Among those remembering the later actor are his 'Roots' co-star LeVar Burton and Richard Gere, who worked with Louis in the 1982 film 'An Officer and A Gentleman'.
- Mar 29, 2024
AceShowbiz - Louis Gossett Jr. has sadly left this world. The actor, who was the first Black performer to win the Supporting Actor Oscar, passed away at the age of 87 and his pals have since paid tribute to him.
Confirming the sad news was Louis' family. "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," read the statement on Friday, March 29.
LeVar Burton then took to X (formerly Twitter) to honor Louis. Sharing a picture of the two on the set of the 1977 drama "Roots", LeVar penned, "One of the best to ever do it! Thank you, Lou… for everything!"
Richard Gere, who worked with Louis in "An Officer and A Gentleman", described the latter as "a sweetheart" who "took his job very seriously" and "did his research." He added in a statement obtained by PEOPLE, "He stayed in character the whole time... I don't think we ever saw him socially. He was the drill sergeant 24 hours a day, and it showed clearly in his performance. He drove every scene he was in."
Richard also praised Louis for being "a tough guy with a heart of gold." The 74-year-old continued, "We were all so proud of him when he won his Oscar." He additionally offered "condolences to his family."
Meanwhile, Taylor Hackford, who helmed the 1982 film, said, "The role of Master Sargent Foley in An Officer and A Gentlemen was written as a white man. When I visited the Navy Officers Flight Training Center in Pensacola, FLA, I discovered that many of the Drill Instructors there were men of color." He further nnoted, "I found it interesting that Black & Brown enlisted men had 'make-or-break' control over whether white college graduates would become officers and fighter pilots."
"At that moment I changed the casting profile for Sergeant Foley and started meeting actors of color. Lou Gossett came to see me - I knew and admired his stage work," he recalled. "He told me that he'd served in the US Army as a Ranger, so in addition to being an accomplished actor, he knew military life - I hired him on the spot."
"Lou Gossett's Sergeant Foley may have been the first Black character in American cinema to have absolute authority over white characters," the director added. "The Academy recognized his consummate performance by voting him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. He definitely deserved it."
Among those who remembered Louis was his "The Color Purple" co-stars Colman Domingo, Fantasia Barrino as well as David Alan Grier. Vivicia A. Fox also joined in by writing on X, "GM Dawlings! Sad to hear about the news of @LouisGossettJr has passed. Mr Gossett your AMAZING gifts will never be 4GOTTEN! U DID A GREAT JOB SIR! 1ST AFRICAN AMERICAN BLACK MAN TO WIN BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR!"
