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Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr., known from the films “Roots” and “An Officer and a Gentleman”, dies at the age of 87

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Louis Gossett Jr., an Oscar and Emmy winner who played a variety of characters in a profession spanning over fifty years, died on Thursday at the age of 87.

The legendary actor has appeared in over 50 films and a whole bunch of television shows, earning respect and popularity of roles reminiscent of Fiddler in the TV miniseries “Roots” and Sgt. Emil Foley in “An Officer and a Gentleman.”

A native of New York, Gossett was born on May 27, 1936, to Hellen Rebecca Gossett, a nurse, and Louis Gossett, Sr., a porter. His Coney Island neighborhood in the Brooklyn borough of New York was home to other notable artists, including Gustav Blum. Harvey Keitel, Neil Simon and Arthur Miller.

A 2023 screening of “Carmen Jones” attended by (from left) Shari Belafonte, TCM host Ben Mankiewicz, Donald Bogle, Louis Gossett Jr., Debra Martin Chase and Lawrence Hilton Jacobs during the 2023 TCM Los Angeles Classic Film Festival r. (Photo: Jerod Harris/Getty Images for TCM)

Acting got here early, nevertheless it was not Gossett’s primary interest. He attended Abraham Lincoln High School, where he first focused on basketball. An injury that kept him out of the game prompted him to join acting classes. At age 17, he made his debut in the school play “You Can’t Take It With You,” and his performance was so inspiring that his teacher persuaded him to audition for a Broadway play. He did it, landed a role in “Take a Giant Step” (1953) and won the Donaldson Award for best newcomer of the yr.

After graduating from highschool, he decided to attend New York University, which offered him a scholarship in basketball and theater. While at school, he took part in other acting gigs, appearing in “The Desk Set” (1955) with award-winning actress Shirley Booth. After graduating from college in 1958, he was invited to the New York Knicks’ rookie camp. He decided to stay committed to his acting profession and studied at The Actors Studio under John Sticks and Peggy Fury.

In 1961, Gossett played a key role in the Broadway production and then film adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun. He also appeared in the original solid of Jean Genet’s “The Blacks.” It became the longest-running off-Broadway play of the decade. His castmates included James Earl Jones, Roscoe Lee Browne, Cicely Tyson, Godfrey Cambridge, Maya Angelou and Charles Gordone. He then appeared in “Golden Boy” (1964) and later in “Chicago” (2002).

On screen, Gossett’s profession also blossomed. His credits include: “The Landlord” (1970), “Good Times” 1976), “Don’t Look Back: The Story of Leroy “Satchel” Paige” (1981), “Enemy Mine” (1985), “The Prince” (1987), the Iron Eagle film series (1986-1995), The Josephine Baker Story (1991), Blues Lackawanna (2005) and Watchmen (2019).

83rd Annual Academy Awards - Arrival
Actor Louis Gossett Jr. and his oldest son, Satie Gossett, attend the 83rd Annual Academy Awards in February 2011 at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. (Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

In 1977, he won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama or Comedy Series for his role as Fiddler on the groundbreaking ABC miniseries “Roots.”

He made Oscar history in 1983. In 2023, Gossett celebrated the fortieth anniversary of his historic Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “An Officer and a Gentleman.” He was the first black actor to win this category.

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Gossett – recalled during a press conference in December 2023 that he faced some tough competition this awards season. Other nominees included Charles Durning, John Lithgow, James Mason and Robert Preston. “Being in the top five is pretty cool,” said Gossett, who also won a Golden Globe this yr.

In addition to the Oscar and Emmy, Gossett won one other Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in the HBO series “The Josephine Baker Story” in 1992. In 2000, he received the Black Reels Award for Outstanding Directing in a Made-for-TV Movie or Limited Series series “Love Songs” (1999). He teamed up with Robert Townsend and the late Andre Braugher to every direct a story, all tied together by themes of love and family.

Gossett, at age 87, was still wanted. Although it was a small role, Gossett took on the role of Ol’ Mister Johnson with gusto in the film adaptation of the musical “The Color Purple,” which premiered in 2023 to rave reviews and awards season buzz. For Gossett, it was a “blessing” to be a part of all of it. “It’s just lightning in a bottle” – Gossett he said about the film’s popularity. “It’s just perfect.”

