Lily Gladstone on Holding the Door Open for More Native Actors in Hollywood. Plus, the Brody Awards
Feb 27, 2024
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Lily Gladstone discusses her groundbreaking role in 'Killers of a Flower Moon' and her historic Academy Award nomination, highlighting the importance of representation for Native actors. Film critic Richard Brody presents the Brody Awards, poking fun at Oscar favorites like 'Oppenheimer'.
Lily Gladstone emphasizes the importance of authentic representation for native women in Hollywood, signaling a positive shift in the industry towards inclusivity.
Native actors face challenges in accurately portraying indigenous characters, including the expectation to speak indigenous languages, highlighting the complexity and dedication required for authentic representation.
Deep dives
Lily Gladstone's Historic First Oscar Nomination
Lily Gladstone, nominated for the first native woman for an Academy Award, discussed her acting journey and career. Initially considering seasonal work at the Department of Agriculture before being cast by Martin Scorsese in 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' she portrayed Molly Burkhardt, an Osage woman. Gladstone highlighted the complexities of her character's relationship with her husband, emphasizing the importance of representing native women authentically in cinema.
Educational Performances on Native American Historical Experience
Lily Gladstone's early career featured performances with Living Voices on 'Native American Boarding School Experience,' incorporating historical documents and recorded voices. Teaching about cultural diversity and tribal history to students, Gladstone faced challenges in contextualizing the vastness of native cultures. She reflected on the importance and complexities of educating young audiences about indigenous histories.
Cultural Representation and Language Challenges for Native Actors
Gladstone shared insights on the challenges faced by native actors, including the expectation to speak indigenous languages for certain roles. She emphasized the significance of speaking an indigenous language and the effort required for accurate representation. Acknowledging the misconceptions about native language skills, Gladstone highlighted the complexity and skill needed to portray such roles authentically.
Interpretation and Performance of Historical Characters
Discussing the portrayal of Molly in 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' Gladstone highlighted the complexities of the character and her interactions with other characters. She delved into the nuances of Molly's relationships and the historical context of the Osage reign of terror. By embodying Molly's emotional journey and blind spots, Gladstone aimed to authentically represent the challenges faced by her character.
Lily Gladstone had been in several films, but unknown to most moviegoers, when she got a call for Martin Scorsese’s period drama “Killers of a Flower Moon.” The role was challenging. She plays the historical Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman married to a white man, Ernest (played in the film by Leonardo DiCaprio), who perpetrates a series of murders of Osage people in a scheme to secure lucrative oil rights. Ernest may be poisoning her with a cocktail that includes morphine, and some of the dialogue is in Osage, a language that Gladstone—raised on the Blackfeet reservation in Montana—had to learn. Gladstone is the first Native person nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and is aware of the historical weight the nomination carries. “We’re kicking the door in,” she says. “When you’re kicking the door in, you should just kind of put your foot in the door and stand there,” she adds. “Kicking the door and running through it means it’s going to shut behind you.” Plus, our film critic Richard Brody returns with his annual movie honors: the Brody Awards. An awards show exclusively for The New Yorker Radio Hour, he’ll be handing out imaginary trophies—and trash-talking Oscar favorites like “Oppenheimer”—alongside the staff writer Alexandra Schwartz.
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