Actor Louis Gossett Jr. died Friday at the age of 87 in Santa Monica, California, his family confirmed. A cause of death has not been made public.

Gossett was best known for his Emmy-winning performance as Fiddler in the 1977 miniseries Roots. He went on to become the first black actor to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as the drill sergeant in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman, which also earned him a Golden Globe, and won his second Emmy for his performance in the film In His Father’s Shoes.

Most recently, Gossett was a part of HBO’s Watchman series cast for a seven-episode span in 2019. From there, Gossett played roles in several more films, the most recent being the 2023 remake of The Color Purple, which snagged him an Oscar nomination.

In his last social media post, the actor wished “everyone many blessings in 2024,” accompanied by a photo of his family.

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Gossett is survived by his sons Satie and Sharron, and a nephew, fellow actor Robert Gossett.

“It is with our heartfelt regret to confirm 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,” a statement from his family read.