American actor Marlon Brando Jr. lived from April 3, 1924, to July 1, 2004. He was recognized as one of the most significant actors of the 20th century and won numerous awards over the course of his six-decade career, including three British Academy Film Awards, two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and one Cannes Film Festival Award. In addition, Brando supported numerous causes, including the civil rights struggle and different Native American initiatives. He is recognized as one of the first actors to introduce the Stanislavski technique of acting and method acting to general audiences after studying with Stella Adler in the 1940s.
Brando made the decision to move to New York City to study under renowned German director Erwin Piscator at the American Theatre Wing Professional School, a division of the Dramatic Workshop of the New School. He participated in a school play and liked it, Brando’s sister Jocelyn recalled in the 1988 film Marlon Brando: The Wild One. He made the decision to pursue acting in New York since it was the only thing he had ever found enjoyable. He was 18 at the time. George Englund claimed that Brando started acting in New York because “he was accepted there” in the A&E Biography show on the actor.
He received no criticism. For the first time in his life, he received positive feedback about himself. He stayed on friends’ couches for the first several months of his stay in New York. He briefly shared a residence with Roy Somlyo, who went on to produce Broadway and win four Emmys.
Why did Marlon Brando refuse his Best Actor Oscar?
Sacheen Littlefeather, an actress and activist, attended the ceremony in Brando’s place, stating that the actor “very regretfully” could not accept the award because he was protesting Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans in film.
