Louis Gossett Jr., who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as 'Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley' in the film 'An Officer and a Gentleman' and also won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role as 'Fiddler' in the miniseries 'Roots', has passed away at the age of 87.
According to a statement from his family, Louis Gossett died on Friday morning. The cause of death was not disclosed.
'PUT THE AWARDS ASIDE'
Louis Gossett's cousin stated, "Put the awards aside, put the glitz and glamour, the Rolls-Royces and the big houses in Malibu aside. It's about the humanity of the people he stood for."
WHO IS LOUIS GOSSETT JR.?
Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. (May 27, 1936 – March 29, 2024) was an American actor. He is best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman, a role that earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
He was the first Black man to win an Oscar in a supporting role, the second Black man to win an Oscar for acting, and the third Black actor to win overall.
He also won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Fiddler in the 1977 ABC television miniseries Roots.
Gossett also appeared in many other film productions such as A Raisin in the Sun, The Landlord, Skin Game, Travels with My Aunt, The Laughing Policeman, The White Dawn, The Deep, Jaws 3-D, and Wolfgang Petersen’s Enemy Mine.
He appeared in The Principal, Iron Eagle, Toy Soldiers, and The Punisher series. He had an acting career spanning over 50 years.
Louis Cameron Gossett passed away on March 29, 2024.
News Source: 12punto
