Academy apologises to indigenous star for historic Oscars abuse

Sacheen Littlefeather appears at the Academy Awards ceremony to announce that Marlon Brando was declining his Oscar as best actor for his role in 'The Godfather', on March 27, 1973. Photo: AP

Nearly 50 years after she was booed off the Oscars stage for declining Marlon Brando's award on his behalf in protest at the film industry's treatment of Native Americans, Sacheen Littlefeather has received an apology from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the group said Monday (Aug 15).

Littlefeather, who is Apache and Yaqui, was heckled at the 1973 Academy Awards while explaining at his behest why an absent Brando could not accept his best actor Oscar for The Godfather.