Lou Gossett, Jr. Talks About Life After the Oscars

In 1982, this Brooklyn, New York, native won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and an NAACP Image Award for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the critically acclaimed film 'An Officer and a Gentleman.' He was the first black actor to win an Academy Award for best supporting actor.

At a time when few blacks were winning Oscars, one would assume that Lou Gossett, Jr. would have been showered with major roles. While he has done numerous films and TV projects and continues to work in Hollywood, when you look at the work of winners after him (Jack Nicholson, Sean Connery, Kevin Kline and Denzel Washington), you can say that Gossett got the short end of the stick.

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In this photo provided by Kraft Foods, Spice Girl "Mel B" poses for a photo wearing a T-shirt she designed based on the classic pink ribbon used for breast cancer awareness, after a fashion show and launch of "Pose for the Cure" web site to help Kraft Foods raise money for the 'Susan G. Komen for the Cure' fight against breast cancer in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008. The shirt is for sale on the web site and the net proceeds will benefit the foundation. (AP Photo/Kraft Foods, Ray Stubblebine) **NO SALES**

In this undated image released by Oxfam Tuesday Sept. 23, 2008, British singer Mel B participates in the 'In My Name' global campaign calling for action against poverty and demanding world leaders keep their promises on millennium development goals. (AP Photo/Oxfam, HO) ** NO SALES **

In this photo provided by Kraft Foods, Spice Girl Mel B, left, serves as the emcee at a fashion show and launch of "Pose for the Cure" web site to help Kraft Foods raise money for the 'Susan G. Komen for the Cure' fight against breast cancer in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008. Mel B wears a T-shirt she designed based on the classic pink ribbon used for breast cancer awareness. The shirt is for sale on the web site and the net proceeds will benefit the foundation. The woman at right is unidentified. (AP Photo/Kraft Foods, Ray Stubblebine) **NO SALES**

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 09: TV personality and designer Khloe Kardashian and Olympic-level swimmer and model Amanda Beard (R) pose backstage at the Mel B With Ultimo Spring 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion on September 9, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images )

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NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 09: Ultimo Scottish designer lingerie brand founder Michelle Mone (L) and pop singer Melanie Brown pose backstage at the Mel B With Ultimo Spring 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion on September 9, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images )

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NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 09: Pop singer Melanie Brown poses backstage at the Mel B With Ultimo Spring 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion on September 9, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images )

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NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 09: Pop singer Melanie Brown and Olympic-level swimmer and model Amanda Beard (R) pose backstage at the Mel B With Ultimo Spring 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion on September 9, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images )

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NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 09: Pop singer Melanie Brown and singer Aubrey O'Day (R) poses backstage at the Mel B With Ultimo Spring 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion on September 9, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images )

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NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 09: Pop singer Melanie Brown, Olympic-level swimmer and model Amanda Beard, singer Aubrey O'Day and TV personality and designer Khloe Kardashian pose backstage at the Mel B With Ultimo Spring 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion on September 9, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images )

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Black Voices recently caught with up the Academy Award winner, who talked about this year's African American nominees, life after his Oscar win and serving as a narrator to a civil rights documentary airing on TV One this month.

Are you excited for this year's nominees, Viola Davis and Taraji P. Henson?

LG: It's wonderful because each one deserves it. Taraji is a wonderful actress. When I saw 'Hustle and Flow,' I thought that was her 15 minutes of fame, but she does all sorts of characters. It's a great thing to see those young actresses getting a shot. Too bad both of them are in the same category.

After you won the Oscar, did Hollywood embrace you with lots of scripts and big roles?

LG: Not me. My friends did. I didn't get the work I thought I was going to get. It was a bit of a struggle for me. There are still not enough films about our history. We are still playing catch up. My peers like Paul Newman, Marlon Brando and Gregory Peck had a chance to do European history by doing films such as 'Napoleon' and 'Alexander the Great.' They got their rocks off. African Americans didn't get a chance to do history on the big screen.

What was the best script you received after your win?

LG: The best script I got was 'Enemy Mine' with Dennis Quaid.

You then did 'Iron Eagle' and three sequels to it.

LG: Those were good films.

What do you have coming up?

LG: On TV One, there's a program that aired this month called 'Let Freedom Sing: The Music of the Civil Rights Movement,' (a two-hour documentary that chronicles how the power of lyrics and songs helped move a nation during the most turbulent days of the 20th century) where I serve as the host.

How did you get involved with that?

LG: They asked me, probably because of my track record. It was a wonderful thing to be a part of and a beautiful experience. We go through life at times with music, and during the '60s and the revolution, some of the music that stood out were songs of courage.

What songs do you fondly recall from that time period?

LG: I remember the Motown sound and I also remember the songs by Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. There are other songs, but all of them meant something to me. The truth seemed to come out from the music, like James Brown's 'Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud,' and Nina Simone's 'Mississippi Goddam.'

Now that we have a black president, do you think the music will change?

LG: Things are changing even in spite of us. We now have songs that are bringing us together like Will.i.am's America's Song. I watched the Grammys this year and the songs played were incredible.

Do you have any films in the works?

LG: I have a film currently making the festival circuit. It's called 'The Least Among You' with me, Lauren Holly and William Devane. I also have film completed called 'Shannon's Rainbow' with Eric Roberts and Michael Madsen. I'm looking forward to doing some films as a producer and working through my foundation, Eracism Foundation. I'm trying to integrate gaps from my generation to the next.

'Let Freedom Sing' airs Feb 22 at 1PM ET on TV One.

BUY IT, TRY IT: 'Iron Eagle III – Ace' DVD

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