‘Indian Country is celebrating.’ Gladstone’s Golden Globe win sparks Indigenous cheers

On the evening of Jan. 7, actor Lily Gladstone’s triumphant words thundered through the television.

“This is for every little rez kid, every little urban kid, every little Native kid out there who has a dream,” Gladstone said, holding her Golden Globe Award for best performance by a female actor in a motion picture - drama.

Social media feeds erupted.

“When you’re on Blackfoot Territory and a Blackfoot wins, for the first time ever, a Globe…I wish you all could see from my feeds how happy NDN folkx are right this second,” Native Calgarian Podcast said in an X, formerly known as Twitter, post.

Gladstone is the first Indigenous person to win a Golden Globe for the category, according to ABC News and other news outlets. The award is for her performance in Martin Scorsese’s film “Killers of the Flower Moon.” The award-winning actor is half Blackfoot (also called “Blackfeet”), referring to a nation of people who have historically inhabited present-day Montana and Southern Alberta.

Osage News posted a video of community members watching the ceremony and jumping to their feet, cheering when Gladstone’s name was called for the award.

“Congratulations, Lily!! All of Indian Country is celebrating with you,” Cherokee Film said in an X post.

“The Blackfoot Confederacy is proud of you!” Blood Tribe Communications — Tsinikssini said in a post on Facebook. The Blackfoot Confederacy is the collective name for three linguistically similar Indigenous nations.

Gladstone’s acceptance speech opened in Blackfeet language, which was a monumental moment on its own. In her words, the film industry used to allow Indigenous actors to speak only in English. Back then, sound mixers would then run the English tapes backwards to create the effect of Native languages on camera, she said during her acceptance speech.

Her victory resonated with many Indigenous creatives in the arts. A win of this kind is far overdue, groups said, as Indigenous people are present in many facets of filmmaking but rarely get recognized. Awards shows have had a history of overlooking their work.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, there have been only three Indigenous nominations for Golden Globes before now. In 2020, Indigenous director Taika Waititi was nominated for “Jojo Rabbit” in the best musical/comedy film category. In 2022, “Reservation Dogs” was nominated for best musical/comedy series. Irene Bedard was nominated for best actress in a miniseries or TV movie for “Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee” in 1995, according to ABC News.

Gladstone is only the second Indigenous person to be nominated in the best female actor category, nearly 30 years later.

“Diversity, inclusion, and representation are not mere buzzwords but essential components of a thriving and inclusive film industry,” Not Our Native Daughters said in a celebratory post on Instagram.

“This groundbreaking win not only shatters barriers but also paves the way for future generations of Indigenous actors and storytellers,” the organization wrote.

And while the title “Indigenous” encompasses innumerable communities and nations, there seemed to be unity in the feeling of triumph, along with hope for the future of creativity and filmmaking.

“You have ignited a spark that will inspire generations to come,” Not Our Native Daughters wrote.

“Every little rez kid felt this in their heart,” @michaellllll45 wrote in a post on X. “Lily Gladstone you have no idea what an impact you have made on NDN Country.”

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