Another time, he was cuffed to a tree for 3 hours in Beverly Hills after 9 p.m. The challenges for a Black man in a white-dominated industry were clear.
Despite this, his career thrived. He often thought how it might be different if he were white. “If I were white,” he said, “I think my career would’ve been like Eastwood’s.”
He also fought drug and alcohol addiction. Two decades ago, he rehabbed, doing a 12-step program. “Resentment is a killer,” he said, focusing on healing.
He married 3 times. His first was annulled, the others ended in divorce. His two children, Satie and Sharron, survive him.
Louis Gossett Jr. will be remembered for his Hollywood firsts and his fight for racial equality. His art and anti-racism efforts will be honored for ages.