Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to walk away an Academy Award as best supporting actor, has passed away at age 87, according to a family statement.
The statement had not confirmed the cause of his death as at the time of filing this report.
The deceased’s Oscar-winning actor’s roles ranged from an enslaved man in the TV mini-series “Roots” to a strict drill sergeant in “An Officer and a Gentlemen.”
Gossett had also been a producer, director, social activist and the founder of the Eracism Foundation to fight racism. He sadly died at a rehabilitation center in Santa Monica, California, the Washington Post reported.
The actor’s family said a brief statement:
“It is with heartfelt regret to announce the news of our beloved father passing away this morning. We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
The tall, imposing actor had set a record and made history in 1983 when he became only the second Black man, (after actor Sidney Poitier 19 years earlier) to win an Oscar. It is also noteworthy to mention that Gossett had won the award for best supporting actor as Sergeant Emil Foley in the romantic drama “An Officer and a Gentleman.”
In a book Gossett had written in 2010, he candidly touched on the racism he had encountered early in Hollywood, including being handcuffed to a tree after he was stopped for walking in Beverly Hills at night.
He additionally recounted the difficulty he faced securing movie jobs, the unequal pay compared to white actors and the bitterness and resentment that led to battles with drugs and alcohol that he ultimately won.
Gossett’s long and distinguished career began in the 1950s in the theater and extended over television and films. He was nominated for seven Emmys and won in 1977 in the groundbreaking TV production “Roots,” which told the story of the brutality of slavery.
