Cheyenne Brando, the daughter of iconic actor Marlon Brando, was a Tahitian model whose life was marked by tragedy and mental anguish. Born in 1970 to Marlon’s third wife, a Tahitian actor, Cheyenne spent her early years in Tahiti with her mother. Despite being fascinated by her famous father during her childhood, she grew to resent him for abandoning her. As she entered adulthood, Cheyenne pursued a career in modeling but also fell victim to drug abuse. A devastating car accident in the late 1980s put an end to her modeling aspirations and plunged her into depression. During this time, she was in a relationship with Dag Drollet, which ended tragically when her stepbrother Christian shot him dead after Cheyenne claimed he had physically abused her. Struggling with her mental health, Cheyenne’s testimony was not accepted, and she became a mental patient. In April 1995, she tragically took her own life, finally finding an end to her mental agony.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Tarita Cheyenne Brando
- Died At Age: 25
- Family:
- Father: Marlon Brando
- Mother: Tarita Teriipaias
- Siblings: Angelique Brando, Christian Brando, Dylan Brando, Lisa Brando, Maimiti Brando, Michael G. Gilman, Miko Brando, Myles Jonathan Brando, Ninna Priscilla Brando, Petra Brando-Corval, Raiatua Brando, Rebecca Brando, Simon Teihotu Brando, Stephen Blackehart, Timothy Gahan Brando, Warren Brando
- Children: Tuki Brando
- Born Country: French Polynesia
- Models
- Pisces Models
- Died on: April 16, 1995
- Place of Death: Puna’auia, French Polynesia
- Cause of Death: Suicide By Hanging
- Diseases & Disabilities: Schizophrenia
Background
Cheyenne Brando was born on February 20, 1970, in Tahiti, to Marlon Brando and Tarita Teriipaia. Her father, Marlon Brando, was a famous Hollywood actor and is considered a legend. Marlon met Tarita on the set of his film ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ in 1962, and they eventually got married. However, Marlon was known for his infidelity and had many affairs during his marriage to Tarita. Before Cheyenne was born, Tarita had another son with Marlon, named Tehotu. Due to her concerns about raising her children in Hollywood, Cheyenne moved to Tahiti with her two children and did not allow them to visit their father in the US. Marlon would visit his children for a few days each year and even bought a lavish estate for them in Tahiti, believing it was better for them to stay away from the US.
Relationship with Father
Although Cheyenne didn’t see much of her father while growing up, she loved him and would brag about him to her friends. She would get excited whenever Marlon would visit the family. However, as she entered her teens, her feelings towards her father turned from love to bitterness. She even badmouthed him in front of others. Cheyenne was not interested in academics and dropped out of high school. She became addicted to drugs but decided to start a modeling career to turn her life around. Being Marlon Brando’s daughter, she had no trouble finding steady jobs.
Tragic Love Life
In May 1987, at the age of 17, Cheyenne fell in love with Dag Drollet, a man six years older than her and the son of a prominent political figure in Tahiti. They met through a family gathering, as their families were friends. They started dating, and Cheyenne felt it was the best thing that had ever happened to her. She quit drugs and began dreaming of a bright future. In 1989, she became pregnant, and Marlon invited both of them to live with him in his Los Angeles mansion. However, tragedy struck on May 16, 1990, when Dag was shot dead by Cheyenne’s half-brother, Christian Brando. Christian claimed that Dag had been abusing Cheyenne and that he had only intended to threaten him, but Dag attacked him and accidentally shot himself. Christian was arrested and charged with murder. Cheyenne refused to testify in favor of her brother and fled to Tahiti. She gave birth to her son, Tuki Brando, and attempted suicide twice. This marked the beginning of her mental health issues that continued until her death. Christian had no way to prove his innocence and accepted a deal, resulting in a 10-year prison sentence for the murder.
Worsening Mental Health
Cheyenne had been dealing with mental health issues since her teenage years and used drugs to cope, which further affected her mental and physical health. Another factor that contributed to her deteriorating mental health was a car accident she had in 1989, which left her with severe facial injuries. Although extensive surgeries helped cover up the damage, her modeling career came to an end, leading to chronic depression and drug addiction. She experienced heavy bouts of depression and attempted suicide multiple times during this period.
Final Years & Death
Cheyenne blamed herself for her brother’s imprisonment and was unhappy with her father. She was admitted to a psychiatric hospital and went to drug rehabilitation centers in the early 1990s. She was under surveillance due to her suicide attempts. She publicly accused her father of sexually abusing her since she was seven years old, but Marlon denied the claims. Cheyenne feared for her life, believing her father could have her killed for exposing him. She was diagnosed with schizophrenia and deemed unfit to care for her son, who was given custody to her mother in Tahiti. Cheyenne became isolated from her friends and family and lived a dark, lonely life in her final months. She was discharged from the hospital in early 1995 and hanged herself on April 16, 1995. Neither her father nor her half-brother attended her funeral. Despite having everything in her life, Cheyenne struggled to find happiness and ultimately succumbed to her demons.