Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr. has died at the age of 87, his family has confirmed. The star's cause of death has not yet been confirmed, though his first cousin Neal L. Gossett said he'd passed away on Thursday (March 28) in
California. In his statement, Neal paid tribute to his cousin: "Never mind the awards, never mind the glitz and glamor, the Rolls-Royces and the big houses in Malibu. It’s about the humanity of the people that he stood for." Louis became the first Black man to ever win a Supporting
Actor Oscar for his work on An Officer and a Gentleman, also scooping an Emmy Award for his role in the TV miniseries Roots. The star confessed in his 2010 memoir that he got into acting while sidelined from the high school
basketball team due to an injury. He said: "I was hooked — and so was my audience." He was then urged by his English teacher to head out into
New York City and audition for Take a Giant Step. Louis Gossett Jr. has passed away at age 87. He will forever stand as a titan in the realm of acting, his illustrious career spanning over six decades including major roles in "An Officer and a Gentleman," "Roots," and "A Raisin in the Sun," and he will be deeply missed. He landed his first Broadway role aged just 16, explaining: "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." Gossett Jr. was only the second Black person ever to win an Oscar for acting in 1982, preceded only by Hattie McDaniel for Gone With the Wind in 1932, for her role as Mammy. His long career also included roles in everything from Jaws 3D to Batman, with his last role coming in 2023 in the TV series Kingdom Business, as well as a part in the musical revival of The Colour Purple. Fans have rushed to pay tribute to the late star online, with one writing on X: "Louis Gossett Jr. has passed away at age 87. He will forever stand as a titan in the realm of acting, his illustrious career spanning over six decades including major roles in An Officer and a Gentleman, Roots, and A Raisin in the Sun, and he will be deeply missed." Someone else echoed: "It’s being reported that the wonderful Louis Gossett Jr. has died at the age of 87. He leaves behind a stunning legacy and countless flawless performances." As a third fan added: "Rest in power to the incomparable Louis Gossett Jr." And another said: "A powerful screen presence in a variety of roles. He didn't always get the material he deserved, but he gave his all in every part."