American actor Louis Gossett Jr., one of the most recognized supporting roles in American cinema of the 80s, thanks to his performances in “An Officer and a Gentleman”, which earned him an Oscar in 1982, “Enemigo Mío” and the “Steel Eagle war film franchise, has died at the age of 87.
The actor’s death was confirmed by his nephew to the news portal TMZ and later verified by his family in a statement collected by CNN. “We are truly sorry to confirm that 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,” according to the statement from family. The actor’s family did not reveal the cause of death, but Gossett himself announced in 2010 that he suffered from prostate cancer.