Award-winning actor Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, has died at the age of 87.

Gossett appeared in more than 110 television shows and 68 films over a seven decade Hollywood career. He won a 1977 Emmy Award for his role in ABC's groundbreaking TV miniseries Roots.

Other television shows Gossett appeared in include The Mod Squad, The Partridge Family, The Cosby Show, The Jeffersons, The Josephine Baker Story, Touched By An Angel and The Book of Negroes. In 2020, Gossett’s appearance in HBO’s drama series Watchmen earned him the last of his eight Emmy nominations. 

On the big screen, Gossett in 1983 received an Oscar for his role as a no-nonsense Marine drill sergeant in An Officer and a Gentleman, which starred Richard Gere. Most recently Gossett appeared in the 2023 film The Color Purple.

Celebrities such as Colman Domingo, Stephanie Mills and Sheryl Lee Ralph took to social media in tribute to Gossett. Actor James Woods, who starred with Gossett in the 1992 film Diggstown, called Gossett “a true gentleman.” 

ABC’s comedy series Black-ish was the big winner at Saturday night’s NAACP Image Awards event.

The comedy series racked up six NAACP Image Awards – which celebrates the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film. The series swept the comedy category, winning for best comedy as well as a best actress in a comedy statuette for Tracee Ellis Ross and a best comedy actor award for Anthony Anderson, who also hosted the Awards telecast that aired live on TV One.

OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network’s Queen Sugar won the award for best drama series, while FX’s The People V. O.J. Simpson was topped all challengers in the Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series, or Dramatic Special category.

Overall ABC led all networks with seven awards wins, with OWN, Starz, Fox, FX, History and BET all winning multiple NAACP Image awards.

The NAACP Image Awards winners in the major television categories are as follows:

Outstanding Comedy Series

Black-ish (ABC)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

Tracee Ellis Ross – “Black-ish” (ABC)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson – “Black-ish” (ABC)

 Outstanding Drama Series

Queen Sugar – (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

 Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

Sterling K. Brown – “This Is Us” (NBC)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

Taraji P. Henson – “Empire” (Fox)

 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Laurence Fishburne – “`black-ish” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Tichina Arnold  - “Survivor’s Remorse” (Starz)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Jussie Smollett - “Empire” (FOX)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Naturi Naughton - “Power” (Starz)

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series, or Dramatic Special

“The People v. O.J. Simpson:  American Crime Story” (FX)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series, or Dramatic Special

Courtney B. Vance - “The People v. O.J. Simpson:  American Crime Story” (FX)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series, or Dramatic Special

Regina King - “American Crime” (ABC)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

“BET Love and Happiness White House Special” (BET)

 Outstanding Talk Series

“Steve Harvey” (Syndicated)

 Outstanding Reality Program/Reality Competition Series

“Iyanla:  Fix My Life” (OWN)

Outstanding Variety (Series or Special)

“2016 Black Girls Rock” (BET)

Outstanding Children’s Program

“An American Girl Story – Melody 1963:  Love Has to Win”(Amazon)

 Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series)

Marsai Martin - “`black-ish” (ABC)

 Outstanding Host in a News, Talk, Reality, or Variety Program (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

Roland S. Martin - “NewsOne Now with Roland S. Martin”(TV One)

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

Kenya Barris - “`black-ish” – Hope (ABC) 

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

Donald Glover - “Atlanta” – Value (FX)

 Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series

John Singleton - “The People v. O.J. Simpson:  American Crime Story” – The Race Card (FX)

 Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Television)

Rick Famuyiwa - “Confirmation” (HBO)

 Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series

Ava DuVernay - “Queen Sugar” – First Things First (OWN) 

 Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Television) 

Charles Murray – “Roots” - Night 3 (History)

Outstanding Documentary - (Film)

“13TH” (Netflix)

Outstanding Documentary - (Television)

“Roots:  A New Vision” (History)

Veteran A+E Studios executive Bob DeBitetto will leave the company at the end of the year, A+E Networks president and CEO Nancy Dubuc said Monday.

DeBitetto, who was named head of A+E Studios in 2013 after leading A&E Networks as its president and CEO over a decade prior, will leave at the end of the year, Dubuc said in an internal memo.

Under DeBitetto, A+E Studios produced such shows as Lifetime’s scripted series UnReal and History’s Emmy-nominated limited series Roots.

Dubuc said she will name a new head of A+E Studios, but did not give a timetable.

