Olympia Dukakis Dies: Oscar-Winning Actress For ‘Moonstruck’ Was 89
Olympia Dukakis, who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1988 for Moonstruck, has died at the age of 89. She had been in ill health for some time.
Dukakis, who also starred in Look Who’s Talking and Mr. Holland’s Opus, died at her home in New York City.
“My beloved sister, Olympia Dukakis, passed away this morning in New York City,” wrote her brother Apollo, who confirmed her death on his Facebook page. “After many months of failing health she is finally at peace and with her [husband] Louis [Zorich].” The cause of death has yet to be determined.
Dukakis was a theater veteran who struck gold in the film business later in life. She was 56 when she played Cher’s sardonic mother, Rose Castorini, in Norman Jewison’s romantic classic Moonstruck. Her portrayl of a woman overly involved her daughter’s love life earned her an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA nomination.
1988 was a year of prominence beyond the Oscars, as Dukakis’s cousin, former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, was the Democratic nominee for president. She stumped for him during her Oscars acceptance speech, shouting “OK, Michael, let’s go!”
A lifelong activist and philanthropist, Dukakis earned a star on the the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013.
Born in Lowell, Mass. on June 20, 1931, she was the daughter of immigrants from southern Greece. That upbringing shaped her life, leading her to take to the stage as a means of expression.
She graduated from Boston University with a degree in in physical therapy and a master’s in performing arts. She then began her career in New York City. She made her debut in “The Aspern Papers” in 1962.