Lily Gladstone’s riveting performance in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” has positioned her as a frontrunner for an Oscar. In an interview with The Guardian, Lily Gladstone opens up about her initial nervousness, the significance of Native American representation in Hollywood, and forming a unique bond with co-star Leonardo DiCaprio through shared cigarettes. This role not only highlights her acting prowess but also sheds light on the evolving landscape of Indigenous storytelling in cinema.
She expressed initial intimidation,“I was definitely intimidated at first. With a role as big as Molly, you’ve just got to get through that quickly. But my hands were shaking the first day with Leo, and the same with Robert.”
Gladstone shared a moment of breaking the ice with DiCaprio over cigarettes and conversation. Lily Gladstone responds in the interview, “He invited me over to dinner. We were sitting outside at his place with a fire going and just talking. He pulled out a packet of cigarettes, and I hadn’t brought mine with me. So I was like: “Oh, I’m sorry. Can I bum one?” So it was the two of us sharing a few cigarettes over the fire and just getting to know each other that really broke the ice. And then he said: “This feels good. We need to put this in the film somehow. I think Ernest and Molly should smoke together.” I was like: “Yeah, that sounds great.” A lot of ladies would have their little pipes – tobacco was very much a thing. So we enjoyed that. It’s funny, as since then, both of us have quit.”
Also, Read: 10 Facts You Didn’t Know about Killers of the Flower Moon
She also highlighted the need for Native stories to be told by Indigenous filmmakers and addressed the film industry’s focus on white narratives. Despite the challenging role, Gladstone found solace in the Native presence on set and emphasized the importance of balancing heavy themes with humor and celebration.
