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He took acting lessons with Marilyn Monroe and became famous alongside Richard Gere. Now Louis Gossett Jr. has passed away at the age of 87.
Actor Louis Gossett Jr., the first black man to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, has died at the age of 87. His nephew told the Associated Press news agency that Gossett died Thursday evening (local time) in California.
No leading roles, despite the awards
Gossett won an Academy Award in 1983 for “An Officer and a Gentleman,” starring Richard Gere. He also won a Golden Globe Award. Gossett said that his Oscar win didn't change the fact that he only got supporting roles.
legend:
Louis Gossett Jr. became the first black man to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1983.
AP image, file
He made his Broadway debut in 1953 when he was 16 years old. He later became a star in New York's theater district. His television breakthrough came with the role of a violinist in the miniseries “Roots,” which revolves around the atrocities of slavery.
Fighter against racism
Gossett attended the prestigious New York University on a basketball and acting scholarship. He took acting lessons with Marilyn Monroe, Martin Landau, and Steve McQueen.
In his memoirs, Gossett described his experiences with racism. He founded the Eracism Foundation to combat racism.
SRF Radio 4 News, 29 March 2024, 4:00pm; EPA, BRIC
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