It appears that cancel culture is now targeting actor and director Clint Eastwood. In particular, Clint Eastwood is being called racist for a comment he made at the 1973 Academy Awards. The comment that Clint Eastwood made was inspired by a statement from Sacheen Littlefeather, a Native American civil rights activist, actress, and model.
Sacheen Littlefeather appeared at the Academy Awards ceremony in place of Marlon Brando, who won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in The Godfather. She took the stage after Marlon Brando refused to accept his award.
As she explained:
“I’m representing Marlon Brando this evening, and he has asked me to tell you, in a very long speech — which I cannot share with you presently because of time, but I will be glad to share with the press afterwards — that he would very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award,” she began.
“And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry, and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee.”
“I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening, and that we will, in the future, our hearts and our understandings will meet with love and generosity,” she concluded.
During this same ceremony, Clint Eastwood would eventually award the Oscar for Best Picture to The Godfather. He took the opportunity to make a joke in response to Sacheen Littlefeather’s speech.
“I don’t know if I should present this award, on behalf of all the cowboys shot in all the John Ford Westerns over the years,” he joked.
Now, nearly 50 years later, social media users have discovered the comment by Clint Eastwood that they’re claiming makes him a racist. As explained by Rafael Shimunov on Twitter:
“Native American actor Sacheen Littlefeather boo’d (and cheered) by Hollywood at the Oscars before being mocked by Clint Eastwood and almost physically assaulted by John Wayne simply for asking that Indigenous people not to be dehumanized in film,” they stated.
They then used this video as an opportunity to share other articles against Clint Eastwood, claiming that he never stopped being racist. Nevertheless, it seems like it won’t have much impact against the 90-year-old actor. Especially considering he still maintains a high place in Hollywood even today.
