Louis Gossett Jr., famous for his amazing performances in An Officer and a Gentleman and the TV show Roots, has sadly died at the age of 87. He was a trailblazer in Hollywood, being the first Black actor to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, which changed the game for many.
Throughout his life, Gossett worked on more than 200 Hollywood projects, with 12 more still waiting to be released, according to IMDb. Sadly, he won’t be able to see these future works come to life.
On March 28, 2024, Gossett passed away in Santa Monica, California. NPR shared the news of his death, and a death certificate that TMZ got showed that he had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This condition, along with heart failure and atrial fibrillation, contributed to his passing. He had been fighting COPD for many years, and it was stated that he would be cremated after his death.
Before he was a famous Hollywood star, Gossett started his acting journey in theater. He acted on Broadway with legends like Marilyn Monroe and Sidney Poitier, which helped him build an amazing career in movies and TV.
When Gossett moved to Hollywood, people treated him with respect, but he also encountered harsh racism. He told a disturbing story about how he was held by the police for hours while trying to get to his hotel. “It should’ve only taken 20 minutes,” he said, “but it turned into a four-and-a-half-hour nightmare just because they didn’t think I was supposed to be there.”
Gossett shared a story about how he was handcuffed to a tree for three hours just because he was in Beverly Hills after 9 p.m. This experience highlighted the difficulties he encountered as a Black man in a mostly white industry.
Even though Gossett went through some tough times, his career really took off. Still, he sometimes thought about how things could have changed if he were white. He liked to compare his success to Clint Eastwood’s and shared his own battles, similar to Robert Downey Jr. He once mentioned, “If I were white, I believe my career would have been a lot like Eastwood’s.”
Gossett faced tough challenges with drug and alcohol addiction that almost ruined his career. About twenty years ago, he decided to get help and went to rehab, where he finished a 12-step program that really turned his life around. He would often say, “Holding onto anger is harmful,” which showed how much he wanted to heal and keep moving ahead.
Gossett got married three times in his life. His first marriage didn’t last and was annulled, while his other two ended in divorce. He leaves behind two children, Satie and Sharron, who will continue his legacy.
Louis Gossett Jr. will be remembered not only for his amazing accomplishments in Hollywood but also for his efforts in promoting racial equality. His impact on the arts and his brave struggle against racial obstacles will be celebrated for many years ahead.
