Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese’s dreaded crime thriller, has left an impression at the Cannes Film Festival in the little French town.With a star-studded ensemble featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, and Brendan Fraser, the adaptation of David Grann’s book has been approved by the audience as a remarkable experience. But, amidst that all-star cast, a lesser-known name has broken barriers. Actress Lily Gladstone, who plays the lead in Killers of the Flower Moon, is receiving outstanding praise for her performance in the film, with many placing her in the early list of contenders for the following year’s Oscars.
Playing Mollie in the film, her character is regarded as the movie’s conscience, which embodies the Osage tribe’s heart and soul in the life-threatening crisis the movie explores and unravels. But Gladstone hasn’t been a fixture for the global audience before today. Even after being cast in the film, her name didn’t gain much traction. Now that people have seen her acting abilities, Lily Gladstone’s name will cement itself effortlessly. But who is Lily Gladstone, and is it that you have seen her in other works?
Lily Gladstone biography
Lily Gladstone is a Montana-born actress who hails from the Blackfeet and Nimíipuu heritage of Indigenous people. Graduating from the University of Montana, Gladstone holds a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in Acting/Directing and a minor in Native American Studies. Gladstone’s heritage and educational background prove she is the perfect choice for Mollie, given the similarities drawn from her character’s backdrop and the film’s setting and themes.
What was Lily Gladstone’s breakout role?
Lily rose to acclaim with her third feature, Certain Women, in 2016. Starring alongside Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart, and Michelle Williams in Kelly Reichardt’s adapted drama, Gladstone received stand-out praise and applause for her role as the rancher, Jamie, in the movie. Gladstone was nominated for an Independent Spirits Award for her performance while winning several critics associations’ awards in the Best Supporting Actress category. Certain Women proved to play a pivotal role for Gladstone as it was the same film that led to her landing on Martin Scorsese’s radar.
What other productions has Lily Gladstone appeared in?
In crucial episodic roles, Gladstone has appeared in Billions, Room 104, and Reservation Dogs. She has also played minor roles in films such as First Cow (also directed by Kelly Reichardt) and the survival drama Walking Out. In 2023, she played Jax in Erica Tremblay’s directorial debut, Fancy Dance, which opened at Sundance to a rave response. Killers of the Flower Moon would mark Lily’s most mainstream role.
Lily Gladstone is set to appear in a supporting role in the upcoming miniseries Under the Bridge, a true-crime thriller starring Riley Keough, Izzy G, and Michael Buie. The series follows the murder of a fourteen-year-old teenage girl and its aftermath investigations through the lens of the author Rebecca Godfrey (played by Keough).