“Yellowstone” Actor Gil Birmingham Remembers Friend & Co-Star Graham Greene In Touching Tribute
on Sep 02, 2025
Oscar-Nominated Actor Graham Greene Died On September 1, 2025
Yellowstone star Gil Birmingham is one of many people mourning the loss of the extraordinarily talented actor Graham Greene.
Greene’s agent confirmed with Deadline that the 73-year-old actor died on Monday (September 1). He died at a hospital in Toronto after battling “a long illness.”
Greene starred in dozens of films and TV shows over the years. His most widely recognized role came in 1990, when he played Kicking Bird in Dances with Wolves, directed by Kevin Costner, who also starred in the film.
Dances with Wolves received 12 Oscar nominations, and Greene earned a nod for Best Supporting Actor. Although he didn’t win, Dances with Wolves won Best Picture that year.
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Later, Costner played John Dutton in four and a half seasons of Yellowstone. Greene was also part of the Yellowstone universe, having played Spotted Eagle in the prequel series 1883.
Greene was also known for his roles in Thunderheart, Maverick, Wind River, Skins, The Green Mile, and The Twilight Saga: New Moon, among many other works.
Gil Birmingham Pays Tribute To Former Co-Star Graham Greene
Following Greene’s death, his friend and former co-star Gil Birmingham honored him in a touching tribute on social media. Like Costner and Greene, Birmingham is also part of the Yellowstone universe. He played Chief Thomas Rainwater across Yellowstone‘s five seasons, and will soon reprise his role in the spin-off Y: Marshals.
But Birmingham and Greene never appeared in Yellowstone together. However, they starred alongside each other in several other projects, including the 2005 Western miniseries Into the West.
Birmingham and Greene also co-starred in The Twilight Saga: New Moon, playing Billy Black and Harry Clearwater, respectively.
Additionally, Birmingham and Greene appeared in 2017’s Wind River, directed by Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan. Yellowstone premiered the following year (2018).
After working together many times, Birmingham had a lot of respect for Greene. In his tribute to him, he wrote:
“My heart is broken. We have lost a man of incredible talent who made a positive impact on Native representation in film, inspiring a new generation of Native actors. His great heart was only matched by his wickedly funny sense of humor. My prayers are with his family and friends. Journey on, Graham, R.I.P.”
See Gil Birmingham’s tribute to Graham Greene below.
