Remember when John Wayne’s reaction to Sacheen Littlefeather’s 1973 Oscars speech led to one of the most infamous moments in the award show’s history?
Before Will Smith ever slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, John Wayne nearly caused his own headline-grabbing scene. At the 1973 Academy Awards, the True Grit icon had to be physically restrained by six security guards because he was seconds away from storming the stage.
That year, The Godfather dominated the night. Marlon Brando won Best Actor but ditched the ceremony. In his place, activist Sacheen Littlefeather appeared on stage. Dressed in traditional Apache attire, she calmly rejected Brando’s Oscar while drawing attention to the portrayal of Native Americans in Hollywood and the ongoing Wounded Knee Occupation.
The crowd wasn’t ready. Boos echoed through the room. Some listened. But behind the scenes? It got real. John Wayne was allegedly waiting in the wings, ready to charge. It wasn’t a dramatic metaphor. He reportedly tried to get on stage until six guards blocked him from doing something he’d probably regret forever (via People). Decades later, Sacheen Littlefeather addressed the incident saying, “I remember the faces in the crowd… John Wayne, backstage, had to be restrained by six men from coming to get me and pull me off the stage.”