The full Dubuc memo reads as follows:

Over the last 14 years, Bob DeBitetto has been a vital force in our company. As President of A&E, he led the network to an impressive 10 year ratings growth streak and he had a hand in creating some of our biggest franchises. Nearly three years ago, when I took over as CEO I asked Bob to create and lead A+E Studios so we would participate in owning our scripted content. In a few short years, the Studio created our most critically-acclaimed series ever, UnReal, and the Emmy-nominated Roots. The studio now has over 40 series in active development including History’s upcoming series Six and Knightfall. It has become a major force in Hollywood and he has played a key role in its success. 

Bob has been a friend, partner and mentor to me over the course of his entire career at A&E. He is widely respected in our industry and is often referred to as  "the smartest guy in the room." So it is with great sadness that I am announcing his departure from A+E Networks. This summer,  Bob told me he had decided to pursue the next chapter in his storied career and I want to be the first to wish him the very best. 

Bob will be here until the end of the year and I expect to make an announcement shortly about the new leader of A+E Studios. 

Please join me in wishing Bob continued success. I know we are all going to miss him greatly.

Wednesday’s 33rd Annual Walter Kaitz Foundation dinner raised nearly $1.7 million as the pay TV industry honored A+E Networks and the National Association of Independent Latino Producers (NALIP) for their efforts to foster diversity, NCTA said today. Money raised by the Kaitz dinner supports the Emma L. Bowen Foundation, the National Association of Multi-ethnicity in Communications and Women in Cable Telecommunications.  

A+E Networks CEO Nancy Dubuc accepted the Diversity Champion award for the programmer’s efforts to promote women and minorities in leadership roles. The programmer, which includes networks like History Channel, Viceland and Lifetime, has used its influence – it reaches 330 million TV watchers worldwide and 500 million digital users – to touch on topics like racial diversity and sexuality. History’s remake of Roots was a success this year and brought the groundbreaking story of slavery and individuality to a whole new generation. At Viceland, programs like travel documentary Gaycation explore sexual orientation and the cultural dynamics of foreign LGBTQ communities.  

NALIP executive director Axel Caballero accepted the Diversity Advocate award for the organization, which was formed 17 years ago to advance the professional interests of Latino content creators.

Under Caballero, who joined NALIP three years ago, the organization has expanded its outreach by creating “incubators,” a series of initiatives that allow Latino content creators to gather together, share their best work, network and receive training that take their careers to the next level. Combined with NALIP’s array of mentorship programs, media summits and showcases which bring together key players in the cable, media and entertainment worlds, the organization has expanded the meaning of what being a producer means.

The dinner, held at the New York Marriott Marquis (the theme was Inclusion. Impact. Inspiration) on Sept. 21, was hosted by CNN anchor Fredricka Whitfield. The dinner committee was headed by Turner Broadcasting System chairman and CEO John Martin and Charter Communications chairman and CEO Tom Rutledge.

Related:What History Wants You To Know About 'Roots'

How do you keep a family together over generations when its members are enslaved, broken apart and suppressed in the most brutal ways imaginable? Through the power of a story — the story of the family’s founder, and of his African traditions.

This version of Roots — “reimagined” as four two-hour TV movies, nearly 40 years after the original miniseries aired on ABC — is strong on the Mandinka warrior origins, as one might expect from a History production that aimed to add new information and insights learned over the decades. Kunta Kinte, the young man captured in West Africa and sold into slavery in the United States, played by LeVar Burton in the original, is vividly portrayed here by Malachi Kirby in nights one and two.

Anika Noni Rose also especially shines as Kizzy, daughter of Kunta Kinte and Belle (Emayatzy Corinealdi) — the brutality and violence they endure is truly shocking and many moments are very moving. “We fight when we have to, but first we have to survive,” an adult Kizzy tells her son, Chicken George (Regé-Jean Page), and you have to see what that survival costs to appreciate the impact of those simple words.

After the initial sequences in Africa (filmed in South Africa), the tension feels almost nonstop, from capture to the slave-ship horrors through plantation experiences, with few moments of emotional relief achieved via revenge or the reunion of parted loved ones. That changes during night four, which also is when some of the historical events (such as Nat Turner’s Rebellion and the Civil War) feel a bit more forced in. Overall, though, the four movies flow together through many moments of holding one’s breath.

Roots airs over four consecutive nights, simulcast on A&E and Lifetime as well as on History.

Related:MCN Review: 'Roots'

History on Memorial Day is launching its eight-hour Roots miniseries based on Alex Haley’s classic novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. History general manager Jana Bennett says the network’s four-night Roots miniseries is more of a revision than a remake of ABC’s groundbreaking 1977 Roots miniseries that will feature a more definitive historical retelling of African Warrior Kunta Kinte and his family’s struggle over many generations to survive slavery and eventually regain freedom.

