Louis Gossett Jr.’s Cause Of Death Revealed After His Passing At Age 87

Late Hollywood star Louis Gossett Jr.'s cause of death has finally been revealed nearly one month after he passed away.

The actor's death was confirmed by his family, who paid an emotional tribute to the actor, emphasizing his talent and immense contribution to the entertainment industry.

Among his many achievements, Gossett was also the first Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

The late Gossett passed away at the age of 87. His first cousin Neal L. Gossett, who spoke with AP, revealed that he died in Santa Monica.

Now, according to the actor's death certificate, Gossett died from a lung condition. A copy of the document obtained by TMZ highlights Gossett's primary cause of death as a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It further cites other issues, such as heart failure and atrial fibrillation, as contributing conditions.

The document also states that Gossett battled with COPD for years before his death and that his body had been cremated.

Gossett's family confirmed the news of his passing, stating that he died on March 29, Friday morning.

They said in a statement, "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."

His first cousin Neal L. Gossett, who spoke with AP, spoke fondly of his late relative, saying he remembers his cousin as a man who walked with Nelson Mandela. He also noted that Gossett was great with jokes and a relative who was faced with racism and fought it with dignity and humor.

"Never mind the awards, never mind the glitz and glamor, the Rolls-Royces, and the big houses in Malibu. It's about the humanity of the people that he stood for," Neal told the news outlet.

In 1983, Gossett became the first Black winner of the Best Supporting Actor Oscar after he stunned audiences with his showstopping portrayal of a severe Marine drill instructor in "An Officer and a Gentleman," alongside actor Richard Gere.

Speaking on the Oscat award-winning film, Gossett noted that he was not the first choice for the role.

"They had hired another actor who was White, but when director Taylor Hackford found out that 75% of the Marine DIs were Black, they paid him off and hired me," Gosset said, per People. "I went down to San Diego Marine Corps to learn for six weeks. When I showed up on set, I was a marine."

Before his Oscar, the iconic actor had won an Emmy for his work in the groundbreaking 1977 TV miniseries "Roots."

In a 1991 interview with Bob Costas, Gossett talked candidly about how his early experience on Broadway paved the way for his career in show business.

"'They're looking for a young, Black kid to play a lead in a Broadway show called 'Take a Giant Step.' They can't find anybody in the business, so they're going to the high schools. 'Tell your mother to take you down there,'" Gossett recalled being told, per People Magazine. "So, that's how I got in show business."

He studied at New York University and performed in Broadway productions of "The Desk Set" in 1955 and 1956.

Gossett's feature debut was in "A Raisin in the Sun" (1961), which the Library of Congress has added to the United States National Film Registry.

The actor's career path almost took him down the road of sports as he almost played for the New York Nicks while training as a rookie before he got the call to join the cast of "A Raisin In The Sun."

"I was at rookie training for the [New York] Knicks when I got a call from [playwright] Lorraine Hansberry to be a part of 'A Raisin in the Sun,'" Gossett told People about the Broadway production of the famous play, which also starred late Hollywood icon, Sidney Poitier.

Gossett revealed that when he learned of the part, he knew he needed to drop his dreams of becoming a basketballer and focus on the world of acting.

"They said the part comes with a $700 per diem, more money than most professional athletes had in the bank at the time. I put the basketball down, and the rest is history," Gossett noted.