Saginaw Grant, star of The Lone Ranger and Breaking Bad, has died at the age of 85. The news was announced by the actor's publicist and a statement on his Facebook page read, "It's with heavy hearts we announce a warrior has been called home. Saginaw Morgan Grant, the hereditary chief and medicine man of the Sac & Fox tribe, traveled the world speaking of his traditions, his experiences, his sobriety and his faith as both a Native American and a Christian." Grant died of natural causes and was not thought to have been in ill health prior to his passing.

Best known for his role alongside Johnny Depp in the remake of The Lone Ranger, in The World's Fastest Indian, TV series Breaking Bad, and many classic TV shows such as Baywatch, Nash Bridges and The Last Frontier, Grant was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oceanside International Film Festival in 2014, and he has been a motivational speaker for many years, including providing words of wisdom in relation to the Covid pandemic quarantine and lockdowns of last year.

Grant was born in 1936 in Oklahoma and was a member of the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma. He served in the US Marine Corp during the Korean War during the 50s, and it was not until the late 1980s that he found his way into acting. Making his debut in 1988's War Party, Grant went onto make appearances in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, the revival of British comedy drama series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, American Horror Story, Shameless, Veep and his last roles were in Valley of The Gods and Journey To Royal both in 2017.

While he ended his on screen acting career a few years ago, Grant continued to work in other mediums and ways. He released a music album Don't Let The Drums Go Silent in 2018, which won him the Album of The Year award from NAMA, and became know for spreading his motivational word during his interviews and appearances.

On collecting his Lifetime Achievement Award, he said, "Respect everyone regardless of what color, regardless of what belief. We're all people. We all have feelings. We all know right from wrong. A lot of us take that wrong road, and it hurts us. Teach the children the traditions of our past. "Every nation, every people needs to keep their traditions. To remember who they are. Be proud. Remember, If you know who you are, you will always get somewhere on Mother Earth."

He also shared his thoughts of hope for the future last year in an interview with Native News Online, in which he talked about the isolation of the Covid pandemic and how people would manage to come through it if they took the time to reflect on themselves and be there for others in any way they could. He said, "This isolation is temporary for most, but for many elders what you are now experiencing is the norm. It is human nature to come together in times of crisis, but this time we are having to stay apart for the health and safety of one another. Take this opportunity to get to know yourself and what's important. Take this time to reflect on God's purpose for you. Check on others and let them know you care. Take a moment to find the beauty in a negative situation...spend extra time with someone and let them know they're loved. Recognize the opportunities you have in every situation, know that your choices in a crisis define who you are, let this define you in a positive light."