‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ Actress Lily Gladstone On How Her Childhood Prepared Her For The Role

Director Martin Scorsese’s most recent film, Killers of the Flower Moon, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone, premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. Adapted from the 2017 nonfiction book by David Grann, the film surrounds a real-life couple, Mollie Burkhart (Gladstone) and Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio), living in 1920s Oklahoma amid the violent murders of Osage Nation members by white residents over oil and minerals, known as the ‘Reign of Terror.’ 

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Gladstone discusses the complexities of being raised as a child on the Blackfeet Nation reservation in Browning, Montana. Of Blackfeet and Nimiipuu heritage from her father and European heritage from her mother, Gladstone reminisces about watching countless movies with her grandma and dad. However, poor living conditions, bullying, and food insecurity on the reservation often overshadowed these happy moments. Gladstone states that despite her troubles, her father supported her passion for acting and film.

When cast for the role of Mollie Burkhart, Gladstone’s heritage and sensitivity towards oppressed people informed her in preparing for the film. Co-star Leonardo DiCaprio praised Gladstone for her diligence and empathy towards the characters and cast. 

“She spent months studying Mollie Burkhart and her family, working extensively to understand the intricacies of this woman, her relationship with Ernest and her legacy within the Osage community. As a Native actor, in a lot of ways, she became a source of guidance for all of us, Scorsese included, in terms of how we told the story.”

To pay homage to the Osage Nation, both stars met with Osage leaders, consulted with Osage tribal rights lawyer Wilson Pipestem, and learned to speak the Osage language. 

While Indigenous and Native representation in Hollywood has increased in recent years (Beans (2020), Reservation Dogs (2021-present), Dark Winds (2022), and Prey (2022)), Gladstone believes that there is more work to be done. 

“There’s a big can of worms that’s being opened. A lot of institutions need to be held accountable for this period of time. This movie just scratches the surface.”

The film will premiere in select theaters on October 6, 2023, before expanding on October 20, 2023, and then streaming globally on Apple TV+.