5th Annual TV Land Awards - Behind the Scenes and in Audience
Louis Gossett Jr. (right) posed with fellow “Roots” solid members (from left) Todd Bridges, LeVar Burton, John Amos, Ben Vereen, Cicely Tyson, Olivia Cole and Leslie Uggams before the 2007 TV Land Awards at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monika, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for TV Land)

When asked at a press conference in Atlanta on the decision to bring The Color Purple back to the screen, he praised the novel as a “monumental work of art” and its commitment to truth.

He told the audience, “As long as I am still here, I have been committed to the absolute, ultimate truth of our common existence as humanity.”

Off screen, Gossett was a dedicated community activist and educator. With the grant, Gossett, James Earl Jones and Paul Sorvino founded a theater group in the Nineteen Sixties to assist at-risk youth. In 2005, he sponsored an anti-violence campaign in Los Angeles called One Summer of Peace. The following yr, he founded the Eracism Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating racism. The foundation provides young adults with the tools to steer racially diverse and culturally inclusive lives. As part of the foundation’s work, he partnered with the Reverend George Clements, a black Catholic priest and human rights activist, to create Shamba centers where black history and culture may be taught.

Gossett is survived by sons, Satie Gossett and Sharron Gossett.


This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Travis Kelce’s ex fuels Russell Wilson cheating rumors weeks after Teyana Taylor scandal

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Influencer Kayla Nicole blasted for past

Paying tribute to celebrities and their iconic profession looks can either be rather well received by their legions of fans, or it could actually end terribly. Influencer Kayla Nicole received a mixture of each reactions when she recreated moments from considered one of Ciara’s hottest music videos, “Ride,” for Halloween.

This 12 months marks 15 years for the reason that single from the album “Basic Instinct” became an enormous success. Ciara surprised fans when she proved she still had every ounce of sex appeal from her 20s by donning a black swimsuit and a floor-length fur coat, identical to within the music video. “I still do it,” she teased on Instagram with a winking emoji and a black heart.

Influencer Kayla Nicole has slammed previous "weird" tweets about Ciara and Russell Wilson after dressing up as the singer for Halloween. (Photos: Iamkaylanicole/Instagram; Ciara/Instagram)
Influencer Kayla Nicole has slammed previous “weird” tweets about Ciara and Russell Wilson after dressing up because the singer for Halloween. (Photos: @ciara/Instagram; @Iamkaylanicole/Instagram)

Around the identical time, Kayla also uploaded carousel posts featuring clips and photos from her music video-inspired photo shoot. Like the singer, she donned a black one-piece swimsuit, a fur coat, black tights, a crop top and an A-line hat, and twisted her hips while performing among the original choreography. Knowing she was sure to cause a stir online, she wrote, “Ciara…..uh huuuhhhh!” as considered one of the inscriptions.

One of comments received the statement: “No you and Ciara had the identical idea in mind, lol! “A second follower, praising her efforts, wrote: ‘You haven’t got to destroy the Internet like that.’ However, one other discussion ensued on Twitter, with the singer’s fans being more annoyed with Kayla than approving of her dressing up because the artist for the viral moment.

“Wait, Kayla Nicole dressed up as Teyana Taylor to be mean because she slept with Iman… Now she dressed up as Ciara. Mr. Girl. Don’t even play. Russell would never do this. Better never, a tweet To read.

“If I’m Ciara, I wake Russell up from his sleep. No questions asked,” one other fan hilariously tweeted.

In early October, Kayla, often called the ex-girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, caused a storm when she admitted that she trolled her skilled basketball player ex-boyfriend by dressing up as his latest famous girlfriend for Halloween.

Kayla revealed on the “Unapologetically Angel” podcast, hosted by WNBA star Angel Reese, that she had a crazy response when her then-NBA boyfriend dumped her via text message to pursue a relationship with the famous singer/actress. She remembers being heartbroken, claiming she moved to New York to be closer to the Knicks player before their romance ended.

