Oscar-winning Actress Louise Fletcher Dies at 88

Louise Fletcher, pictured in February 2007, died at her home in southern France VINCE BUCCI GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
Louise Fletcher, pictured in February 2007, died at her home in southern France VINCE BUCCI GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
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Oscar-winning Actress Louise Fletcher Dies at 88

Louise Fletcher, pictured in February 2007, died at her home in southern France VINCE BUCCI GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
Louise Fletcher, pictured in February 2007, died at her home in southern France VINCE BUCCI GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File

Louise Fletcher, the US actress who won an Oscar in 1976 for her performance as villain Nurse Ratched in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," has died, her family said in a statement to AFP Saturday.

While she was best known for her portrayal of Mildred Ratched, Fletcher had an acting career that spanned more than six decades, including numerous appearances in television shows.

Fletcher, who was 88, "died peacefully at her home in France surrounded by her family," the statement said.

She had a recurring role on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," and garnered Emmy nominations for guest-starring roles on "Picket Fences" and "Joan of Arcadia" in 1996 and 2004 respectively.

Born in 1934 in Birmingham, Alabama to hearing-impaired parents, Fletcher used sign language to thank them for their support during her Oscar acceptance speech.

Her last credited work was a two-episode run guest-starring on the Netflix show "Girlboss" in 2017, according to IMDb.com.

Fletcher died at her home that she built "out of a 300 year old farmhouse" in France's south, her family said in the statement.

She is survived by two sons, US media reported.



Disney's 'Moana 2' Premiere Honors Hawaiian Culture

Actors Auli'i Cravalho and Dwyane Johnson speak during the premiere of Disney Animation's film Moana 2 in Kapolei, Hawaii, US November 21, 2024.  REUTERS/Marco Garcia
Actors Auli'i Cravalho and Dwyane Johnson speak during the premiere of Disney Animation's film Moana 2 in Kapolei, Hawaii, US November 21, 2024. REUTERS/Marco Garcia
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Disney's 'Moana 2' Premiere Honors Hawaiian Culture

Actors Auli'i Cravalho and Dwyane Johnson speak during the premiere of Disney Animation's film Moana 2 in Kapolei, Hawaii, US November 21, 2024.  REUTERS/Marco Garcia
Actors Auli'i Cravalho and Dwyane Johnson speak during the premiere of Disney Animation's film Moana 2 in Kapolei, Hawaii, US November 21, 2024. REUTERS/Marco Garcia

The world premiere of Disney's "Moana 2" sailed into Oahu, Hawaii on Thursday along with a celebration of Pacific Islander heritage.
In the storyline, three years have passed since Moana's adventures in the first hit film. "At first, she was wondering if she could be a wayfinder,” Auliʻi Cravalho, who voices the title character, told Reuters.
"By the time we see her again she's a ... master navigator."
The film also takes Moana on a journey into the future, so she is traveling "even further beyond," the native Hawaiian actor added.
“Moana 2,” directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, arrives in theaters on Nov. 27.
In it Moana receives a sudden call from her ancestors to travel the seas and break the god Nalo’s curse, which prevents the people of various islands from reconnecting.
She must form her own crew and reunite with her friend, the demigod Maui, played by Dwayne Johnson.
“Maui’s journey in 'Moana 2' means to me a few things,” Johnson said.
“Number one, legacy, and number two, the character Maui was largely inspired by my grandfather who’s buried here (Hawaii), so it’s pretty meaningful to me,” he added.
The premiere opened with performances from Hawaiian dancers wearing leis and waving Hawaiian flags.
The film is highly anticipated after Disney’s other 2024 animated sequel "Inside Out 2" passed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office less than three weeks after its release - the fastest that any animated film has reached that level.
The first “Moana” topped the 2016 Thanksgiving box office rankings, earning a mighty $81.1 million over the five-day holiday period.