Olympia Dukakis has passed away at age 89

quote:

---

Olympia Dukakis, an Oscar-winning actress for her role in "Moonstruck," died Saturday in New York City. She was 89 years old.

Although she had a stage career that spanned decades, Dukakis is best known for her portrayal of Rose Castorini, the nosy-but-sensitive Italian mother in the 1987 film "Moonstruck," stealing many scenes from Cher, who played her daughter.

At the 1988 Academy Awards, Dukakis won best supporting actress while Cher took home the best actress award for their performances in the film.

Later roles included Clairee Belcher in the 1989 film "Steel Magnolias," in which she encourages a grieving M'Lynn Eatenton, portrayed by Sally Field, to slap Shirley MacLaine's character, saying, "Knock her lights out, M'Lynn!"

Throughout her rise to fame, the actress appeared in more than 130 off-Broadway productions, as well as Broadway plays including "The Aspern Papers," "Abraham Cochrane," and her one-woman play "Rose."

Dukakis passed away three years after the death of her husband, fellow actor Louis Zorich. The couple married in 1962 and cofounded The Whole Theatre Company in Montclair, New Jersey, running it from 1971 to 1990.

Her television roles included the transgender landlady Anna Madrigal in the 1993 miniseries "Tales of the City." She reprised the role in the sequels "More Tales of the City" in 1998 and "Further Tales of the City" in 2001. A fourth version, "Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City," was streamed on Netflix in 2019. Dukakis again appeared in the miniseries, which was her last television role.

Dukakis passed away three years after the death of her husband, fellow actor Louis Zorich. The couple married in 1962 and cofounded The Whole Theatre Company in Montclair, New Jersey, running it from 1971 to 1990.

---