“He’s breaking up with me. She dumps me, leaves, and this 12 months for Halloween I dressed up as her,” she admitted. While she didn’t give any hints about the costume, Instagram users were quick to post photos of her on Halloween in 2016, wearing a sports bra and thong similar to what Teyana Taylor wore in Kanye West’s music video for “Fade.” The super sleuths eventually discovered that Iman Shumpert was the previous Knicks player for whom Kayla moved to New York.

Shumpert and the “Gonna Love Me” singer announced their courtship in 2014. They married in 2016 and welcomed two daughters before divorcing this 12 months.

Taylor responded to this little matter in a now-deleted Instagram post that stated partially, “he turned around and tried to bully a black woman who was married to her situation… Why dress up as me? …The crazy part about it all is that I actually showed love under the photo when she posted it.” While it’s unclear whether Kayla and Ciara ever crossed paths, the singer didn’t join the hundreds of others who liked posts paying tribute to “Ride.”

Many others criticized the influencer for previous tweets disparaging the couple. One critic wrote, “Tell her to reserve it. I keep in mind that tweet about Ciara and Russell Wilson “force-feeding their love” Kayla Nicole, it still seems weird to me. While one other he asked “Isn’t this the same girl who said Ciara and her man were annoying her?”

Still, Ciara’s followers shut down any rumors suggesting that Kayla and Ciara’s husband of eight years, Russell Wilson, may need ever laid eyes on Kayla.

The couple, who’ve been together since 2015 and have 4 children, have never been caught in any confirmed cheating scandal.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Erykah Badu attacked, reignites fire for Beyoncé fans after calling out Jay Z and accusing the singer of stealing her style

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The buzz of swarming bees is music to Erykah Badu’s ears, which also includes real insects and fiercely loyal followers who pledge their allegiance to Beyoncé.

As for speculative fans, each women consider Texas their home state, but there isn’t any semblance of a relationship between them. They have evolved into one of the most unsuspecting rivals in music over the last yr, largely as a result of Badu several times attacking the “Beautiful Liar” singer’s creative integrity, or perceived lack thereof.

On multiple occasion, the Neo-Soul star saw her comments crammed with bee emojis, marking an all-out digital attack from the BeyHive, angered by her snubbing Beyoncé.

Erykah Badu is facing the ire of Beyonce’s Beehive fans after more questionable remarks about the singer in a brand new interview. (Photos: @erykahbadu/Instagram; @beyonce/Instagram)

A number of months after his last sting, Badu asks one query: “Where is the hive now?” He appeared on Halloween episode “The Breakfast Club,” where hosts DJ Envy, Charlamagne tha God, and guest Lauren LaRosa didn’t hesitate to ask the artist if she was being targeted by her modern fans.

“I haven’t seen BeyHive in a long time. And I love bees,” she replied shyly. “They do not know I prefer it. I like bees. This is my totem… They will tear me to pieces.

In 2023, Badu angered countless members of the hive when she derisively remarked that she was “everyone’s stylist” while showing photos of herself and Beyoncé wearing similarly large, metallic, wide-brimmed hats.

The global pop star was on the Renaissance Tour at the time and recurrently used the accessory as part of her stage costume collection, although the look harks back to her time on the Lemonade Tour in 2016.

When Badu faced backlash for the comment, she hopped on Twitter to call for support. “To JAY Z. Say something to Jay. You left, you let that woman and those bees do this to me?”

When asked about the intentions behind her decision to involve Jay-Z, Beyoncé’s husband, in the fight, the Dallas native replied that it was all a joke. “I don’t know why people take everything so seriously. It’s just my sense of humor. I love Jay,” she joked.

Badu said earlier Standard that BeyHive never gave her the opportunity to offer context to her tweet. Instead, she was “guilty before it started.”

However, the murmurs about suspected rift between the women became louder when Badu once more fueled the rumors by slamming Beyoncé for wearing Fulani braids in the cover of her “Country Carter” album.

Badu has worn the same hairstyle over the years and others throughout her profession. On The Breakfast Club, she selected her words fastidiously when she noticed her peers taking the same approach.

