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The accomplished American actress Lily Gladstone inspires with her beautiful journey from the Blackfeet Reservation to Hollywood, reflecting her determination towards ethnic pride. She impressed audiences with her exceptional acting qualities and received critical acclaim. This article explores all the details of Lily Gladstone's background, accomplishments, and ethnic heritage.
What is Lily Gladstone's ethnicity?
Lily Gladstone was born 2 August, 1986 and came from the unique cultural mix of Siksikaitsitapi and NiMíiPuu groups. Her father, Howard, is NiMíiPuu, Nez Perce, and Siksikaitsitapi, who belong to the Blackfeet community. Her mother, Betty, is white and has a diverse heritage that includes Dutch and Cajun influences.
Gladstone's family lived in the Blackfeet Nation community in Browning, Montana, until she was 11. From the Blackfeet Reservation to Hollywood, Lily Gladstone showed the power of work and inspired Indigenous youngsters to preserve their culture while traveling. Young artists like Isabel Deroy-Olson and Paulina Alexis inspire her as she grows. This shows that Indigenous media has a bright future.
What movies has Lily Gladstone been in?
The French film Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian (2013) was Lily Gladstone's breakout performance that rocketed her to Hollywood stardom. She was nevertheless a nominee for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her role as The Rancher opposite Kristen Stewart in Kelly Reichardt's Certain Women (2016). She has made guest appearances on Billions, Room 104, and Reservation Dogs, among others.
In addition, Gladstone's collaboration with the renowned Martin Scorsese in Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) solidified her position as a budding Hollywood sensation. Mollie Kyle Burkhart, an Osage lady who drew inspiration from a real person, was applauded for her exceptional performance.
Lily Gladstone's family
Gladstone grew up with her father, Howard, a Nimiipuu who belongs to the Blackfeet Nation reservation in Browning, Montana, and a white mother, Betty. Her family used to live in a log cabin with limited food from her dad's hunting. Howard had an extensive collection of vintage films recorded via cable TV while they were in the Rocky Mountain foothills, and he had undying affection for Marty Scorsese's work, Kundun (1997).
Lily also shared a personal anecdote while conversing with The Guardian that sheds light on her upbringing. The actress said:
"I lived in the reservations until I was 11 when we moved for lack of economic opportunities."
On her mother's side, she is descended from the first cousin of the British Prime Minister William Gladstone, while on her father's side, her great, great grandfather was Red Crow - a treaty chief.
Lily Gladstone's achievements
Gladstone won the Best Actress in a Motion Picture—Drama award to become the Globes' first Indigenous actor recipient. She accepted her first Golden Globe (2024) and spoke to a live TV audience in the Blackfeet language.
“This is a historic win. This is for every little rez kid, every little urban kid, every little Native kid out there who has a dream, who is seeing themselves represented and our stories told — by ourselves, in our own words—with tremendous allies and tremendous trust from and with each other.”
Gladstone won for her role as Mollie Burkhart in Martin Scorsese's epic Killers of the Flower Moon. In the film, her character's family was murdered in a reign of terror in which the Osage were targeted for the headlights to their oil-rich land in Oklahoma. Furthermore, the actress passionately described her pronoun use as a self-discovery and reclaiming quest to decolonize gender.
Gladstone wants to change gender norms by borrowing from Indigenous cultural practices that resist binary categorizations. She urges the communities to consider the enormous implications of language and representation as she navigates pronoun usage, encouraging a more inclusive and nuanced gender discussion in the cultural environment.
