While the world still debates Will Smith's slap, half a century ago, there was another moment at the Academy Awards which is being remembered.
In 1972, Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Godfather' was a resounding success when it hit screens across the world in 1972. It was the highest-grossing film that year and it has an enduring cultural legacy.
Marlon Brando, who starred as Don Vito Corleone in the film, received his sixth nomination for the Best Actor Award, a gong he had won almost two decades before in 'On The Waterfront'.
But in 1973, he declined the invitation to attend the ceremony, and ultimately accept his award.
Instead, Apache and Yaqui actor and activist Sacheen Littlefeather appeared on stage on behalf of Brando to refuse the statue.
She denounced the misrepresentation of Native American people on screen and called for a change in the broader industry, saying Brando could not accept accolades until that change occurred.
She also stated that Brando was standing in solidarity with Native Americans and recent happenings at the 1973 'Second Wounded Knee' occupation.
Littlefeather, who was President of the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee at the time, explained that due to time restrictions she couldn't read out the speech that Brando had given her.
"Mr Brando very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award today, and the reasons for this are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry, and on television and movie reruns and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee," she said amidst both boos and also applause from the audience.
But that wasn't all.
John Wayne 'Restrained by six security men'
She also stated that American actor John Wayne, who had demonstrated his views on white supremacy when he was alive, was on the side of the stage during her appearance.
"He was coming towards me to forcibly take me off the stage, and he had to be restrained by six security men to prevent him from doing so,” she said.
And later in the show, Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood also mocked Littlefeather, saying he was presenting an award on behalf of “all the cowboys shot in all the John Ford Westerns.”
Wayne was also quoted as being critical of Brando and dismissive of Littlefeather.
"If (Brando) had something to say, he should have appeared that night and stated his views instead of taking some little unknown girl and dressing her up in an Indian outfit,” he told Entertainment Weekly at the time.
Littlefeather blacklisted
Despite the treatment she received, Littlefather's appearance marked the beginning of a new form of protest.
It was the first time in the awards ceremonies' history that its stage had been used to call for political calls to action.
Following the speech, Littlefeather said that she was 'blacklisted' by the entertainment industry for her protest appearance and never worked in Hollywood again. She said she received threats and that the media published false claims about her, including about her identity.
And Jada Pinkett-Smith, who this week was on the receiving end of a joke about her appearance by Chris Rock that ultimately led to her husband slapping him in front of the world, has said that Littlefeather was the inspiration for her own boycott of the ceremony in 2018.
She wrote an email to Littlefeather at the time of her own protest around the white-washing of the industry.
"Your speech and the position you and Mr. Brando took was a much-needed validation for my position," she wrote.
"Thank you for being one of the brave and courageous to help pave the way for those of us who need a reminder of the importance to simply be true."
Sacheen Littlefeather holds the speech that Marlon Brando had given her at the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles March 27, 1973. Source: AP
