Cheyenne Brando
Encyclopedia
Tarita Cheyenne Brando was the daughter of Marlon Brando
by his third wife Tarita Teriipia
, a Tahiti
an whom he met while filming Mutiny on the Bounty
in 1962
.
Born in 1970, Cheyenne was raised by her mother Tarita
on the island of Tahiti
, south of Papeete
. Her parents divorced in 1972.
In 1989, Cheyenne was injured in a car accident when she crashed her boyfriend's jeep after her father refused to allow her to visit him while he was filming The Freshman
in Toronto
, Canada
. The facial injuries she sustained brought an end to her modeling career.
In 1990, Dag Drollet, Cheyenne's boyfriend and father of her unborn child, was shot dead by Cheyenne's elder half-brother Christian Brando
at their father's Mulholland Drive
property in Los Angeles
. This occurred after Cheyenne had alleged that Drollet was abusive. Statements Cheyenne made to the police shortly after the shooting led them to believe that the shooting was not an accident. Her mental state at the time was fragile, and she required sedation
. Her father sent Cheyenne to a hospital in Tahiti, which prevented U.S. authorities from subpoenaing her to testify at the trial of her half-brother Christian; he later was sentenced to 5 years for the voluntary manslaughter
of Dag Drollet.
After arriving in Tahiti, Cheyenne gave birth to a son she named Tuki Brando
. Shortly after Cheyenne tried to take her own life by overdosing on sleeping pills, she was formally diagnosed with schizophrenia
, became isolated from her former friends, and lost custody of her son to her mother (who raised him in Tahiti). In 1995, at the age of twenty-five, Cheyenne committed suicide
at her mother's house by hanging
herself. Neither her father nor her half-brother Christian were able to attend her funeral in Tahiti.
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
by his third wife Tarita Teriipia
Tarita Teriipia
Tarita Teriipaia is a former actress of French Polynesian and Chinese descent most famous for being the wife of Marlon Brando...
, a Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
an whom he met while filming Mutiny on the Bounty
Mutiny on the Bounty (1962 film)
Mutiny on the Bounty is a 1962 film starring Marlon Brando and Trevor Howard based on the novel Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. The film retells the 1789 real-life mutiny aboard HMAV Bounty led by Fletcher Christian against the ship's captain, William Bligh...
in 1962
1962 in film
The year 1962 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May - The Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards are officially founded by the Taiwanese government....
.
Born in 1970, Cheyenne was raised by her mother Tarita
Tarita Teriipia
Tarita Teriipaia is a former actress of French Polynesian and Chinese descent most famous for being the wife of Marlon Brando...
on the island of Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
, south of Papeete
Papeete
-Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront esplanade*Bougainville Park -Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront...
. Her parents divorced in 1972.
In 1989, Cheyenne was injured in a car accident when she crashed her boyfriend's jeep after her father refused to allow her to visit him while he was filming The Freshman
The Freshman (1990 film)
The Freshman is a 1990 American crime comedy film starring Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick, in which Brando parodies his portrayal of Vito Corleone in The Godfather....
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The facial injuries she sustained brought an end to her modeling career.
In 1990, Dag Drollet, Cheyenne's boyfriend and father of her unborn child, was shot dead by Cheyenne's elder half-brother Christian Brando
Christian Brando
Christian Brando was the eldest child of actor Marlon Brando. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of the boyfriend of his half-sister Cheyenne. On May 16, 1990, Christian Brando had shot Dag Drollet to death at Marlon Brando's residence on Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles. He was...
at their father's Mulholland Drive
Mulholland Drive
Mulholland Drive is a street and road in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California. It is named after Los Angeles pioneer civil engineer William Mulholland...
property in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. This occurred after Cheyenne had alleged that Drollet was abusive. Statements Cheyenne made to the police shortly after the shooting led them to believe that the shooting was not an accident. Her mental state at the time was fragile, and she required sedation
Sedation
Sedation is the reduction of irritability or agitation by administration of sedative drugs, generally to facilitate a medical procedure or diagnostic procedure...
. Her father sent Cheyenne to a hospital in Tahiti, which prevented U.S. authorities from subpoenaing her to testify at the trial of her half-brother Christian; he later was sentenced to 5 years for the voluntary manslaughter
Voluntary Manslaughter
Voluntary manslaughter is the killing of a human being in which the offender had no prior intent to kill and acted during "the heat of passion," under circumstances that would cause a reasonable person to become emotionally or mentally disturbed. In the Uniform Crime Reports prepared by the...
of Dag Drollet.
After arriving in Tahiti, Cheyenne gave birth to a son she named Tuki Brando
Tuki Brando
Tuki Brando is a French Polynesian fashion model from Tahiti and currently the face of Versace menswear. The son of Cheyenne Brando and Dag Drollet, he is the grandson of Academy Award-winning American actor Marlon Brando and Golden Globe-nominated Tahitian actress Tarita...
. Shortly after Cheyenne tried to take her own life by overdosing on sleeping pills, she was formally diagnosed with schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
, became isolated from her former friends, and lost custody of her son to her mother (who raised him in Tahiti). In 1995, at the age of twenty-five, Cheyenne committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
at her mother's house by hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
herself. Neither her father nor her half-brother Christian were able to attend her funeral in Tahiti.