Saginaw Grant death: Breaking Bad and Lone Ranger actor dies, aged 85

Actor appeared in one of the acclaimed drama’s greatest episodes

The Lone Ranger and Breaking Bad actor Saginaw Grant has died, aged 85.

The Native American star’s publicist, Lani Carmichael announced the news and said that he died peacefully of natural causes.

“He loved both Oklahoma and LA,” Carmichael said. “ He made his home here as an actor, but he never forgot his roots in Oklahoma. He remained a fan of the Sooner Nation.”

Grant, who was the hereditary chief of the Sac and Fox Nation, was born in Pawnee, Oklahoma in 1936. He served in the US Marine Corps during the Korean War.

He began his acting career in the late 1980s, and went on to star in numerous TV shows including The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Baywatch, American Horror Story and Community.

Grant was perhaps best known for his performance as Chief Big Bear opposite Johnny Depp in 2013 film The Lone Ranger and, that same year, he appeared in the Breaking Bad episode “Ozymandias”.

The season five instalment is considered by fans to be one of the best of the entire series.

Grant’s website says that the actor adopted activist Mariana Tosca to be his daughter and a member of the Sac and Fox, Iowa and Otoe-Missouria tribes and that, thanks to customs taught to him his grandparents, be “witnessed many special ceremonies and events taught to very few”.

His official Facebook page released a statement, reading: “Saginaw was always happiest at pow wow sharing the love, energy and tradition of his people. Watching the children grow in the traditions of their ancestors and to share in the spirits of dance to the beat of the drum brought him both joy and peace.

“He enjoyed competing in dance and did so up until Covid temporarily halted gatherings.”