Louis Gossett Jr.., recognized for being the first African American to win an Oscar as best supporting actor for his role in 'An Officer and a Gentleman', died at the age of 87 in Santa Monica, California. His legacy includes iconic roles such as the one he had in 'Raíces', among several others that he had on the big screen. Who really was this talented actor? Don't miss a bit of his history in the following note.
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Who was Louis Gossett Jr.?
Louis Gossett Jr.born on May 27, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York (United States), was a prominent actor and producer, recognized for his participation in films such as 'An Officer and a Gentleman' (1982), 'Enemy mine' (1985) and 'Jaws 3D' (1983). He was married to Cynthia L. James, Christina Mangosing and Hattie Glascoe. Unfortunately, he passed away March 28, 2024.
In 1983, Gossett made history by becoming the third African-American actor to be nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Supporting Actor and the first to win it, for his memorable portrayal of the ruthless Navy instructor in 'Defying destiny' (or 'An Officer and a Gentleman' in English), where he shared scenes with Richard Gere and Debra Winger. In addition to this win at the Academy Awards, she also won a Golden Globe for the same role. In her 2010 memoir, she reflected: “More than anything, it was a great affirmation of my position as a black actor”.
What did Louis Gossett Jr. die from?
“We regret with all our hearts to confirm that our beloved father passed away this morning. We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time. Please respect the privacy of the family during this difficult time,” indicates the family letter released by the publicist of Gosset.
Louis Gossett Jr. was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010 and, in order to raise awareness about this disease, he publicly shared his experience in The Washington Post. Fortunately, he underwent quick treatment and managed to recover. As for his recent death, it has not been revealed whether it was due to a relapse of his illness or whether some other complication arose.
Louis Gossett Jr., an African-American actor who overcame adversity
Despite the obstacles he faced Louis Gossett Jr. Due to his skin color, in a time very different from the current one in Hollywood, the actor never gave up: “I had to learn the importance of what it takes to survive in this city and I had to act as if I were second class “I had to take responsibility for being an African-American person in America.”
In 1961, he made his big screen debut with the film 'A Raisin in the Sun'. However, it was in 1977 when his career took a significant turn when he obtained the role of Fiddler in the miniseries 'Roots', a performance that earned him an Emmy Award.
His consecration came in 1982 with his outstanding role in 'An Officer and a Gentleman', for which he received the Oscar award. He continued to make his mark on the screen with his portrayal of civil rights activist Sidney Williams in HBO's 'The Josephine Baker Story' in 1992, which earned him another Golden Globe Award.
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