Graham Greene and Hilary Blackmore were just months from their 35th anniversary in December 2025 when death parted them.
The Dances With Wolves star passed away on Monday, at 73 – and spent his final moments with his beloved wife by his side.
Although their love story is being celebrated, there was one thing they never saw eye to eye on.
Exchanged vows in the Black Hills
Actor Graham Greene is mourned by Hollywood, fans, and most of all, his loved ones. The Canadian star, known for films like Dances With Wolves and The Green Mile, passed away on September 1, 2025, after a long battle with declining health.
At the time of his passing, Hilary Blackmore was by his side in a Toronto hospital. His representative told the New York Post that Greene was “finally free.”
Beyond his legendary status as a Canadian actor, Graham Greene was deeply admired for the life he shared with his wife. The couple married on December 20, 1990, having reportedly met during the filming of Dances With Wolves.
After filming wrapped, they exchanged vows in the sacred Black Hills of South Dakota, near the Dances With Wolves set. Their marriage was officially registered at Toronto City Hall on December 20, 1990.
But according to a 1991 Toronto Star article, Greene and Hilary actually met in 1989 while working on the play Fire at the Passe Muraille Theatre in Toronto.
“I dropped a wrench on her out of the grid to get her attention, so we could finally meet,” Greene recalled.
Eventually, the tall blonde woman with strawberry-blonde hair took notice of him. “I don’t know what she noticed me. I was in my biker mode, with Harley Davidson t-shirts and a bandana wrapped around my head.”
Hilary Blackmore
Hilary had also worked as an actress, handled wardrobe and costume sewing for productions, and even sold shoes. But when Graham’s career took off, she stepped back — a decision she said had been planned for some time.
When Greene learned of his Oscar nomination for the role as Kevin Costner’s native mentor, the medicine man Kicking Bird, Hilary was the first person he called to share the news.
“I called my wife, Hilary, and said, ‘You won’t believe this. I’ve just been nominated for an Oscar,’” Greene recalled.
Two minutes later the phone started ringing and the rest was ”sort of a Christmas morning”, Greene shared with The Gazette.
Even though Graham Greene was a respected and acclaimed actor, he openly stated that he had no interest in moving south to California for roles.
Instead, he and his wife, Hilary Blackmore, chose to live outside Toronto with a “small army of cats.” There, Greene enjoyed writing, building boats, and playing golf, saying, “I just want to go and play, I don’t care who’s looking. It’s a game where you get to play against yourself.”
Why Greene moved from Toronto
Initially, Greene lived in Toronto, but the city’s chaos eventually wore him down. In an interview with The Toronto Star, he recalled reaching his breaking point:
“One day, I was sitting out back in swimming trunks dousing myself with a garden hose listening to the noise of the DVP,” he said, referring to the expressway.
“Hell with this,” Greene thought, and called a realtor friend to say he wanted to move to the countryside.
Soon after, the couple purchased an impressive log house about an hour north of Toronto in Udora. The property spanned over 8.5 hectares, had a pond and a stream, and featured 3,000 square feet of living space plus a studio above the garage.
“The house’s designer Tom Krebs bought all the cobblestone he wanted for a buck,” said Graham. “When the stone heats up from the wood stove, it keeps the place warm. Conversely, in the summer, it keeps it nice and cool.”
“It is so welcoming,” says Hilary. “It is warm and energy-efficient. The wood stove and fireplace take care of business.”
But Graham’s retreat, the studio next to their home, wasn’t exactly open to visitors — especially the ladies.
“I bought a big-screen TV with surround sound,” he said back in 2008.
“Hilary didn’t want it in the house. I call it Tubby’s Club House: no girls allowed. Just Tully, the male cat, and me. I have a gym set up and I read scripts — there is great light because it has windows on all four sides,” Greene explained.
What Hilary didn’t realize
When Hilary married Graham, she hadn’t realized how strong his opinions were about decorating. He favored 18th-century reproductions in the style of George Hepplewhite and Richard Brinsley Sheridan, giving their home a vaguely Georgian feel, while she would have preferred a Mission-style aesthetic.
Graham’s wife could always be found in the loft, which featured two bedrooms and a bathroom. It was filled with her books, TV, and collection of films, offering plenty of space for her and the six rescue cats to relax and spend time together.
It might sound like a dream life to many, but there were a few small tensions in Hilary and Graham’s marriage.
“We argue about…”
“At Christmas, we have a 16-foot tree,” Hilary noted.
“And an accompanying Featherlight ladder,” added Graham.
“We argue about decorating the tree every year,” Hilary admitted. “One year I do it, one year he does it. We do not work well together.”
Perhaps it wasn’t the biggest source of conflict, which says a lot about their relationship — that this was one of the few things they couldn’t agree on.
Being married for 34 years speaks volumes about their mutual respect, especially with one partner having ties to Hollywood, a place rarely associated with stable marriages and loyalty. Yet Hilary and Graham stayed together for decades, proving their commitment.
Greene is survived by his wife of 35 years, Hilary Blackmore, his daughter, Lilly Lazare-Greene, and grandson Tarlo.
Rest in peace, Graham Greene.
Your talent, wisdom, and humor touched so many—on screen and off.
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