8 Hollywood Stars Who Didn't Accept Their Oscars
1. Marlon Brando Dropped Out To Protest Native American Mistreatment
The big kahuna of Oscar rejections is, of course, Marlon Brando. Never has an actor more publicly or more scathingly rejected an Academy Award.
Brando won his second Best Actor Oscar (after 1954's On The Waterfront) for his role in The Godfather at the 45th Academy Awards and, rather than just sit this one out like other other stars who have turned down the award, Brando sent a Native American by the name of Sacheen Littlefeather in his stead.
The voiceover at the ceremony told viewers she was there to accept the award on his behalf, but this couldn't have been farther from the truth. Brando sent Littlefeather to protest the mistreatment of Native Americans by the film industry, referencing events at Wounded Knee, South Dakota, where there was an occupation situation occurring between the government and the Oglala Sioux.
The award's presenter Roger Moore seemed baffled by her refusal to take the golden statue, and some of the audience booed, but Littlefeather and Brando's point was made. And while the pair were criticised by everyone from Clint Eastwood to John Wayne, this stunt garnered the desired attention, casting light on the issue and proving that celebrity activism is actually worth something after all.