Lily Gladstone Makes History: Blackfeet Acceptance Speech at Golden Globe Awards for ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.
Lily Gladstone paid tribute to her Blackfeet heritage as she received an award at the Golden Globes.
At the age of 37, Gladstone began her acceptance speech on Sunday, January 7, by addressing the audience in Blackfeet before switching to English.
“I have deep affection for everyone present here. I’m struggling to express my feelings adequately. I briefly spoke in the Blackfeet language, which belongs to a wonderful community and nation that nurtured me and inspired my journey in this field,” she shared. “My mother, despite not being Blackfeet herself, dedicated herself tirelessly to introducing our language into our schools.”
Continuing her speech, Gladstone, the inaugural Indigenous recipient in her category, expressed, “I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to speak a few words in my language, even though I’m not fully fluent. In the past, Native actors used to deliver their lines in English, and then sound mixers would reverse them to simulate Native languages on screen.”
Continuing, the actress expressed her gratitude towards her co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, as well as director Martin Scorsese, for their unwavering support. She wrapped up her speech by acknowledging, “This is a momentous victory that extends beyond just me. Marty, Leo, Bob, I’m grateful to all of you. You’re making a significant impact, and I appreciate your allyship.”
Gladstone emerged victorious in the Best Actress category for a Drama Motion Picture, surpassing competitors Annette Bening (Nyad), Sandra Huller (Anatomy of a Fall), Greta Lee (Past Lives), Carey Mulligan (Maestro), and Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla).
The movie “Killers of the Flower Moon,” based on the real-life events of a string of murders involving Osage indigenous Americans in 1920s Oklahoma, received seven nominations at this year’s awards ceremony.
The film garnered nods in categories such as Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Original Score – Motion Picture, and Best Screenplay – Motion Picture.
Scorsese, aged 81, also secured a nomination for Best Director for his work on the film, while DiCaprio, aged 49, and De Niro, aged 80, received nominations for their performances. Despite these nominations, the film only managed to secure one award.
Gladstone, who made history as the first indigenous nominee for Female Actor in a Motion Picture at the Golden Globes, expressed her deep appreciation in a statement last month, saying, “I am profoundly moved by the Golden Globes recognizing our film and the heartfelt Osage contribution to it. We could never have brought this story to life without the personal involvement of the Osage Nation, and I will remain forever thankful to them, as well as every member of the cast and crew.”
Even though the Killers of the Flower Moon team collaborated closely with the Osage community on the film, receiving full endorsement from Geoffrey Standing Bear, the Principal Chief of the Osage Nation, not everyone within the indigenous community was satisfied with the way the film depicted their people.
In October 2023, Devery Jacobs, star of Reservation Dogs, expressed her sentiments through X, stating, “This film was distressing, harrowing, relentless, and needlessly explicit. As a Native person, watching this movie was an extremely painful experience. Imagine witnessing the most horrific acts committed against your ancestors and then having to endure a film that explicitly portrays those atrocities, with the only reprieve being 30-minute scenes of white characters discussing and planning the killings.”
Later, in a November 2023 X thread, Gladstone acknowledged that the film might be challenging for some individuals to watch.
She advised, “Watch it only if you feel prepared to do so, and watch it alongside people you trust and feel safe with. You may find yourself having to process a lot of intergenerational grief, but remember that you are not alone.”
Gladstone continued, “I take immense pride in the film we created, with the invaluable contributions of numerous leaders, artists, educators, and community advocates from the Osage Nation. It’s essential to never forget that this story is a recent part of history, with enduring effects on living, breathing individuals today. This story belongs to them, and we can all gain valuable insights from it.”
On the other hand, DiCaprio expressed his enthusiasm about collaborating with Gladstone during a shared interview with British Vogue in September 2023.
“Marty had an innate sense that Lily was the perfect choice,” the actor remarked, emphasizing the authenticity that shone through Gladstone’s eyes, even during their initial meeting with Scorsese over Zoom. “She anchors the entire film and the narrative,” he added.
