Louis Gossett Jr., The First Black Man To Win The Academy Award For Best Supporting Actor, Dead At 87

Acclaimed actor Louis Gossett Jr. has died at the age of 87, as reported by The Associated Press. Gossett's nephew confirmed the news to the outlet, revealing that the cinematic icon died Thursday night in California. No cause of death has been revealed. 

Gossett was a veteran of the stage, film, and TV with hundreds of credits to his name. However, perhaps the crowning achievement of Gossett's considerable life's work is his best supporting actor Oscar win for his performance in "An Officer and a Gentleman" in 1983. "An Officer and a Gentleman" revolves around a romance between two characters portrayed by stars Richard Gere and Debra Winger, but the sole Oscar awarded to the film for acting went to Gossett, who portrays tough-as-nails Navy drill instructor Emil Foley. In winning the award, Gossett also made history as the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar (per Britannica). 

Actor James Woods, who previously worked with Gossett, took to X (formerly, known as Twitter) to reflect on the trailblazer's powerful career. "I loved Lou. We did The Choirboys in an ensemble, and then later starred together in Diggstown. That experience cemented a lifelong friendship," Woods shared. "I had always admired his fabulous talent, but grew to admire his modest demeanor more. A true gentleman."

While winning an Academy Award may well be a highlight of Gossett's career, it is only one of many.

Louis Gossett Jr.'s first screen credits came in 1958, when he guest-starred on the anthology TV drama "The Big Story." Before that, the actor had already made several appearances on Broadway. Gossett later originated the role of George in the first Broadway production of the acclaimed drama "A Raisin in the Sun." It's a role that would lead to his first movie role when the play was adapted for the big screen in 1961. 

Although he wasn't a stranger to the world of film, Gossett's most notable roles throughout the '60s and '70s were on TV. He had guest turns on series like "The Partridge Family," "Bonanza," "The Jeffersons," and "Little House on the Prairie." For his work on the small screen, Gossett was nominated for a total of eight Emmys, winning the award once in 1977 for his supporting work on the acclaimed miniseries "Roots." 

Following his Oscar-winning work in "An Officer and a Gentleman," Gossett would go on to appear in a wide range of movies, from the action-thriller "Toy Soldiers" to the Tyler Perry dramedy "Why Did I Get Married Too?" He never strayed far from TV, though, popping up as a guest-star on shows like "Boardwalk Empire," "Madame Secretary," and "Hawaii Five-0." One of his most notable later career highlights was his recurring role on HBO's 2019 "Watchmen" series.

With a career that spanned decades and saw the actor moving effortlessly between film, TV, and Broadway, it's clear that Louis Gossett Jr. was truly a performer like few others.