"At the 1973 Academy Awards, Marlon Brando won Best Actor for The Godfather, but he refused to accept the Oscar. Instead of attending the ceremony, he sent Apache actress and activist Sacheen Littlefeather to decline the award on his behalf. She took the stage and explained that Brando was boycotting in protest of Hollywood’s negative portrayal of Native Americans in film and television, as well as in response to the ongoing standoff at Wounded Knee between federal agents and members of the American Indian Movement. Littlefeather’s speech was met with a mix of applause and boos from the audience, and she later revealed that security had to prevent actor John Wayne from forcibly removing her from the stage. Brando’s protest became one of the most famous moments in Oscar history, sparking conversations about Native American representation in media. However, Littlefeather faced industry backlash, with some questioning her Native heritage—claims she firmly denied throughout her life. In 2022, the Academy formally apologized to her for the mistreatment she endured following the speech"