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Happy Birthday Lily Gladstone: Revisiting Her 5 Best Roles As Actress Turns 38
Popular American actress and Golden Globe awardee Lily Gladstone recently turned 38. Here we have explored the 5 best roles of her.
Lily Gladstone made history by becoming the first Native American actor to receive a Best Actress nomination at the Oscars for her role in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. This is only the second Oscar nomination for a Native American performer, following Chief Dan George’s Supporting Actor nomination in 1970.
If Gladstone wins, she would be the first Native American to win an acting Oscar. Her performance as Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman in the 1920s whose husband was involved in mass murders of her people, has been widely acclaimed. Gladstone, who gained fame through films like Certain Women, continues to advocate for Indigenous representation in film.
As the Oscars approach, Lily Gladstone's past work highlights roles that showcase her talent. The ranking focuses on the strength of her performances rather than the overall quality of the films. Here are IndieWire’s picks for Gladstone’s five best film and TV performances so far.
1. Fancy Date
Lily Gladstone plays Jax, a young woman caring for her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) on the Seneca–Cayuga Nation Reservation after her sister's disappearance. In Erica Tremblay’s debut film, Jax and Roki set out to find Roki’s sister when Jax's custody of the girl is threatened.
While Fancy Dance isn't widely available yet, as it went without a distributor for a year after its 2023 Sundance premiere, it has since been acquired by Apple TV+. Gladstone's performance was praised for being tough and empathetic, and she's expected to receive more accolades when the film reaches a broader audience.
2. The Unknown Country
Lily Gladstone plays Tana, a woman from Minnesota who embarks on a cross-country road trip in Morrisa Maltz’s indie film. As Tana travels to Texas, she grieves the death of her grandfather and connects with family, friends, and strangers along the way, using the journey as a healing process.
Gladstone shines in The Unknown Country, a quiet film that requires a lead who can convey a story of healing and community. She excels with minimal dialogue, expressing emotions through subtle facial expressions. Her performance earned her the Gotham Award for Outstanding Lead Performance.
3. Reservation Dogs
Lily Gladstone appears in two episodes of FX on Hulu’s series Reservation Dogs as Hotki, an imprisoned Indigenous woman and the aunt of main character Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis). Hotki, a medicine woman who has neglected her practice and sees a guardian spirit, offers advice to Willie Jack after the suicide of her son, Daniel.
Gladstone's performance is especially notable in the Season 2 episode Offerings. She portrays Hotki as gruff and down-to-earth, yet she is burdened by grief over her son's death, causing her to shut down emotionally. Gladstone beautifully handles Hotki's subtle transformation and emotional reopening in just 25 minutes of screen time.
4. Killers of the Flower Moon
Lily Gladstone plays Mollie Kyle, a real-life Osage woman who was married to Ernest Burkhart from 1917 to 1926, in Killers of the Flower Moon. The film tells the story of how Ernest and his uncle, William King Hale, plotted to inherit wealth by murdering Mollie's family. Mollie herself narrowly survived a poisoning attempt.
Gladstone's portrayal of Mollie is central to the film, making her as much of a lead as Leonardo DiCaprio. Her performance adds depth and emotion, capturing Mollie's heartbreak and conflict. Despite limited screen time, Gladstone's nuanced acting, especially in her final scene, stands out as one of the year's best performances, showcasing her immense talent.
5. Certain Women
In Kelly Reichardt’s film Certain Women, Lily Gladstone plays Jamie, a ranch hand in Livingston, Montana, who forms a fragile connection with Beth (Kristen Stewart), a young lawyer teaching an education law class.
Gladstone’s performance in Certain Women was her breakout role, receiving praise that rivaled the more prominent cast members, Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart, and Michelle Williams. Her portrayal of Jamie is subtly authentic and deeply moving, capturing the quiet strength and emotional depth of her character.
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