Leonardo DiCaprio says Hollywood has a “checkered past” depicting Native Americans
Ahead of the release of Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, Leonardo DiCaprio has claimed Hollywood has a “checkered past” regarding the depiction of Native Americans and conceded “we need to do more”.
DiCaprio, who stars in Scorsese’s upcoming film which arrives in cinemas on October 20th, made the comments to British Vogue ahead of the SAG-AFTRA strike. The film explores the story of the Osage tribe of the United States who mysteriously begin to be picked off one by one, prompting an FBI investigation.
Killers of the Flower Moon is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by David Grann, the epic uncovers the brutal murders of countless Osage tribe members all in the name of money and profitable oil wells.
Discussing the film’s story, DiCaprio commented: “It’s a completely forgotten part of American history, and an open wound that still festers. Hollywood has a long history and checkered past in its depiction of Native American people. We need to do more.”
He added: “You know, we are coming towards a great reckoning of our past. The more that these stories can be told in a truthful way, the more it can be a healing process.”
Elsewhere in the interview, he praised his co-star Lily Gladstone, who he claimed “carries the entire film”. The Academy Award-winner told the publication: “Lily is absolutely astonishing in this movie. She carries the entire film and the story.”
DiCaprio also revealed Scorsese immediately knew Gladstone was made for the role due to the “truthfulness” he registered in her eyes during a virtual call. “There was no reading. Marty just instinctively knew Lily was the one. … I’ve never known [Scorsese] meet somebody and then immediately afterwards have this gravitational pull and instinct to say, ‘Let’s not wait another minute,'” he stated.
Watch the latest trailer for Killers of the Flower Moon below.
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