Louis Gossett Jr., Oscar-winning star of ‘An Officer and a Gentleman,’ dead at 87

(CNN) – Louis Gossett Jr., who won an Academy Award for his performance in An Officer and a Gentleman and an Emmy for the groundbreaking miniseries Roots, has died at age 87, according to a statement from his 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,” the family’s statement, shared by Gossett’s longtime publicist, read. Gossett became the first Black man to win an Oscar for a supporting role in 1983 for his work as the tough drill instructor, training a character played by Richard Gere, in An Officer and a Gentleman. Related Stories “Lou was a sweetheart. He took his job very seriously. He did his research. He stayed in character the whole time,” his co-star Richard Gere said in a statement to CNN. “He was the drill sergeant 24 hours a day, and it showed clearly in his performance. He drove every scene he was in. A tough guy with a heart of gold.” The hit movie followed by six years his portrayal of Fiddler, who takes the newly...