Oscar Winner Louis Gossett Jr. Passes Away At 87

TV & Film

Apr 2

Louis Gossett Jr, whose accolades include being the first Black man to win the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, died this past Friday in California at the age of 87. The Gossett family said in a statement “It is with our heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved father passed 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.”

Gossett was born on May 27, 1936, in Brooklyn, New York. He made his way onto Broadway early in his life while still in high school. Reflecting on his first performance, Gossett wrote in his 2010 memoir,

“I was hooked, and so was my audience. I knew too little to be nervous. In retrospect, I should have been scared to death as I walked onto that stage, but I wasn’t."

While in college at New York University, he studied drama while on a basketball scholarship. He made his debut in the 1961 film A Raisin in the Sun. In 1982, Gossett became the first Black man to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor with his role as Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman. He was the third Black actor to win an Oscar, after Hattie McDaniel for Gone With the Wind and Sidney Poitier for Lilies of the Field.

In total Gossett’s career spanned more than six decades on the stage and the screen. In recent years, he also appeared as Will Reeves in Watchmen. He is survived by his sons and several grandchildren.

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