“Even though we love our art, it doesn’t belong to us once it comes to light… You can’t decide what people do with art. You can’t decide if they’re going to replicate it, do a different interpretation, or just enjoy it or use it as inspiration. It can’t be done, but there is no need to remain silent about it,’ she said. Badu added: “If it makes you feel any way, you should say something about it.”

The response to the interview was: “Badu is not mocking Beyhive trolling.” Someone else said her comments prove she’s jealous of Beyoncé. Although one other person suggested: “He’s weirdly obsessed with her.”

Another viewer wrote that the women’s dispute involved a 3rd party. “It’s about André 3000,” he said. André 3000 and Badu dated over twenty years ago and share a son. He collaborated with Beyoncé and even gained recognition when she received the Innovator Award at the 2024 iHeart Awards.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Gayle King slams Megan Thee Stallion, calling her a ‘slut’ after confessing she lied about her relationship with Tory Lanez

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Gayle King responds after Megan Thee Stallion admits she lied during 2023 interview. (Photos CBS Mornings / YouTube)

Gayle King is not concerned after hearing Megan Thee Stallion call her a “bitch” within the Prime rapper’s latest documentary “Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words.”

In a latest Instagram video, the “CBS Mornings” host immediately responded, saying, “Hey, I’m sitting here minding my very own business. People contact me and say, “Hey Gayle, Megan Thee Stallion just called you a bitch.”

“I do know you are expecting me, or possibly you’re thinking that I even have something negative to say. I do not. I even have nothing but great, great love and respect for Megan Thee Stallion. I’m at all times rooting for her,” King added, before turning to what she considers more necessary topics, equivalent to the 2024 election next week.

Gayle King responds after Megan Thee Stallion admits she lied during her 2023 interview. (CBS Mornings Photos/YouTube)
Gayle King responds after Megan Thee Stallion admits she lied during her 2023 interview. (CBS Mornings Photos/YouTube)

Fans responded to King’s message, defending the “Savage” rapper. Two said, “She didn’t mean it that way,” and “She said the word b—tch out of endearment, but clearly didn’t admit that Meg had lied to her.”

A 3rd fan scolded the 29-year-old for calling King by name: “I’m sorry, no matter what context she said, respect your elders… it was inappropriate and disrespectful.”

In a documentary that aired on Halloween, Megan Thee Stallion gives fans insight into her personal thoughts and feelings following the rapper’s sentencing Tory Lanez. Lanez was found guilty of three felony charges in 2022 following a 2020 shooting incident that left Megan shot within the foot.

After the controversial and widely discussed trial, the “Hot Girl” coach had a one-on-one interview on “CBS Mornings,” during which King asked her if she was intimate with Lanez.

Megan denied it on the time, but almost eight months later, during her testimony in court, she confessed that she and Lanez were close.

At the time, a lot of Lanez’s supporters and Megan’s haters took this confession as ammunition and justification for his or her claims that Megan was falsely accusing Lanez of shooting her too.

In the document, she truthfully explained why she lied to King within the interview. She said, “Fuck yeah. I lied to Gayle King, bitch. First of all, I don’t know if this female dog even wanted to ask me this shit. I thought we were going to talk about this shooting. Why are you asking me about fucking Tory? That’s not what this is about.”

The “Bigger In Texas” artist continued, “Even if I… fucked that nigga once, possibly twice on a drunken night. You kept knocking me out of my fucking mind.

Megan’s second confession is now causing backlash from fans who imagine Tory is, the truth is, innocent. Many people imagine that Megan’s former best friend, Kelsey Nicole – who was present on the time of the shooting – was the actual wrongdoer within the situation and imagine that she was the one who pulled the trigger on Megan.

Prior to the incident, Kelsey was also romantically involved with the Toronto resident, which many imagine sparked an argument between the three of them in a automobile that resulted in Megan being shot in the summertime of 2022.

Lanez is currently serving a 10-year sentence and plans to appeal his case while maintaining his innocence.

One of Lanez’s representatives released a statement to TMZ in response to the video wherein Megan admits to lying. They said: “The fact that Megan lied about her sexual relationship with Tory clearly makes her an unreliable witness. If someone lies to millions of people, how can you trust what they say next time?”


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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