Marlon Brando was one of the most influential actors of all time, but also an enigma in Hollywood. Behind his legendary roles in The Godfather, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Apocalypse Now hid a chaotic, rebellious, and often tragic life.
Here are 15 shocking facts about Marlon Brando that reveal how complex and controversial he really was.
1. He hated Hollywood, despite his success
Brando was seen as the greatest actor of his generation, but he despised Hollywood and everything it stood for.
He called the film industry shallow and corrupt and openly spoke about how money and power destroyed talent. Still, he earned millions and used his fame to expose Hollywood’s hypocrisy.
2. He refused his Oscar for The Godfather (1972)
In 1973, Brando won an Oscar for his iconic role as Vito Corleone in The Godfather. But instead of accepting the award, he sent activist Sacheen Littlefeather to the stage to reject it on his behalf.
He did this to protest the treatment of Native Americans in Hollywood and the U.S. It became one of the most controversial Oscar moments ever.
3. He was a nightmare on the set of Apocalypse Now
During the filming of Apocalypse Now, Brando showed up overweight, unprepared, and refused to read the script.
Director Francis Ford Coppola was desperate, as Brando improvised everything and behaved unpredictably. Coppola eventually had to restructure the film entirely to make Brando’s scenes work.
4. He had a chaotic love life and at least 11 children
Brando had countless affairs and relationships, with both men and women.
He officially acknowledged 11 children, but insiders claim there may have been more. His family history is a maze of secrets, scandals, and drama.
5. His son shot his half-sister’s boyfriend
In 1990, Christian Brando, Marlon’s son, shot his half-sister Cheyenne’s boyfriend at Brando’s Beverly Hills home.
Brando tried to protect his son, but Christian was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The trauma deeply destabilized Brando.
6. His daughter Cheyenne committed suicide
After the murder case, Cheyenne Brando fell into depression and struggled with mental illness.
In 1995, she hanged herself, completely shattering Brando’s world. It was one of the greatest tragedies of his life.
7. He almost got fired from The Godfather
Paramount Studios did not want Brando as Vito Corleone due to his reputation for being difficult and unpredictable.
To land the role, he had to audition and promise not to cause trouble. The result? One of the most iconic performances in film history.
8. He had an obsession with food and became severely obese
Brando’s emotional eating led him to weigh over 150 kilograms (330 lbs) at times.
He would binge on buckets of fried chicken, ice cream, and cheeseburgers, and often had to follow extreme diets for roles. In later life, he became a recluse on his private island.
9. He bought a private island in Tahiti
Brando was so obsessed with Tahiti that he bought his own island, Tetiaroa.
He dreamed of building a utopian community, but it ultimately became a remote retreat where he hid from Hollywood.
10. He was infamous for bizarre behavior on film sets
Brando hated memorizing lines and rarely read scripts.
On the set of Superman (1978), he read his lines off paper, cue cards, or even a baby’s diaper. He earned $3.7 million for only 10 minutes of screen time, while barely knowing what he was doing.
11. He was a fierce supporter of civil rights
Brando used his fame to support the civil rights movement.
He joined protest marches, donated to activist causes, and worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr.
Despite his eccentric lifestyle, he had a deep hatred of injustice and racism.
12. He hated interviews and was unpredictable on television
Brando avoided the media, but when he did appear in interviews, he was chaotic and strange.
On The Dick Cavett Show in 1973, he brought Native American activists, turning the interview into a politically charged and uncomfortable conversation.
13. He had a love-hate relationship with his parents
Brando grew up with an abusive father and an alcoholic mother.
His difficult childhood shaped his personality and emotional instability, which haunted him for the rest of his life.
14. He was nominated for 7 Oscars, but rarely cared
Brando won two Academy Awards, but he rejected the first and was indifferent to the second.
For On the Waterfront (1954) and The Godfather (1972), he delivered legendary performances, but he despised awards and Hollywood’s vanity.
15. His final years were tragic and lonely
Brando spent the last years of his life reclusive and obese, barely able to move.
He died in 2004 from respiratory and heart failure — a shadow of the charismatic, revolutionary star he once was.
Brando: the greatest actor and the ultimate rebel
Marlon Brando was a genius, a rebel, and a mystery. He changed acting forever, but was also a broken man with deep emotional scars.
