The reason for Louis Gossett Jr’s death has been revealed, weeks after he passed away.
The actor, best known for his roles in Roots and An Officer and a Gentleman, passed away on March 29, at the age of 87.
His family confirmed the sad news at the time, thanking those who had paid tribute to the Oscar-winner.
According to reports, he died from a lung condition.
His death certificate, obtained by TMZ, lists chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as the main cause.
Heart failure and atrial fibrillation were also cited as contributing conditions.
Gossett Jr’s nephew confirmed the sad news of the family’s loss to Associated Press last month, but didn’t initially share the cause of death.
‘It is with our heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved father passed away this morning,’ his loved ones later added in a statement. ‘We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time.
‘Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.’
Gossett Jr had a career spanning decades, and drew attention in roles on the stage, the small screen, and big movies.
He first starred in 1953 Broadway play Take A Giant Step as a teenager, before going on to appear alongside Sidney Poitier in the award-winning A Raisin In The Sun – landing a role in the movie adaptation in 1961.
In 1977, he landed one of his most beloved roles in TV mini-series Roots, alongside John Amos, LeVar Burton, and Leslie Uggams.
He became famous playing an older slave, Fiddler, who is tasked with mentoring Kunta Kinte and teaching him English.
The series was highly successful, with 37 Emmy nominations during its run – with Gossett Jr taking home the award for outstanding actor for a single appearance in a drama or comedy series.
Five years later, he appeared as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman.
In Tyler Hackford’s masterpiece, he played a stern drill instructor who had to get Richard Gere’s Zack Mayo into shape – and underwent 30 days of training at the Marine Corps Recruitment Division for the role.
He was highly praised for the role, and won the best supporting actor Oscar in 1983, becoming the first Black actor to take home the coveted trophy.
In addition, he also received the best supporting actor in a motion picture title at the Golden Globes.
In 2010, Gossett Jr announced that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, which was said to have been caught in the early stages.
Making his health issues public, he shared that he wanted to use his platform to encourage others to get themselves checked out.
Speaking to reporters at the time, he explained that he was hoping to ‘set an example for the large number of African-American men who are victims of this disease because of the comparatively low emphasis in our community on preventative examinations and early treatment.
‘I hope to encourage them to also pursue the excellent healthcare and early diagnosis that I have accessed.’
Gossett Jr’s two sons, Satie and Sharron, are still living.
