990, along with their daughter Lilly Lazare-Greene and son Tarlo Greene.

Beyond his Oscar nomination, Greene claimed a Grammy in 2000 for best spoken word album for children through his contribution to “Listen to the Storyteller.”

He also secured a Gemini Award and Canadian Screen Award whilst receiving an Independent Spirit Award nomination.

In 2021, he was honoured with a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

The character performer, who previously worked as an audio technician for rock groups before transitioning to acting at 24, is set to feature in several forthcoming productions including Ice Fall, co-starring Joel Kinnaman and Danny Huston.

His final cinema appearance before his passing was in Sweet Summer Pow Wow, a Canadian romantic drama directed by Darrell Dennis and released this year.