Acclaimed African-American actor, Louis Gossett Jr. was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the fifth annual Toronto Black Film Festival, TBFF, on Saturday 18th of February. He joined the likes of Fred Williamson, Alfre Woodard and Bill Cobbs as a TBFF honoree. His legendary on-screen accomplishments includes an Oscar, two Golden Globes and an Emmy. He is also committed to educating and empowering North America’s black and disenfranchised youth.
The award presentation also includes an interactive session that involves Louis, his only son Satie (who premiered two films as a director at the event), event founder, Fabienne Colas, and the audience. He answered questions regarding his career history that began at the age of 17, how he was tied to a tree for three hours by a policeman in his early career start in Hollywood (for driving while being black), and his views on the film industry, especially the black film industry. He also gave his nod to a suggestion from a woman in the audience about how black film producers should form their own industry in the mould of the Nigerian Nollywood industry.
Born Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. on May 27, 1936, he is perhaps best known for his Academy Award-winning role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman, and his Emmy Award-winning role as The Fiddler in the 1977 ABC television miniseries Roots. Gossett has also starred in numerous film productions including A Raisin In The Sun, The Landlord. Skin Game, Travels with My Aunt, The Laughing Policeman, The Deep, Jaws 3-D (1983), Wolfgang Petersen’s Enemy Mine, the Iron Eagle series, Toy Soldiers and The Punisher. His acting career spans over five decades.
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