Oscar winner Olympia Dukakis, the theater veteran who rose to prominence late in her career with memorable turns in 1980s films such as Moonstruck and Steel Magnolias, has died at the age of 89.
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 Saturday. 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.
WATCH: Oscar-winning Moonstruck actress Olympia Dukakis dies at 89
By Reuters
By Jonathan Oatis and Will Dunham
NEW YORK - Olympia Dukakis, who won an Oscar for her performance as a sardonic, middle-aged mother who advises her headstrong daughter on matters of love in the 1987romantic film comedy Moonstruck, died on Saturday at age 89.
Dukakis - a cousin of unsuccessful 1988 Democratic US presidential nominee Michael Dukakis - passed away at her New York City home on Saturday morning after months of failing health, according to her agent, Allison Levy. Her daughter,Christina Zorich, was by her side.
Dukakis, the Massachusetts-born daughter of Greek immigrants, worked for decades as a stage, TV and film actor before rocketing to fame at age 56 playing the mother of Cher s character in Moonstruck.
Updated: 16:07 ET, May 2 2021
CHER laughed all the time with Moonstruck costar Olympia Dukakis as she remembered the late actress following her death.
Olympia, who rose to fame in 1980s hits like Moonstruck and Steel Magnolias, passed away at her New York City home.
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Cher tweeted that they laughed together all the time Credit: Twitter/Cher
Following the actress s death, Cher took to Twitter to express her sadness and remember her friend fondly.
She first wrote as she shared pics of Olympia with her husband Louis Zorich: Olympia Dukakis Was an Amazing, Academy Award-Winning Actress. Olympia Played My Mom In Moonstruck and Even Though Her Part was That Of a Suffering Wife, We [Laughed] ALL The Time.