In a groundbreaking moment for Indigenous representation in the film industry, 37-year-old actor Lily Gladstone secured her place in history by becoming the first Indigenous woman to clinch the prestigious Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. The honor recognized her exceptional performance in Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ where she portrayed the real-life Mollie Kyle, a woman whose family and community in the Osage Nation faced the grim reality of serial killings during the 1920s in Oklahoma.
The significance of Gladstone’s win extended beyond the cinematic realm as she marked the occasion by delivering the opening lines of her acceptance speech in the Blackfeet language. Blackfeet, an Algonquian language spoken by the Blackfoot or Niitsitapi people in Montana, added a poignant touch to the moment. Expressing her gratitude, Gladstone emphasized that this historic achievement wasn’t solely hers to claim, stating, “This is for every little rez kid, every little urban kid, every little Native kid who has a dream and is seeing themselves represented in our stories told by ourselves, in our own words, with tremendous allies and tremendous trust from within, from each other.”
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Acknowledging her roots and the supportive community that shaped her, Gladstone recognized her upbringing in the Blackfeet nation. She credited her mother, despite not being Blackfeet herself, for tirelessly working to incorporate the Blackfeet language into their classroom, ensuring that Gladstone had a Blackfeet language teacher during her formative years. With heartfelt appreciation, she spoke directly to the diverse audience in the room, declaring her love for everyone present and expressing the profound impact of her Blackfeet upbringing on her journey in the film industry.
Graciously, Gladstone extended her thanks to Martin Scorsese and her co-star Leonardo DiCaprio, recognizing their roles as catalysts for positive change. Addressing the historical challenges faced by Native actors, she shed light on the industry’s past practice of having them speak lines in English, only to be manipulated in post-production to create the illusion of Native languages on screen. Holding the Golden Globe, Gladstone emphasized that the award was a shared victory, symbolizing unity among the remarkable women involved in the film.
In a closing note, she marveled at her ability to speak even a small amount of Blackfeet, a language she admitted she was not entirely fluent in. With grace and humility, Lily Gladstone’s historic win resonated far beyond the glitz and glamour of the Golden Globes, serving as a beacon of hope and inspiration for future generations of Indigenous artists and storytellers.