Lily Gladstone Bio
Lily Catherine Gladstone (born August 2, 1986) is an American actress known for her powerful performances and cultural representation. Raised on the Blackfeet Reservation, she has roots in Piegan Blackfeet, Nez Perce, and European heritage. Her critically acclaimed role as Mollie Kyle in Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ solidified her status as a leading talent in the film industry, earning her a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination. Gladstone brings unique perspectives to her work, illustrating the complexities of Indigenous identity and narratives in contemporary cinema.
Early Life and Background
Gladstone was born on August 2, 1986, in Kalispell, Montana. Raised on the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, Montana, she is of Piegan Blackfeet and Nez Perce ancestry on her father’s side, and European heritage on her mother’s side. One of her paternal great-great-grandfathers was Kainai Nation chief Red Crow. Gladstone’s desire to portray an Ewok after watching ‘Return of the Jedi’ at the age of five inspired her to become an actress. One of her first acting experiences as a child was when Missoula Children’s Theatre came to her East Glacier, Montana, hometown and cast her as an evil step-sister in ‘Cinderella.’ Gladstone’s family moved to the Seattle area during her middle school years to be closer to her grandmother. There she enrolled in Stone Soup Theatre, a nonprofit educational theatre company for Seattle youth, starring in student films and theses. In 2004, she graduated from Mountlake Terrace High School in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. In 2008, she graduated from the University of Montana with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting/Directing and a Native American Studies minor. At the University of Montana, she became interested in Theatre of the Oppressed and performed in several productions. Upon graduating, she taught acting classes and workshops in her Native community.
Path to Hollywood
Gladstone made her film debut in ‘Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian’ (2012). She then acted in ‘Winter in the Blood’ (2012) and ‘Buster’s Mal Heart’ (2016) before making her career breakthrough as Jamie, a rancher, in Kelly Reichardt’s film ‘Certain Women’ (2016). The role earned Gladstone the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also received nominations for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female and Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor. Gladstone performed the role of Kate Keller in the 2014 Montana Repertory Theatre’s national touring production of ‘The Miracle Worker.’ She was in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival acting company in 2017 and starred in the Yale Repertory Theatre production of Mary Kathryn Nagle’s ‘Manahatta’ in 2020. In 2017, Gladstone hosted a series on the educational YouTube channel Crash Course about film production.
Lily Gladstone Career
Early Career (2012–2022)
Gladstone made her film debut in ‘Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian’ (2012). She then acted in ‘Winter in the Blood’ (2012) and ‘Buster’s Mal Heart’ (2016) before making her career breakthrough as Jamie, a rancher, in Kelly Reichardt’s film ‘Certain Women’ (2016). The role earned her critical acclaim and several awards. She also had a small role in Reichardt’s 2019 film ‘First Cow’ before starring in the 2022 film ‘The Unknown Country,’ directed by Morrisa Maltz, for which she received the Gotham Independent Film Award for Outstanding Lead Performance.
Breakthrough (2023–Present)
Gladstone was cast in the lead role of Mollie Kyle in Martin Scorsese’s 2023 feature film ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ which was released theatrically in October 2023. Her performance received critical acclaim and was described as a highlight of the film. In January 2024, she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, becoming the first Indigenous person to win an acting Golden Globe. She also became the first Native American nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. In February 2024, she became the first Indigenous actor to win the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Female Actor. Earlier in 2023, Gladstone starred in ‘Fancy Dance,’ which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim. In 2024, she starred in the crime drama miniseries ‘Under the Bridge,’ about the murder of Reena Virk, earning her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
Notable Works and Milestones
Lily Gladstone’s signature work includes her role in ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ which earned her multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe win. Her performances have highlighted the complexities of Indigenous identity in contemporary cinema.
Lily Gladstone Award Nominations
Throughout her career, Lily Gladstone has received several nominations for prestigious awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award and Independent Spirit Award, reflecting her talent and impact in the industry.
Lily Gladstone Awards Won
Lily Gladstone has won several notable awards, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Female Actor, marking significant milestones in her career.
| Award | Wins | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Globe Awards | 1 | 2024 |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | 1 | 2024 |
Lily Gladstone Family
Information regarding Lily Gladstone’s family background is limited in public records.
Personal Life
Lily Gladstone goes by both “she” and “they” pronouns. In 2023, she explained that her pronoun use is partly a way of decolonizing gender for herself. She is a member of the LGBTQ community and has expressed that she cannot put a label on her sexual orientation, referring to herself as queer, pansexual, straight, and demisexual.
