THE Lily Gladstone became the first Native American woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in his film Martin Scorsese«The Killers of the Blooming Moon” (“Killers of the Flower Moon”). In particular, Gladstone was recognized for her role as Molly Burkhart, a member of the Osage tribe on whose lands oil was discovered.
The nomination of the actress comes four years after that of the native Mexican Yalitza Aparithio in the same category, for her performance in Alfonso Cuarón’s film, Roma (2018). In the history of the Oscars, two more non-white actresses received nominations. One was the British woman of Indian origin Merly Oberon for the film “The Dark Angel” (1933) and the other New Zealander Kisa Castle-Hughes for the film “Whale Rider”.
Based on the popular best-selling novel of the same name by David Grann, the film takes us to Oklahoma in the 1920s where the members of the Osage tribe, who had become rich due to the oil that was discovered on their land, begin to be murdered one after another. These brutal murders went down in history as the State of Terror.
Other nominations received by Scorsese’s film, starring Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, were Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (for De Niro’s performance), Music and Best Song.
In early January, Gladstone won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama. During her acceptance speech, the actress said: “This award is for every young child in Rez, every child who has dreams, who sees themselves represented and our stories told by ourselves with our own words, with allies and confidence in what we do.”
The 96th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 10, 2024.