March 30: Louis Gossett Jr., who won an Academy Award for his performance in An Officer and a Gentleman and an Emmy for the groundbreaking miniseries Roots, has died at age 87, according to a statement from his family.
“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,” the family’s statement, shared by Gossett’s longtime publicist, read.
Gossett became the first Black man to win an Oscar for a supporting role in 1983 for his work as the tough drill instructor, training a character played by Richard Gere, in An Officer and a Gentleman.
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