Here’s what Bennett and History want you to know about Roots.

This is not your father’s Roots: “If you think back to 1977 when the first Roots television series was launched and then think about now 39 years later, there’s a lot more scholarship that’s gone on about the history of Africa and the history of the middle passage – there hasn’t been a lot of historical examination of it including the numbers involved, the uprising of the slaves on the ship, and the nature of the trade economically. There’s a lot more about the culture and the cities in Africa, so we’ve been able to add a lot more scholarship to this new vision of Roots. It’s an update – not just in terms of television technique and a whole new generation of actors -- but actually new scholarship woven into the narrative. We are telling Kunta Kinte’s story as well as his descendants’ stories, but we’re also bringing in fresh eyes to the story. Every night has a different director to reflect their vision. It’s new on alot of levels.”

The reboot is relevant to today’s issues: “There’s shared history, which is something that should be understood and appreciated by people living in America today. It’s also an international story because it’s a very big piece of history in terms of how America was made and how it affected Africa, so there’s a universality to the story, which makes it relevant now and going forward. We tell stories in history, but also history doesn’t stand still, so there’s always new things to say. When we decided to do Roots, we didn’t know how this would fit with current events at the time. We didn’t know about #BlackLivesMatter rising as a movement, nor about the debate about race in this country and the forms that it has taken this year. But as time has gone by since we decided to make this revision of Roots I have to say it lands right in the middle of very current debates about the nature of this society, so I think its even more relevant than we would have thought it was going to be. It was already going to be a universally epic story shared by all Americans, but it’s even more relevant in terms of the current debates happening about society today.”

Roots is focused on historical authenticity: “What we’ve been able to achieve is a high level of authenticity which is obviously fitting for the History Channel to be able to offer that to viewers. That includes bringing in archeologists and historians to tell us how to depict the towns and kingdoms in Africa, but also [costume designer] Ruth Carter’s costumes and designs are absolutely wonderful. The color indigo you’ll see every night was drawn from what dyes we knew were being used then. Also, women’s roles are really powerful and even more vividly drawn and upfront.  You’ll see that from the roles of Matilda and Kizzy – they really put women more into the forefront because they do play a historical role in the story of Roots, and were very resilient. They literally brought through the next generations, so from all those respects we brought in a lot of historical resources to the telling of Roots. It enhances our understanding in a lot of different ways.”

History will premiere its reboot of the classic 1970's miniseries Roots this Memorial Day.

The four-night, eight-hour series will debut May 30 on History, A&E and Lifetime, said the network. The series, a remake of the 1970’s ABC miniseries Roots based on Alex Haley’s best selling novel about the journey of an African-American family through slavery, is executive produced by Will Packer, Marc Toberoff, Mark Wolper, Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal and Barry Jossen.

Original Roots star LeVar Burton and Korin D. Huggins will serve as co-executive producers.

 “Roots will allow new audiences to experience this epic family saga with a new vision that is both inspiring and tremendously entertaining,” said Paul Buccieri, President of A&E and History.  “We are proud that History will be able to bring new life to this powerful story that remains as important today as it did when the original ‘Roots’ first premiered.”

Roots is the latest History miniseries to launch during the Memorial Day holiday. Most notable was the 2012 premiere of Hatfields & McCoys, which averaged a cable record 13 million viewers over three nights.

The Roots cast includes Forest Whitaker, Anna Paquin Laurence Fishburne Jonathan Rhys Meyers Anika Noni Rose and Tip “T.I.” Harris.

A&E has greenlit a remake of the classic 1970's miniseries Roots, network officials said Thursday.

History, A&E and Lifetime will air the reboot of the miniseries, which will include more material from Alex Haley’s novel Roots: The Saga Of An American Family, according to A&E. The novel served as the basis for the original eight-part miniseries, which finished as one of the most-watched programs in television history.

Will Packer (Ride Along, Think Like A Man) will serve as executive producer with original Roots star LeVar Burton to serve as co-executive producer of the miniseries. The Wolper Organization – the company that produced the original – will produce the miniseries along with Mark Toberoff.

“Roots was a groundbreaking television milestone that has had an enduring effect on American culture. We are privileged to be stewards of this universal story and will undertake its retelling with extreme care,” said Dirk Hoogstra, executive vice president and general manager for History in a statement. “We are proud to bring this saga to fans of the original, as well as to a new generation that will experience this powerful and poignant tale for the first time. Audiences will once again feel the impact of Kunta Kinte’s indomitable spirit.”