Olympia Dukakis brought warmth, humor and wit to the stage and screen for almost 60 years, including a stellar run of unforgettable roles in "Steel Magnolias" "Tales of the City" and "Moonstruck," for which she won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. She will be missed. pic.twitter.com/TLuNTx32PI
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) May 1, 2021
Oscar-winning actress Olympia Dukakis has died at the age of 89.
The star, who won a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for her role as the mother of Cher's character in Moonstruck, found screen fame in her mid-50s after years as a stage actress.
She also had notable roles in Mr Holland's Opus and Steel Magnolias and had TV appearances in Switch and Tales Of The City. On film, she frequently took on the role of the difficult mum, including in Look Who's Talking and Dad.
Dukakis died in New York. Her brother Apollo posted a photo in tribute to her on Facebook and wrote: "After many months of failing health she is finally at peace and with her [husband] Louis."
Her husband of more than 50 years, Louis Zorich, died in 2018. She is survived by her children with Zorich, Christina, Peter and Stefan.
Among those paying tribute were stars Betty Buckley and Alex Winter, along with the Academy, which noted she "brought warmth, humor and wit to the stage and screen for almost 60 years".
