Louis Gossett Jr., the first black man to win an Oscar as a supporting actor and an Emmy for his role in the television miniseries Roots, died this Friday at the age of 87.
Gossett's first cousin, Neal L. Gossett, has confirmed to The Associated Press that the actor died in Santa Monica, California. In a family statement, he said Gossett died Friday morning, although no cause of death was revealed.
The text remembers his figure as that of a man who walked with Nelson Mandela and who was also a great joke teller, a relative who faced and fought against racism with dignity and humor. “It doesn't matter the awards, it doesn't matter the glitz and the glamour, the Rolls-Royces and the big houses in Malibu. “It’s about the humanity of the people he defended,” his cousin said.
Louis Gossett always thought of his early career as a reverse Cinderella story, and success found him from an early age and propelled him forward, toward his Academy Award for An Officer and a Gentleman.
He made his way onto the small screen as Fiddler in the groundbreaking 1977 miniseries Roots, which depicted the atrocities of slavery on television. The extensive cast included Ben Vereen, LeVar Burton and John Amos.
Gossett became the third black Oscar nominee in the supporting actor category in 1983. He won for his portrayal of the intimidating Navy drill instructor in An Officer and a Gentleman alongside Richard Gere and Debra Winger. He also won a Golden Globe for the same role. “More than anything, it was a great affirmation of my position as a black actor,” he wrote in his 2010 memoir.
