Louis Gossett Jr., one of the first and few Black Oscar winners in the industry, as well as a core figure in Black Hollywood, has died. He was 87.
His death was announced by Gossett’s family, as reported by Variety. His family released a statement, writing, “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’s role in 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman saw him playing St. Emil Foley, a hard-nosed drill sergeant who trained Richard Gere’s character, Navy Officer Candidate Zack Mayo. Gossett’s role earned him the first Oscar for supporting actor awarded to a Black man in the award’s history.
He is also best known for the 1977 iconic miniseries Roots, playing Fiddler, one of the enslaved people Kunta Kinte (LeVar Burton) meets after being trafficked and sold into slavery. Fiddler teaches Kunta the ways of the plantation, but he eventually is reminded of his personhood due to Kunta’s resistance against his slave owner. The miniseries is one of the first times the true horrific nature of slavery was dramatized for a mainstream audience, and forever changed how America, specifically white America, viewed the history of the practice. He won an Emmy for the role.
Gossett spoke with Shadow and Act in 2022 about the Roots‘ impact 40+ years later, saying how the miniseries changed the landscape for Black actors wanting to tell impactful stories.
“Before Roots, if you did some story that was relevant, that was like Roots, you weren’t going to work in town anymore,” he said. “That was a revolutionary feeling, that we’re able to express ourselves without losing work. That some of the top in television could tell once and for all the actual story of Roots. We didn’t suffer from not working, we got a lot of work instead and that made me grow.”
“We’ve grown to such a place now that they’re asking me to see it again,” he continued. That’s positive for me. I know there’s people wanting to get rid of Roots and other stories of slavery on television and film, that’s not going to work. The kids watching know more than what is being held from them. The kids have taken over. They want to know more. This computer has educated your generation to the extent that you want to know better news than what you can see on television.”
Gossett started his career in 1957 on the TV series The Big Story. Ever since, he has been working in film and television, with his most recent credits The Book of Negroes, Watchmen, Outlaw Johnny Black, The Color Purple musical adaptation, and Kingdom Business. His final major solo awards nomination came in 2020 for Watchmen.
