Louis Gossett Jr.’s An Officer and a Gentleman co-star Richard Gere is remembering the late actor’s commitment to the role that won Gossett a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
The entertainment world has been mourning the loss of Gossett, who died Thursday at age 87. In a statement that ran in People Friday, Gere revealed the way Gossett brought his intense Marine drill instructor character — Gunnery Sgt. Emil Foley — to life.
“He stayed in character the whole time,” Gere said in the statement. “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.”
Released in 1982, An Officer and a Gentleman made history when Gossett became the first Black man to win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
“We were all proud of the film and Lou was proud of his work in it – and he should be! He was a humble guy,” Gere told Variety in an interview Saturday. “We were pleased for him as an artist, and as a man, that he got that recognition.”
Gere Says Gossett Was ‘A Good Guy’ That ‘Had To Be Tough’ In ‘An Officer And A Gentleman’
Speaking at length with Variety about his late An Officer and a Gentleman co-star, Richard Gere said he understood why Louis Gossett Jr. needed to take a hard-nosed approach to play Marine Gunnery Sgt. Emil Foley.
“I didn’t see another side of him [while filming], but I didn’t need to. Some actors are just knowable,” Gere told Variety. “Their basic humanity, no matter what they’re doing, comes through. Lou had that. He was a good guy, but he had to be tough on us — and he was super tough. I can’t imagine anyone better than him playing that part.”
One of the most pivotal scenes in An Officer and a Gentleman came late in the film, where Gere’s character — Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School candidate Zack Mayo — challenged Foley to a fight that Mayo ultimately lost.
Despite the animosity between Foley and Mayo on screen, Gere told Variety that he knew the way Gossett was tackling his portrayal of Foley was ultimately what was best for the film.
“Lou was a sweetheart. He was a very gentle, sensitive and intelligent guy. He really cared about his craft. He cared about creating a character and doing a good job,” Gere told Variety. “He was a team player, there to serve the story. For our scenes, we had to have a real trust with each other, and that evolved very quickly. We could trust each other not just as fellow actors but as fellow human beings.”
Directed by Taylor Hackford and written by Douglas Day Stewart, An Officer and a Gentleman earned six Academy Award nominations in 1983. In addition to Gossett taking the Best Supporting Actor Oscar and the film winning a statuette for Best Original Song for Up Where We Belong, An Officer and a Gentleman was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Film Editing.
Debra Winger — who played Mayo’s love interest, Paula Pokrifki, in An Officer and a Gentleman — also earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination.